Sara J. White

Is there still a pharmacy leadership crisis? A seven-year follow-up assessment

In 2004, the ASHP Scholar-in-Residence program focused on pharmacy leadership, with the objective of quantitatively assessing the current and future pharmacy leadership situations and developing recommendations to avoid a future leadership crisis.[1][1] At that point in time, 80% of directors and 77

A quantitative study of the emotional intelligence of participants in the ASHP Foundation's Pharmacy Leadership Academy.

PURPOSE Results of a quantitative assessment of emotional intelligence in a sample of pharmacists affiliated with the ASHP Research and Education Foundations Pharmacy Leadership Academy (PLA) are presented. METHODS A demographic questionnaire and a validated instrument for assessing emotional intelligence, the Emotional Quotient Inventory, version 2.0 (EQ-i 2.0), were administered to a group of practicing pharmacists who graduated from the PLA during the period 2008-12 (n = 82) and a control group of pharmacists who were accepted into the PLA in 2013 but had not begun leadership training (n = 40). The dependent variables were the mean total EQ-I 2.0 score and mean scores on five EQ-i 2.0 composite scales. The independent variables were PLA affiliation status (graduate versus matriculant) and demographic variables. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to calculate between-group differences in EQ-i 2.0 scores. The relationship of demographic variables to EQ-i 2.0 scores was analyzed via multiple linear regression. RESULTS Among the 122 pharmacists who completed both assessments, the overall mean total EQ-i 2.0 score was 101.11, which indicated an average level of emotional intelligence. There were significant differences between the PLA graduate group and the control group in total EQ-i 2.0 scores and in EQ-i 2.0 scores for self-expression, decision-making, interpersonal skills, and other aspects of emotional intelligence. The evaluated demographic factors were not found to be significant predictors of EQ-i 2.0 scores. CONCLUSION The study results indicated an average level of emotional intelligence among all PLA affiliates but revealed significant differences in mean total EQ-i 2.0 scores and EQ-i 2.0 composite scale scores favoring PLA graduates.

Director's Forum Measuring Change in Health-System Pharmacy Over 50 Years: "Reflecting" on the Mirror, Part II

The Directors Forum guides pharmacy leaders in establishing patient-centered services in hospitals and health systems. August 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of the Mirror to Hospital Pharmacy, which was a comprehensive study of hospital pharmacy services in the United States. This iconic textbook was co-authored by Donald Francke, Clifton J. Latiolais, Gloria N. Francke, and Norman Ho. The Mirror profiled hospital pharmacy of the 1950s and established goals for the profession in 6 paradigms: (1) professional philosophy and ethics, (2) scientific and technical expansion of health-system pharmacy, (3) development of administrative and managerial acumen, (4) increased practice competence, (5) wage and salary compensation commensurate with professional responsibilities, and (6) health-system pharmacy as a vehicle for advancing the profession as a whole. This article critically reviews the professions progress on the first 3 goals; an article in the January 2014 issue of Hospital Pharmacy will review the final 3 goals. An understanding of the professions progress on these goals since the seminal work of the Mirror provides directors of pharmacy a platform from which to develop strategies to enhance patient-centered pharmacy services.

Trust: An essential element of leaders and managers

Can you as a pharmacy manager realistically expect employees to commit their minds and hearts to your pharmacy department in this age of relentless corporate management change, career mobility, and multiple professional opportunities? The answer is absolutely yes, but perhaps not in the ways you may

Public speaking revisited: delivery, structure, and style.

A former dean of the Mylan School of Pharmacy at Duquesne University once was asked to name the most important skill for successful pharmacists in today’s market. He could have said deep scientific knowledge, clinical prowess, or business savvy, but instead he answered “communication skills.”

Measuring Change in Health-System Pharmacy Over 50 Years: “Reflecting” on the Mirror, Part II

The Directors Forum guides pharmacy leaders in establishing patient-centered services in hospitals and health systems. 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of the Mirror to Hospital Pharmacy, which was a comprehensive study of hospital pharmacy services in the United States. This iconic textbook was co-authored by Donald Francke, Clifton J. Latiolais, Gloria N. Francke, and Norman Ho. The Mirrors results profiled hospital pharmacy of the 1950s; these results established goals for the profession in 6 paradigms: (1) professional philosophy and ethics; (2) scientific and technical expansion of health-system pharmacy; (3) development of administrative and managerial acumen; (4) increased practice competence; (5) wage and salary commensurate with professional responsibilities; and (6) health-system pharmacy as a vehicle for advancing the profession as a whole. This article critically reviews our progress on the last of 3 goals. An understanding of the professions progress on these goals since the seminal work of the Mirror provides directors of pharmacy a platform from which to develop strategies to enhance patient-centered pharmacy services.

Managing yourself so others want to work with you

Do you enjoy working with your colleagues? Do you ever feel that your job would be so much easier if your coworkers just did their job? Good working relationships must be built and maintained for pharmacists to be effective in their career, as we need the support of others to get our job done.

Managing your energy level

Do you feel tired most of the time? Do you have trouble staying focused on one task for very long? Have you lost the excitement you once had for your career and life? Each of us is faced with the rising demands of modern life. The tasks of today require imagination, inventiveness, and the capacity

Becoming an effective pharmacy supervisor.

If you are the only pharmacist on a shift and have one or more pharmacy technicians working with you, then you are a supervisor, even if you do not have that official title. All pharmacy operations in all kinds of health care settings need good supervision. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians

Maximizing your pharmacy brand

Are your daily contributions and value truly recognized throughout your organization, or are you still waiting to be discovered? Do your departmental leaders seek your input as they make decisions, and do you think you can influence them? Does the organization’s senior leadership include pharmacy