It's rare that I post two blog posts so close together, and even more so that I would post less than 24 hours apart, but I feel this warrants immediate attention.
I was made aware today that the Tennessee Pharmacists Association has undertaken the conduction of a Pharmacy Practice Environment Study. The board is calling on ALL pharmacy professionals in the state of Tennessee to participate in this study, whether they are pharmacists, technicians, or otherwise involved in pharmacy practice. Participation is encouraged regardless of membership in the Tennessee Pharmacists Association.
I'm glad to share that this undertaking seems to be a result of the outcry of many pharmacists in Tennessee who have already made their complaints known directly to TPA, as referenced in this open letter from the Executive Director Dr. Micah Cost penned in July 2019, which was incidentally about a month after the news broke of the Walmart pharmacy layoffs in June of 2019. I'm grateful to each and every one that spoke up, whether it was concerning the layoffs or the myriad other challenges facing pharmacy today, and I hope that those in other states will follow that lead, and that those in power will dare to listen and act.
According to an email sent to TPA members today, this study is intended to "evaluate best practices and determine issues that affect the well-being of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy professionals. More specifically, this assessment addresses three primary topics of interest: salary and benefits, quality of life, and work environment. The results from this assessment will provide a greater understanding of the current state of pharmacy practice in Tennessee and help TPA in pursuing positive changes that promote professional well-being and supportive pharmacy work environments."
So, for those of you living, working, practicing, and struggling in Tennessee, if there was ever a time to speak up, this is it!!
TPA asks that you plan to spend approximately 15 minutes completing the online survey-based assessment. While the homepage of the study site declares complete anonymity of responses, there is also an option provided to give your contact information and have a TPA staff member contact you personally to further discuss the assessment.
Again, if you live and/or work in Tennessee, DO NOT pass up this opportunity to make your voice heard.
***If you do not live or work in Tennessee, please share this post so that your former classmates and colleagues who do may see it, and then you could also perhaps forward it to your state's professional organizations and/or boards and encourage that they consider similar action.***