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Helen LoSasso, NJSHP State Treasurer |
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If you want to talk to a woman who has balanced an exciting pharmacy career with motherhood, then Helen LoSasso
is the person! Helen is living proof that pharmacy is an ideal profession to balance the joys and demands of being a mother while excelling in a dynamic career. Motherhood and a strong professional
drive motivated her to be the best she could be in her personal life and career. She became a Board Certified
Pharmacotherapy Specialist through the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties in 1995 and then received her Pharm.D. degree in 1999, all while rearing her two children, Denise and Paul. Helen
was able to work as a pharmacist during graveyard shifts at Underwood Memorial Hospital and Burdette Tomlin Hospital while her husband managed evening child care. During the days, Helen was able to be a stay-at-home-mom while preparing for her exams.
She’s the clinical manager at Kennedy Health System and it’s a post she has loved for the last five years. As her chief responsibility to develop clinical programs for the System, she has worked on engaging projects like therapeutic drug monitoring for ambulatory dialysis patients, implementing warfarin patient teaching and a therapeutic exchange program. She enjoys working with her staff and offers nuturing advice that sometimes management isn’t for everyone. She also stresses to her younger pharmacists the importance of balancing work with family and the need to set realistic goals in both arenas. Helen’s own balancing act has helped her to be sensitive to the flex hour needs of her team members. Helen has applied her skills at Underwood Memorial and Burdette Tomlin, New Jersey’s more southern hospitals. She openly admits that some of her previous pharmacy positions weren’t the best fit on her career path. She remembers a clinical position at Taylor Hospital in which she wasn’t as prepared as she thought she was initially to develop clinical programs. She quickly realized that strong drug skills weren’t enough to be successful. Helen took the learning lesson that came with the position and worked to advance her clinical knowledge by working toward her BCPS and Pharm.D. Even now in her current position, Helen admits that obtaining managerial skills has not been quite easy and she has depended on several nurse managers, administrators and pharmacy directors to mentor her. |
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 She acknowledges that every day she is still learning. Inspiration for Helen came in several ways. Her love and acumen for the sciences
started at Archbishop Prendergast High School. Additionally, her father, a Septa bus driver, fueled Helen’s ambition by delivering a strong message about the value of getting a good education. Helen’s
first pharmacy position was at Riddle
Memorial, just outside of Philadelphia,
under the direction of Ed Sabatini, her inspiring mentor. Mr. Sabatini instilled
a strong work ethic in doing a job well and properly. Also, let’s not underestimate
the inspirational power that the tender eyes her two small children had on her.
Helen would love to see pharmacy schools help students develop greater empathy for patients. She feels students are at a real disadvantage because they don’t have this natural patient interaction. It’s difficult for patients to take several medications and process all the information that goes with this. She also feels that courses that deal with patient interaction will help to engage pharmacy students as better interdisciplinary team members within their organization. NJSHP has been a meaningful experience for her and she is actively involved in the Society. Currently she is the Secretary for the State Chapter and has been the Treasurer for the Southern Chapter. Her experience in an NJSHP Board position has helped her to realize the exceptional talents and character that the officers exhibit. She singles out Rob Adamson’s great advice and motivation as well as Joe Walker’s high energy level and is quick to say that there are so many other talented people that she has encountered at NJSHP. The road in Helen’s life is moving fast. With her children now grown, she and her husband as empty nesters are enjoying more free time. She cites a fun road trip recently with her entire family as they traveled across the U.S. and down south. She loves to knit and work out. So if you haven’t seen her in a while, you may just not recognize her and walk right by her. In the spirit of maintaining good health, she embarked on a weight loss program and has dropped 70 lbs! She enlisted the help of a personal trainer and can now be devotedly found at her gym a huge 6 times a week. Way to go for Helen and we know that she will continue to keep going in all the aspects of her rich life, both professionally and personally! |
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