2009 ISHP AWARDS AND HONORS

Kathy Rayburn started her employment with Saint Alphonsus in 1995 as a technician for the inpatient pharmacy.   Rotating through shifts for several years she moved to the oncology center in 1997 to assist with chemotherapy compounding.  In mid-2002 her services were moved back to the central pharmacy where she assumed a new role as lead technician. 

As lead technician Kathy has made a tremendous impact on pharmacy practice in that institution.  Most notably she has worked on:  implementation of a career ladder for technicians, implementation of staffing changes to support changing technology in the central pharmacy (robotics), implementation of training programs for IV compounding based on USP 797 standards, operationalizing the implementation of in-room medication dispensing bins, operationalizing a double check process on medication labels for a Six Sigma project to minimize dispensing errors.  Kathy is the pharmacy liaison for inpatient nursing managers for central pharmacy service issues and projects. 

Kathy is passionately committed to caring for her staff, patients and the larger community.   Kathy is the hiring manager for technicians at her organization and she is responsible for holding the technicians accountable for safe patient care.  To help assure new technicians begin practice with required skills, Kathy serves on the Advisory Councils for both the Apollo College and Milan Institute technician training programs. 

On a more global note Kathy spent 8 days this summer on a humanitarian trip to Haiti.  During this experience Kathy helped to assess the needs care facilities and deliver critical supplies.  Supplies and food staples were delivered to AIDS care centers and area Haitian slums.  Kathy spent a lot of her time in Haiti crying with and supporting residents as she helped to prepare the bodies of deceased infants for burial.    

Kathy works tirelessly with a positive attitude.  She is an absolute treasure.

Dawn Berheim