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Retirements Announced for Key Advocates Within IPRN
- By: IPA
- On: 06/10/2015 22:47:10
- In: Press Releases
Key retirements from Iowa Pharmacy Recovery Network.
Emily Dykstra, monitor for the Iowa Pharmacy Recovery Network (IPRN), will retire on June 30, 2015. Dykstra has been extensively involved in the Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA) through her work with the Iowa Pharmacy Recovery Network over the past 10 years.
Dykstra provided expertise and passion in recovery to help pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and student pharmacists obtain the help they need. She is an active leader in the APhA Institute on Alcoholism and Drug Dependences (formerly known as the Utah School), Heartland Conferences, and IPRN's monthly pharmacist support group. “Emily has shown a strong commitment to assisting pharmacy professionals in reaching their goals when there is an issue of impairment. Her passion for helping others in recovery is clear,” stated Kate Gainer, executive vice president and CEO of IPA.
The Iowa Pharmacy Recovery Network (IPRN) serves as a confidential monitoring and advocacy peer review program to assist impaired pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians looking to return into the profession of pharmacy. IPRN works with participants on an individual level an assists them in receiving an evaluation, treatment, and aftercare support needed to remain in their profession.
The retirement of Dykstra comes soon after the retirement of Bruce Alexander, chair of the IPRN advisory committee. Alexander retired in 2014 after serving 37 years at the VA in Iowa City as Clinical Pharmacist Specialist in Psychiatry and Associate Chief of Pharmacy. He also taught as an assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Iowa for 29 years.
“Recognizing addiction as a disease is no small task, but every bit of effort put into IPRN translates to positive outcomes for a person's life. The accomplishments of IPRN and all its stakeholders are only possible through the efforts of many dedicated professionals, including the efforts of Emily and Bruce,” added Gainer.
IPRN is actively working to find suitable candidates for the monitor and the chair of the IPRN advisory committee.