Three North Hawaii Community Hospital employees recently earned advanced certification as Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhT) after successfully completing the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) nationally recognized exam.
Three North Hawaii Community Hospital employees recently earned advanced certification as Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhT) after successfully completing the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) nationally recognized exam.
Michael Winslow and Melissa Kahoopii, both hospital Pharmacy Technicians, and Linda Benanua, a Nurse Aide, recently earned this advanced certification, offering individuals the opportunity to distinguish themselves in the pharmacy technician field.
It also enables technicians to work more effectively with pharmacists to offer safe and effective patient care and service resulting in improved outcomes with respect to patient safety and safety in medication management.
“My pharmacy career started when I re-enlisted in the Navy and attended pharmacy technician school in 1976,” said Winslow. “I felt that having this certification would be an advantage for me professionally.”
“I was interested in earning this certification as a way to better myself and experience new opportunities in the medical field,” said Benanua. “Receiving this certification is personally rewarding and allows me to professionally bridge across the community.”
Benanua has been a Nurse Aide at NHCH since 2007.
“After being in this profession for over 10 years, this was another step in life I wanted to accomplish to have a better understanding of pharmaceuticals,” said Kahoopii. “This certification has given me more confidence in myself, both personally and professionally.”
Kahoopii joined NHCH in May of 2012 and serves as a pharmacy clerk in NHCH’s in-patient pharmacy.
“This certification is the gold standard of credentialing for pharmacy technicians,” said Cherrie Carse, NHCH director of pharmacy. “… Melissa, Michael and Linda are ahead of the curve. Needless to say, we are very proud of their initiative and accomplishment.”