Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Yusto J. Yona. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Yusto J., thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?
Attention to Detail: Ensuring chemotherapy drugs’ correct patient, drug, dosage, and stability is crucial. Even a small error can significantly affect patient safety and treatment efficacy.
Team Collaboration: Working closely with oncologists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care for cancer patients. Effective communication and teamwork are essential for successful patient outcomes. without a multidisciplinary team, nothing good can be achieved
Compassion and Empathy: Although dealing with cancer patients requires vast knowledge also cancer patients require a high level of empathy and understanding. Providing emotional support and showing compassion can make a significant difference in their treatment journey.
Continuous Learning: The field of oncology is constantly evolving with new research and treatments. Staying updated with the latest advancements and continuously improving your knowledge and skills is vital. Seeking new and advanced knowledge has been part of my life to keep patient’s faith and their relative smile
Waste Management: Proper disposal of hazardous waste is critical to ensure the safety of healthcare workers, patients, relatives, and the environment in general. This lesson emphasizes the importance of following protocols and regulations.
Resilience: Working in oncology can be emotionally challenging. Developing resilience and finding ways to cope with stress is important for maintaining your well-being and providing the best care for your patients.
Research and Development: Participating in research projects has always been my biggest goal in improving cancer treatments and patient outcomes
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I, Yusto J. Yona, Oncology, Infectious Diseases Pharmaceutical Technician worked at Aga Khan Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and previously worked as an oncology, bone marrow, and infectious diseases pharmaceutical technician in the Oncology/Bone marrow and pharmacy department at the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania.
I have outstanding experience serving as a medicine dispenser in specialized and super-specialization clinics, including cancer medicines and immune-suppressants, cardiovascular drugs, and kidney transplant medicines my roles are, forecasting, quantification, ordering, and storage of bone medicines and medical supplies. Moreover, reconstitution, administration, side effect monitoring, and adverse effect surveillance are the abilities and part of my daily routine.
Further, In the Department of Oncology, we played a significant role in drug reconciliation and therapeutic drug monitoring. Understanding concepts of biosimilar and biologics. As a drugs inspector, other areas and tasks as a pharmaceutical technician are to advise distributor and procurements officers in purchasing, quality, and safety.
I am trained, as a pharmaceutical in a hematology unit. My roles are attending and advising prescribers, and nurses of
best pharmacy, prescribing, and administration practices. In the same line as heamto-onco pharmaceutical technician, I attended and provided education on the rational use of medicines to hemophilic, hematology malignant, and sickle cell patients at the Benjamin Mkapa hospital.
My other working experiences with Kaitale Pharmacy, in 2021, Dreamland Pharmacy in 2020, and Primrose Pharmacy, in 2021, as a medicines dispenser in community pharmacies. I attained extraordinary experience in pharmaceutical care that qualifies me to deal with different types of clients to their satisfaction.
I am a committed Pharmaceutical personnel, having trained in infectious diseases at St. Jude Children’s Research
Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee in the United States of America, and Children’s Cancer Hospital 57357, Egypt with a better understanding of rational antimicrobial use and infectious prevention control., I am also certified by the Pharmacy Council.
Currently, I am a Pharmaceutical Technician training for the Pediatric Onco-Critical Care and Quality Improvement Program to Recognize the global burden of childhood cancer and the challenges to delivering onco-critical care worldwide, identify the impact of these challenges in the care of patients, Understand the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of sepsis and organ failure in pediatric patients with hematologic/oncologic disease, Define common complications of cancer-directed therapy and hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and appropriate management, common complications of cancer-directed therapy and hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and appropriate management, Identify measures to improve supportive care for critically ill pediatric hematology/oncology patients and Formulate a plan for a quality improvement project to improve the care of critically ill children with cancer-relevant to local setting, including a specific aim statement.
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
That’s a thought-provoking question! Reflecting on my career as an oncology pharmaceutical technician, I have made a significant impact in the field of cancer treatment and management. My expertise with chemotherapy drugs, drug stability, and waste management, along with your interest in health outcomes research and development and protocols, highlights a deep commitment to improving patient care.
If I were to consider whether I could choose the same profession or specialty again, here are a few reasons why I might:
Impact on Patients’ Lives: Working in oncology allows me to directly contribute to the well-being of patients battling cancer. The satisfaction of knowing my work helps improve and save lives can be incredibly fulfilling.
Continuous Learning: The field of oncology is constantly evolving with new treatments and technologies. This offers endless opportunities for learning and professional growth, keeping my work both challenging and exciting.
Collaboration and Innovation: Being part of a multidisciplinary team and participating in research and development can foster a collaborative environment where innovative solutions are developed.
Personal Fulfillment: I find personal satisfaction in my work, this can be indicator that I am in the right field. Passion for my work specialty often translates into a more rewarding career.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Unlearning can be a powerful part of my personal and professional growth. One lesson I might have had to unlearn could be the belief that perfection is always necessary, especially in my working field.
The Backstory:
In the early stages of my career as an oncology and Infectious Diseases pharmaceutical technician, I might have felt immense pressure to ensure that every task was executed flawlessly. Given the high stakes in oncology, where even minor errors can have significant consequences, this mindset is understandable. However, striving for perfection in every aspect can lead to burnout and hinder the ability to adapt and innovate.
The Lesson:
Over time, I may have realized that while accuracy and attention to detail are crucial, perfectionism can be counterproductive. Embracing a mindset that values continuous improvement over perfection allows for more flexibility and resilience. This shift can lead to better problem-solving, more effective teamwork, and a healthier work-life balance.
The Impact:
Unlearning the need for perfection likely helped me become more open to feedback and learning from mistakes. It might have also encouraged me to take calculated risks, leading to innovative approaches in my work with patients, chemotherapy drugs, chemotherapy doses and regimens, drug stability, and waste management.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamgreik?igsh=MXJiZWlyMGxweGx4dA==
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusto-yona-aa0511240
- Twitter: https://x.com/yustolaus?t=ZkkIGacfeVUwEjO5hnm0QQ&s=09
