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Friday Five (November 12, 2021)

This edition of the Friday Five includes articles on Pharmacy Technicians and Best Possible Medication History, Smoking Cessation Prescribing Training and Social Impact Bond, and more.

CPhM 2022 Licence Renewal and Professional Development Requirement Reminder  

All current licences issued by the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba expire on December 31, 2021.  

Pharmacists, Pharmacy Managers, and Pharmacy Owners are reminded to renew their corresponding licence using the online renewal process.  

The deadline to complete the renewal process is Monday, November 15, 2021. Late penalties are automatically assessed after the deadline. Failure to renew a licence on or before the November 15 deadline will result in a late penalty, equal to 50% of the original licence fee, being added.  

Further, a licence that is not renewed by December 31, 2021 is expired and invalid. A pharmacist or pharmacy that fails to renew a licence and continues to practice is in contravention of Manitoba law and will be referred to the Complaints Committee.  

Thank you for your prompt attention and cooperation in the renewal process. Avoid unnecessary late penalties. Renew your licence promptly. 

REMINDER: Record your Professional Development in the online PD Log 

Pharmacists are reminded to upload all professional development (PD) activities to your online profile prior to November 30, 2021.

To be eligible for licence renewal, pharmacists must participate in a minimum of 25 hours of PD learning activities annually between November 1 and October 31. A minimum of 15 of the 25 hours must be from accredited learning activities.

All pharmacists are also reminded of their obligation to complete the mandatory online PD module, “Pause Before You Post: Social Media Awareness.” The deadline to complete this online PD module was October 31, 2021. If you have not completed the module or do not have proof of completion, please contact bdelaquis@cphm.ca.  

Pharmacy Technician Scope of Practice and Best Possible Medication Histories 

The Pharmaceutical Regulation outlines the tasks that various pharmacy personnel can undertake. Section 60(1) outlines the tasks that a pharmacy technician can perform, however it does not specifically speak to completing a medication history.  

A medication reconciliation or best possible medication history (BPMH) is defined in the NAPRA Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice as a formal process in which the pharmacy technician supports the pharmacist to work together with the patient and other health professionals to ensure accurate and comprehensive medication information is communicated consistently across transitions of care. 

The NAPRA Model Standards of Practice for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians state that pharmacy technicians, when collaborating to provide patient care, can: 

  • Assist pharmacists in compiling best possible medication histories for patients, referring to the pharmacist patients who require assessment, clinical analysis or application of therapeutic knowledge, and 
  • Identify, and refer to the pharmacist, patients who have discrepancies between their current drug therapy and their recent or intended drug therapy.  

A BPMH would include, but is not limited to, activities such as the following, which are included in a pharmacy technician’s scope of practice under the Regulations in sections 60(1) and 64: 

  • Record and retrieve data about a patient or prescription, 
  • Collect information from a patient for a patient profile, and 
  • Identify drug-related problems that require referral to a pharmacist. 

It is the last point that is specific to a pharmacy technician’s scope of practice rather than other persons/pharmacy assistants.  

As in many other areas of pharmacy practice, the pharmacy technician can undertake technical aspects allowing the pharmacist more time to complete the clinical assessment of the patient’s drug therapy. Pharmacy policies and procedures should be established for conducting medication reconciliations, outlining the respective roles for pharmacy technicians and pharmacists. 

Obtaining an accurate BPMH requires skill and training, and pharmacy technicians should be receiving training through the workplace or external sources such as ISMP Canada’s BPMH workshops or e-Learning modules. 

Smoking Cessation Prescribing Training Requirements 

With the upcoming launch of the Manitoba Smoking Cessation Social Impact Bond on January 1, 2022, the College would like to remind registrants that a pharmacist may complete one of the following smoking cessation training programs in order to be eligible to apply for certification of authorization to prescribe a drug included in the category for smoking cessation:  

 A pharmacist must have successfully completed one of the approved smoking cessation programs within three years of applying. As well, a pharmacist who is a certified tobacco educator and has met the other application requirements is now eligible to apply for certification of authorization to prescribe a drug included in the category for smoking cessation.    

For more information, please see the Prescribing Drugs for Smoking Cessation Information Sheet

 Register for the 2021 Medical Examiner Professional Development Event  

 The College is pleased to announce its third annual Medical Examiner professional development event: Overdose in the Era of COVID-19 and Approaching Mental Health in Pharmacy Practice.  

WHEN: Tuesday, November 23, 2021, from 7:00 to 8:45 pm.  

REGISTRATION LINK:

 https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eYDrOfI9Rn6kd3ZeFAYKqA 

  • This is a virtual event ONLY, and is free to attend for pharmacists and pharmacy staff  
  • The deadline to register is November 22 at 4:30pm  

ACCREDITATION: Accreditation pending.  

SPEAKERS:  

  • Dr. Marina Reinecke MBChB, CCFP(AM), ISAM, Medical Consultant, Prescribing Practices Program, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba  
  • Dr. Christine Leong, B.Sc. (Gen), B.Sc. (Pharm), Pharm.D., Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences  

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  

  • Discuss historic and recent trends/changes in Manitoba overdose death data reported by substance.  
  • Recognize shifting overdose death data trends in the context of the pandemic, including potential reasons for the changes.  
  • Demonstrate how existing frontline addiction services that can impact survival are strained.  
  • Briefly propose an appropriate health system response to address the overdose crisis by applying accepted evidence-based & cost-effective interventions.  
  • Recognize the signs and symptoms of someone experiencing a mental health crisis.  
  • Describe the pharmacist’s role in helping patients experiencing a mental health crisis.  
  • Explore strategies for communicating with patients experiencing a mental health crisis.  
  • Identify resources for patients in need of mental health support.  

 Upcoming Events & Professional Development Opportunities 

Overdose in the Era of COVID-19 & Approaching Mental Health in Pharmacy Practice  

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 

Register here

Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists: Hot Topics! 

Thursday, November 25, 2021 

Register here

The Manitoba Pharmacy Technician and Assistant Virtual Conference 

December 4 & 5, 2021 

Register here