PHARMACY TECHNICIANS Changing Scope of Practice and Educational Issues

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PHARMACY

TECHNICIANS

Changing Scope of Practice

and Educational Issues

Sue Mack

Sue Mack--Klinger, B.S.P., B.Sc.Klinger, B.S.P., B.Sc.

Program Head, Pharmacy Technician Program

SIAST Kelsey Campus

Contact information: Contact information: [email protected] [email protected] 659 659--40914091

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Background

The Health Systems Improvement Act (Bill The Health Systems Improvement Act (Bill

171)

171) -- June 4, 2007 Ontario LegislatureJune 4, 2007 Ontario Legislature

enabled the regulation of pharmacy enabled the regulation of pharmacy

technicians (title protection August 2007) technicians (title protection August 2007)

“

“Professional Competencies for Canadian Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice

September 2007

September 2007”” (NAPRA) (NAPRA)

PEBC national accreditation exam for PEBC national accreditation exam for

pharmacy technicians to be piloted fall pharmacy technicians to be piloted fall

2009 2009

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SIAST Pharmacy Technician

Program

24 seat capacity FQ/FA

1-year certificate program

Application for accreditation, status to be announced in early June

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Core Program

Medical TerminologyMedical Terminology

Pharmaceutical CalculationsPharmaceutical Calculations

Pharmaceutical ProductsPharmaceutical Products

NonNon--Prescription ProductsPrescription Products

Computer SkillsComputer Skills

Pharmacy PracticePharmacy Practice

Pharmacy Laws & AgreementsPharmacy Laws & Agreements

Hospital PharmacyHospital Pharmacy

Community PharmacyCommunity Pharmacy

Professional Trends & IssuesProfessional Trends & Issues

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On

-

_-

Line Courses

_{Line Courses}

7 courses currently on

7 courses currently on--lineline

Offers training to those unable to locate to Offers training to those unable to locate to

city city

Provides training in remote areas Provides training in remote areas

Offers flexibility (study at night, weekends) Offers flexibility (study at night, weekends)

Discussion over development of bridging Discussion over development of bridging

programs starting programs starting

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Practicums

¾

One month duration

¾

Community Site

¾

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Hospital Pharmacy

Responsibilities

Varies greatly Varies greatly

Hospital pharmacy techs validated for: Hospital pharmacy techs validated for:

checking carts, night cupboard, missing doses, refills, checking carts, night cupboard, missing doses, refills,

batched IV's, pre

batched IV's, pre--packing, narcotics, crash cart kits, packing, narcotics, crash cart kits, ward stock, and

ward stock, and some manufacturing.some manufacturing. Some techs Some techs are also checking interim doses (new patient

are also checking interim doses (new patient orders).

orders).

Med

Med RecRec (medication history only) at RUH (medication history only) at RUH currently showing very positive patient

currently showing very positive patient outcomes when completed by pharmacy outcomes when completed by pharmacy

technicians technicians

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Community Pharmacy

Responsibilities

Receiving prescriptions, entering patient profile

Checking new prescriptions against profiles

(change? new?)

Documentation, filing

Filling prescriptions, pill packs, compounding

(including calculations)

Reference search

Third party billing, forms, inquiries

Patient education (devices)

Business management

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Trends & Issues for Pharmacy

Technicians

Expansion of roles / Increased responsibilities Expansion of roles / Increased responsibilities

Tech –Tech – check –check – Tech already practiced in many hospitalsTech already practiced in many hospitals

Certification of Pharmacy Technician Programs Certification of Pharmacy Technician Programs

Program accreditation Program accreditation

CCAPP (The Canadian Council for Accreditation of CCAPP (The Canadian Council for Accreditation of

Pharmacy Programs) Pharmacy Programs) Registration / Regulation Registration / Regulation National examination National examination

Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada will be piloting first Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada will be piloting first

test in fall 2009 test in fall 2009

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Why Accreditation?

Meeting educational requirements for

PEBC, based on NAPRA competencies and CPTEA learning outcomes

National standard for education

National standard for entry-to-practice knowledge, and practical abilities

Entry to practice knowledge is uniform Protection of Public Safety, Assurance

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Why Regulation?

Title protection of

Title protection of ““pharmacy technicianpharmacy technician”” Assurance of standard of training and Assurance of standard of training and

qualification qualification

Professional standards for conduct, Professional standards for conduct,

practice practice Recognition Recognition Accountability Accountability

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Recognized Need for Bridging

Programs

Stakeholders require

Stakeholders require ““pharmacy pharmacy technicians

technicians”” for scope of practice changesfor scope of practice changes Educational institutes cannot provide

Educational institutes cannot provide

enough graduates for anticipated demand enough graduates for anticipated demand

Current resources are there, require Current resources are there, require

upgrading to fill knowledge & practice gap upgrading to fill knowledge & practice gap

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Issues

Current work force and resource pool have Current work force and resource pool have

limited time available to upgrade limited time available to upgrade Payment for training (employer? Payment for training (employer?

employee?) employee?)

Educational program availability Educational program availability

Educational program delivery Educational program delivery

Educational program value Educational program value

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Pharmacists’ Association of

Saskatchewan Survey for

Technicians (Wage & Benefit)

59 pharmacy technicians responded

12 were CAPT members

wage & benefit data was collected

some questions regarding current role, willingness to upgrade education

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Survey Results

61% prefer contact by e-mail 91.7% want self-regulation

83.7% were interested in attending bridging programs similar to what is offered in Ontario (6.1% were not)

89.1% would do 150 hours of training similar to Ontario bridging programs

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Highest Level of Training (Survey)

Kelsey/SIAST 25.0%

On the job 30.4%

Other Community College 8.9%

Corporate Course (ie Shoppers) 23.2% Hospital Training Course 1.8%

Correspondence Course 3.6% Other 7.1%

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What Can You Do Now?

Recognize gaps in knowledge and Recognize gaps in knowledge and

practice practice

“

“Professional Competencies for Canadian Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice

September 2007

September 2007”” (NAPRA) (NAPRA)

“

“SaskTechSaskTech Guide : An Evaluation and Guide : An Evaluation and Monitoring Tool for Pharmacy Assistants Monitoring Tool for Pharmacy Assistants””

(SCP) (SCP)

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NAPRA Competencies

1.

1. Legal, Ethical, and Professional Legal, Ethical, and Professional Responsibilities

Responsibilities

2.

2. Professional Collaboration and TeamworkProfessional Collaboration and Teamwork 3.

3. Drug Distribution: Prescription and Patient Drug Distribution: Prescription and Patient Information

Information

4.

4. Drug Distribution: Product PreparationDrug Distribution: Product Preparation 5.

5. Drug Distribution: Product ReleaseDrug Distribution: Product Release 6.

6. Drug Distribution: System and Inventory Drug Distribution: System and Inventory Controls

Controls

7.

7. Communication and EducationCommunication and Education 8.

8. Management Knowledge and SkillsManagement Knowledge and Skills 9.

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Collaborative Work

Determining scope of practice, legislation Determining scope of practice, legislation

Determining educational needs and Determining educational needs and

organization of training organization of training

Include stakeholdersInclude stakeholders

Resources for trainingResources for training

Explore howExplore how

Regulation and registration Regulation and registration

PAS steering committee PAS steering committee

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Watching Our

Neighbours

_Neighbours

Ontario College of Pharmacists Ontario College of Pharmacists

Alberta Alberta

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Ontario

http://www.ocpinfo.com/client/ocp/OCPHom http://www.ocpinfo.com/client/ocp/OCPHom e.nsf/web/Process+for+Registration e.nsf/web/Process+for+Registration

Pass certification exam Pass certification exam

Bridging program offered Bridging program offered

4 courses4 courses

Management of Drug Distribution Systems (42hrs)

Pharmacology (33hrs) Pharmacology (33hrs) Product Preparation (42hrs) Product Preparation (42hrs) Professional Practice (45hrs) Professional Practice (45hrs)

Pass PEBC Exam (both parts) Pass PEBC Exam (both parts)

Jurisprudence Exam Jurisprudence Exam

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Conclusion

Understand scope of practice changes for Understand scope of practice changes for

pharmacists and pharmacy technicians pharmacists and pharmacy technicians

Anticipate changes and issues Anticipate changes and issues

Keep informed Keep informed

Review current practice in your workplace Review current practice in your workplace

and compare critically with Blueprint for and compare critically with Blueprint for

Pharmacy (CPhA) Pharmacy (CPhA)