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PRP INSIGHTS: Sterile Compounding Mini-Series - Policies and Procedures

As of September 2022, the College has been reviewing sterile compounding services under the Practice Review Program using the Sterile Compounding Review Form.

During sterile compounding reviews, Compliance Officers identify areas of non-compliance, then work with pharmacy staff to ensure deficiencies in their practice are addressed through establishment and implementation of corrective measures. This article discusses the development and application of written sterile compounding policies and procedures.

PRP INSIGHTS: Vaccine Scheduling

Compliance Officers commonly receive questions about whether or not specific vaccines require a prescription. This installment of PRP Insights will provide information to clarify prescription requirements for vaccines.

Guest Post: UBC CPPD Pharmacy Update 2024 Conference

This year UBC’s Continuing Pharmacy Professional Development (CPPD) celebrates its 35th annual Update Conference.

The virtual conference will take place on Saturday, April 20, 2024, and will allow pharmacy professionals and all health care providers to enhance and update their knowledge and skills. In doing so, attendees will be able to improve patient care, medication management, interprofessional collaboration, and public safety.

PRP Insights: Areas of Non-Compliance for Pharmacist Prescribing for Minor Ailments and Contraception (PPMAC)

On June 1, 2023, new regulatory standards came into effect that provided pharmacists in BC with the authority to diagnose and prescribe medications to clients in British Columbia for minor ailments and contraception.

The Practice Review Program (PRP) has recently introduced community pharmacy review criteria for PPMAC. This article will focus on some of the early findings regarding areas of non-compliance observed by Compliance Officers when reviewing PPMAC services.

Guest Post: Three B.C. Health Organizations to Start Using Digital Signature on E-Faxed Prescriptions

Since 2018, more than 40,000 staff and providers across Vancouver Coastal Health, Provincial Health Services Authority and Providence Health Care facilities have moved from old systems and paper charts to CST Cerner.

From early December, following a pilot at BC Cancer’s Prince George centre, any facility using this shared electronic health records system can start using new functionality for eFaxing of prescriptions, for medications to be taken by the patient at home. Community pharmacists in B.C. who receive eFaxed prescriptions from CST Cerner facilities will now start seeing unique digital signatures in place of ‘wet’, hand-written signatures.

PRP Insights: Prescription Transmission to Community Pharmacies

During Pharmacy Reviews, Compliance Officers review a sample of prescriptions to ensure pharmacy professionals are aware of prescription requirements. In addition to checking that prescriptions include all of the required components, Compliance Officers also check that prescriptions have been received in a manner that is permitted by the College’s bylaws.

The rules around prescription transmission exist to help ensure authenticity, prevent forgeries and to ensure that only one copy of a prescription exists at a time.

This article outlines acceptable ways for pharmacy professionals to receive prescriptions, as well as common observations for non-compliant prescription transmission.

Providing Care for OAT and iOAT Patients Over the Winter Holidays

With the winter holidays approaching and many pharmacies adopting holiday hours, it is important for pharmacists to ensure that they are able to accommodate the dosing schedules of patients receiving Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT).

PRP Insights: New Community Pharmacy Practice Review Criteria for Prescription Adaptation

As a follow-up to our recent article announcing the addition of new review criteria around Pharmacist Prescribing for Minor ailments and Contraception (PPMAC) and drug administration to the Community Pharmacy Review, PRP is now introducing new review criteria for prescription adaptation.

Guest Post: RN and RPN designation to treat opioid use disorder

Effective November 1, 2023, a new designation of certified practice approved by the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) allows registered nurses (RNs) and registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) to diagnose and treat OUD, including prescribing controlled drugs and substances. The new designation also allows them to issue orders to non-certified practice nurses, to compound, dispense, and administer drugs and Schedule IA medications for the treatment of OUD.

Guest Post: Identifying Interactions to Prevent Life-Threatening Complications

This guest post provided by pharmacists at St. Paul’s Hospital and Burnaby Hospital examines a fatal case whereby an overlooked drug interaction is believed to have contributed to a heart attack in a 65-year-old patient. It highlights the vital role pharmacists in community and hospital settings have in identifying interactions between antiretroviral and cardiac medications to prevent life-threatening complications.

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