Highlights in CP112

In the first year of pharmacy school at UCSF, we take classes in clinical pharmacy that cover a gamut of general pharmacy-related topics: cultural/diversity sensitivity in patient counseling, over-the-counter drugs, hands-on training on medical devices for common diseases, etc. I would say that the highlights for this quarter's CP112 class were the pulmonary skills lab and the diabetes training workshop.

In the pulmonary skills lab, Dr. Lisa Kroon and Robin Corelli gave us information inhalers commonly used to control asthma and COPD. Coincidently, I was, at the time, suffering from allergy-induced asthma and benefited tremendously from the workshop. After the lecture & demonstrations, I found out that I was using the pirbuterol inhaler incorrectly by not inhaling and holding my breath long enough for the mist to be absorbed in my lungs. I'm so glad we had that workshop, because it not only helped me obtain more benefit from my asthma medication, but I am now better trained to teach my future patients. Using those inhalers correctly can be a great challenge, as I have learned from my experience.

Another good thing that came out of that workshop and the reading on asthma was my medication adherence. I became more compliant in using the corticosteroid nasal spray after reading about the potential pulmonary damage from untreated asthma and the amount of time required for corticosteroids to take effects in the body. Knowing that my Nasonex doesn't start working until after 2 weeks of daily administration, I stuck to the regimen without expecting immediate relief, and finally got my allergies under control. Thankfully, I now do not have to rely on the pirbuterol inhaler for chest tightness because there's no more post-nasal drips to fill my lungs with fluids and cause vasoconstrictions.

Another really cool workshop that I just had last week was the diabetes training, where I tested my blood glucose level and injected myself subcutaneously with saline solution using an insulin needle. The blood test, I have done before, so it was less exciting than the self-injection. It was fun to actually not feel the needle going in at all when I placed the needle on my pinched-up abdominal area at a 90 degree angle. I can now tell my patients that it doesn't feel as bad as it looks when I counsel them on self-injections.

The first final is in two days and I feel so unprepared!