The PHSA+ Awards celebrate individuals and teams across our organization that demonstrate excellence and advance our organization by living PHSA's values. The awards showcase and recognize the passion, hard work and dedication of our staff and gives us the chance to celebrate our peers who are serving patients, clients, families and communities each and every day. The BC Cancer Pharmacy Provincial Professional Practice Council (P4C) is the pharmacy leadership team with members from each of the six centres and provincial pharmacy. They develop and meet provincial and national standards of practice for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
“All members bring a unique perspective, different experiences and expertise to the table and all are welcome and celebrated for their contributions,” says Dr. Lynne Nakashima, senior director, Provincial Pharmacy, BC Cancer. “We look at the problem straight in the eye and then dissect it into elements that help us find creative solutions. We also support each other through the tough times, as an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on.”
The COVID-19 pandemic and devastating wildfires and flooding from last year have challenged the P4C team to innovate quickly while maintaining patient safety. The P4C team safely navigated patient care amidst drug shortages as some of the medications used to manage COVID-19 care were also used for cancer treatments or supportive care. When illness and environmental issues impacted pharmacy staff from getting into work, they created back-up plans to ensure coverage by pooling resources from across the centres and provincial pharmacy. They even supported patients who were displaced by determining the closest location for them to receive care and how to transfer that care when there was no access to documentation.
Daring to innovate is only one of the PHSA values that the P4C team exemplifies. They serve with purpose to deliver accurate and safe care to patients and cultivate partnerships regionally, provincially, and nationally.
“The care of cancer patients requires a team approach. Pharmacy works intimately with our health care teams to provide the best possible care,” says Dr. Nakashima. “As a provincial organization, others look to us to set the standards of care, provide drug information, protocol and ordering guidance as well as information on handling hazardous medications. BC Cancer Pharmacy created and maintains the Cancer Drug Manual and manages the Chemotherapy Protocols and Orders. The BC Cancer Pharmacy is known around the world as a leader in the oncology pharmacy field.”
Reflecting on what she enjoys most about being on the P4C team, Dr. Nakashima says,
“I love working with the people on this team! The members at P4C are some of the most dedicated and committed pharmacists and pharmacy technicians that I have ever met. They bring an enthusiasm and excitement to each meeting. They put themselves forward to take on some of the most challenging situations that we have encountered. There is no “quit” in this team. They simply put their heads down and get the work done. And if you ask them why, they will say that it is because they want to help people.”
The PHSA+ Awards are part of an internal recognition program that celebrates teams and individuals who bring our PHSA values to life in the workplace. They go above and beyond to serve patients and families across B.C. Read about the other PHSA+ award recipients for 2022.
