Page 33 - Retail Pharmacy Assistants - October 2020

PATY STATE/TERRITORY WINNERS 31 and education I received during my experience in Brisbane has greatly helped my confidence in public speaking and encouraged me to believe in myself and my capabilities. My advice to future PATY state/territory winners is: embrace the experience. Know you’re going to be scared and a bit intimidated, but push past the fear so you can grasp on to the many rewards that PATY has to offer. Be professional, believe in yourself and remember you have nothing to lose but everything to gain. ‘You’ve got this’ is the 2019 PATY state/territory winners’ catchphrase. Kane Forbes, Victoria – Casterton Pharmacy What are your top tips for maintaining energy levels and staying on top of hydration when increasing exercise or participating in sports events such as fun runs? There are loads of different options to maintain energy and hydration, so I will specify what I use during my own sporting games: • Hydralyte during games for hydration. • Salt tablets during games to prevent cramps. • Endura gels during games to boost energy. • M&P Mag Phos pre and post games to help with recovery. What have been your most memorable experiences as this year’s PATY state/territory winner? What’s your advice to future PATY state/territory winners? There are far too many to list, but the highlight for me was meeting other keen and enthusiastic pharmacy assistants and being able to learn from each other. I was even luckier to win the state final and meet the other amazing finalists, who are all extremely talented pharmacy assistants, dispense techs, managers, etc., but more importantly, are all outstanding humans that I’m very grateful to have met. Hopefully, we’ll all keep in touch for years to come. The whole experience is something I’ll never forget. Future winners: embrace the challenge, as it’s a very exciting and rewarding adventure. If anyone wants or needs to chat about it, if they’re struggling, please seek me out as I’d love to hear from you. Good luck! Bridgette Atkinson, Queensland – Babinda Pharmacy What are your top tips for maintaining energy levels and staying on top of hydration when increasing exercise or participating in sports events such as fun runs? To maintain energy levels, keep a consistent pace. As for hydration, you can’t go past Endura. It has all the essential vitamins to help your body recover, and rehydrates you at the same time. What have been your most memorable experiences as this year’s PATY state/territory winner? What’s your advice to future PATY state/ territory winners? My most memorable experience was when I was announced Queensland PATY winner. I won’t ever forget that moment. I will take the whole experience with me throughout life and cherish the friendships that were formed. Advice for future winners: Take every opportunity that comes from this experience and enjoy the journey. You’ve got this! Suzanna Calder, Northern Territory – PharmaSave Casuarina What are your top tips for maintaining energy levels and staying on top of hydration when increasing exercise or participating in sports events such as fun runs? Taking the right supplements and staying hydrated is very important when playing any sport or joining in on the fun in fun runs. My advice would be to take a multivitamin that includes energy, vitamins and minerals. Having a healthy balanced diet will give you the energy you need, but talking a multi will give you that added boost. Drinking plenty of water during the day is vital, but also having electrolyte drinks to maintain your body salts when sweating. “Drinking plenty of water during the day is vital, but also having electrolyte drinks to maintain your body salts when sweating.” What have been your most memorable experiences as this year’s PATY state/territory winner? What’s your advice to future PATY state/ territory winners? When I was announced the NT winner, I was extremely happy and humbled to win the award. I’ve been in the pharmacy industry since I was 16 years TO PAGE 32 RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • OCT 2020