Posts

The University of New Mexico’s Generation Rx Chapter recently won the national APhA Generation Rx Award to recognize their outstanding work in prescription drug abuse prevention and education. To find out what has made their program so successful, we interviewed a group of students from UNM’s chapter of Generation Rx.

Joanna Lee

Megan Thompson

Here is what they had to say about Generation Rx at their university:

The students at the University of New Mexico have been recognized nationally for their work in prescription drug abuse prevention. What has made your school so successful in its Generation Rx projects? What advice can you offer to other colleges to help prevent the misuse and abuse of prescription medications?

David Garcia

Arika Mike

The Generation Rx program at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy has been successful because our entire state is behind this initiative. As a student body, we have made important connections statewide. Much of our student body are residents of New Mexico, and enjoy returning their hometowns to talk with their previous teachers, coaches, principals and guidance counselors about this issue and how we can help educate their students. As a result, this spurs excitement among the schools and enthusiastically offers the opportunity for us to get into the classrooms and present. This has been an extremely successful approach.

In fact, we have been able to deliver our message in 28 out of the 33 counties in New Mexico. We also have a very dedicated core group of students who are willing to travel statewide to present. Use your School/College of Pharmacy resources!  Use your people resources, like students, faculty, staff and administration. They have connections in the community that reach far beyond what only students have. We have established long-lasting relationships with local and statewide schools just by talking to the people in our own backyard.  If there are more than 1 School/College of pharmacy in the state, join forces to make a greater impact. Utilize the resources provided by Cardinal Health and the Ohio State University to develop your own personalized presentation specific to your community. Send us an email! We are more than happy to provide you with tools or share stories of how we operate with everyone in our community. We would love to help you develop your program any way we can.

If you were starting Generation Rx activities at another school, what is the first thing you would do? 

We can’t just list one!

1. Enlist a dedicated core group of students who are passionate about this issue.
2. Use a “train the trainer” model to get new students trained on the various Generation Rx presentations available.
3. Ask the student body, faculty, staff and administration if they are involved with an outside organization, or have a venue where this information would be well received (high school alma maters, youth groups, sports teams, Girl/Boy Scout troops, Rotary clubs, etc.).
4. Give a presentation!

What does Generation Rx mean to you?

An initiative designed to educate the public about the dangers of prescription drug abuse and misuse. The “pill taking” generation affects everyone and spans all age groups. Through this free education and prevention program, this initiative can hopefully prevent one more overdose death, rescue one more person from addiction, and, save one more family from suffering a tragic loss.

What is the most memorable experience you have had while teaching others about prescription drug abuse?

Recently we were able to present to our first group of youth in recovery. Of all the presentations we have given, this one has truly been the most impactful and memorable for me. To hear the stories of these teenagers’ past drug use and lifestyles they have had to overcome was extremely moving.  We talked about why they felt the way they did when they were using, why they felt cravings, and why their bodies felt the way they did when they were in withdrawal.  This was incredibly impactful for me, and I hope they will remember what we taught them as they bravely start their recovery.  It was at that moment that I felt like I was making a difference.

Why do college students need to be concerned about medication safety?

Medications can be safe and effective when taken the right way.  But when they are abused, or when medication is shared, the consequences can be dire. We hear over and again things like ““I know this won’t hurt me because I know how much to take,” and “My friend takes this and nothing bad happens to them.” Medications are typically dosed based on the severity of the disease and the patient’s height and weight. In college, oftentimes medications are shared, in an attempt to use them for studying or just to party. College students may have no knowledge of what the drug will do to them and they could have a serious allergic reaction, experience dangerous side effects, or, worse, die from an accidental overdose. No one is too strong or too smart to beat a drug if it is abused.  As student pharmacists, we have the duty to stop the spread of misinformation, and ensure safety to our communities.

If you could tell everyone only one thing about prescription drug abuse, what would it be? Why?

DON’T EVEN GET STARTED! No one is strong enough, famous enough, or smart enough to be “invincible” to this problem. Prescription medications improve the lives of patients every day when they are taken as prescribed and appropriate, but they have the potential to be just as dangerous as illegal drugs when abused and misused.

Jake Peters

Brandie LeBlanc Clawson

East Tennessee State University’s chapter of Generation Rx earned the title of second place national chapter in 2013. To find out what makes their program so successful, we interviewed Brandie LeBlanc Clawson, the Generation Rx Committee Chair, and Jake Peters, a pharmacy student and President of the Tennessee Society of Student Pharmacists.

Here is what they had to say about Generation Rx at their university:

The students at East Tennessee State University have been recognized nationally for their work in prescription drug abuse prevention. What has made your school so successful in its Generation Rx projects? What advice can you offer to other colleges to help prevent the misuse and abuse of prescription medications?

Brandie: Commitment, Innovation, and Collaboration are what I would say make our program at ETSU successful. Due to our location in Appalachia prescription drug abuse is a big issue. Our families, friends, and community are all affected by the issue making it hit home for a lot of people. To help prevent prescription drug abuse and misuse in their communities use your current resources available and expand from there. The pre-fab materials from Cardinal and Ohio State University are readily available and a great way to get started. Empower and partner with other individuals and community partners. We got our start at ETSU through a local detention center and by having our student pharmacists reach out to their high school teachers to allow us to present there. Each college of pharmacy is also unique so take the pulse of your school and community prior to designing your program; this will ensure the longevity of your program in the community.

If you were starting Generation Rx activities at another school, what is the first thing you would do?

Jake: Find your niche.  Each community has a different need as it pertains to prescription drug abuse and misuse, so examining your population is key to developing a successful program.  Once you’ve identified your target areas, take the available resources you have from APhA-ASP, Cardinal Health, and the Generation Rx Initiative website maintained by Ohio State and adapt them to meet those needs.  Prescription drug abuse is a national problem, one that doesn’t have a one-size-fits all solution, so the more innovative and informative you can be with your programming, the better.

What does Generation Rx mean to you?

Brandie: As cliché as it might sound Generation Rx is a program I have been waiting for. It provides student pharmacists with a way to educate individuals, communities, healthcare providers, and most importantly us as pharmacists. Prior to starting pharmacy school I worked as a critical care registered nurse and saw the heart break prescription drug abuse caused in my community. Since starting pharmacy school I have a completely different understanding and feeling about prescription drug abuse due to the program. I challenge anyone who works this program not to have a change of heart or mind once they begin to learn the mechanisms of devastation this disease causes. I am now a more empathetic person toward the people suffering from this disease and feel empowered to help them combat their disease.

What is the most memorable experience you have had while teaching others about prescription drug abuse?

Jake: By far it has been the stories.  Numerous times when we have talked with the youth, we have had students come to us with stories of how they have been affected by prescription drug abuse, either by themselves, a friend, or a family member.  While this can be disheartening to have a face, often a young and innocent one, to put with the problem of prescription drug abuse, what makes this a positive is that every time, those students have told us how our program has inspired them to change things for the better and that they’re excited to make that difference in their life.

Why do college students need to be concerned about medication safety?

Brandie: College students are at a pivotal point in their lives, the choices they make today will directly affect the rest of their life. Medications, while safe when taken appropriately have dangerous side effects when they are misused or abused. No one sets out to become an addict; without education about proper medication safety college students are setting themselves up to have a life-long disease that is avoidable.

If you could tell everyone only one thing about prescription drug abuse, what would it be? Why?

Jake: Prescription drug abuse doesn’t play favorites, choose sides, or affect only certain populations.  It doesn’t matter how successful you are or if your life is in a complete rut, prescription drug abuse can grab a hold of you and hang on a lot harder than you can ever imagine.  Staying informed and making the right decisions to avoid even the risk of prescription drug abuse is key.  But if prescription drug abuse is something that you or someone you know struggles with, remember that addiction is a disease, just like diabetes or high blood pressure.  It can be treated and people need support.  Find a way to be that support system for someone or seek that support for yourself.  Addiction is not a terminal illness if you choose to take it head-on.