california society of health-system pharmacists
proposal in stp format
PROPOSAL: Pharmacy technician training and certification
SUBMITTED BY: Board of Directors
DATE: July 16, 2017
SITUATION:
1. CSHP Professional Policy #2015-04 directs CSHP to adopt ASHP policies and other guidance documents as CSHP Professional Policy
2. Adopt as CSHP policy all ASHP Policy Positions, Guidelines, Bulletins, and all official Statements in the current edition of the Best Practices for Health-System Pharmacy of the ASHP, except when such policies differ substantially from CSHP policy.
3. Endorse the use of ASHP Position Statements, Guidelines, and Technical Assistance Bulletins by its members in their practice settings.
4. CSHP will review all ASHP Policy Positions by 2020 for possible adoption as CSHP Professional Policy.
5. CSHP has policy 2012-09 on Technician Regulations.
6. CSHP has policy 2013-10: Technician Accreditation
Source: HOD 1983
(Note: This is former policy #8303 approved by the HOD in 1983; reaffirmed by the HOD in 1992 as policy #9218; reaffirmed by the HOD in 1997 as policy #9703; modified and reaffirmed by the HOD in 1998 as policy #9808; modified and reaffirmed by the HOD in 2003 as policy #2003-12; reaffirmed by the HOD in 2008 as policy #2008-10; and reaffirmed by the HOD in 2013 as policy #2013-10.)
To endorse the ASHP technician training program accreditation process and to inform program administrators in California of the accreditation program and encourage them to seek accreditation of their programs (www.ashp.org/technician).
7. CSHP has policy 2016-04: The Roles of the Pharmacy Technician
CSHP recognizes that highly trained and skilled pharmacy technicians working in advanced roles regularly perform complex and critical medication-use procedures, and that a safe and effective medication-use process depends significantly on the skills, knowledge, and competency of those pharmacy technicians to perform those tasks;
CSHP reaffirms that all pharmacy technicians should complete an ASHP-accredited pharmacy technician training program, pass a psychometrically valid certification exam and be licensed by state boards of pharmacy;
CSHP supports that pharmacy technicians working in advanced roles should have additional training and should demonstrate ongoing competencies specific to the tasks to be performed;
CSHP recommends that the expansion of pharmacy technician duties into advanced roles should include consideration of potential risk to patients and that ongoing quality assurance metrics should be established to assure patient safety.
8. The 2016 ASHP House of Delegates approved ASHP policy 1609, Pharmacy Technician Training and Certification.
1609
PHARMACY TECHNICIAN TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION
Source: Council on Education and Workforce Development
To advocate that Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) certification be required for all pharmacy technicians; further,
To advocate that all pharmacy technicians maintain PTCB certification; further,
To support the position that by the year 2020, the completion of a pharmacy technician training program accredited by ASHP and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) be required to obtain PTCB certification for all new pharmacy technicians; further,
To foster expansion of ASHP-ACPE accredited pharmacy technician training programs.
This policy supersedes ASHP policy 1519.
Rationale
The partnership between ASHP and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) to accredit pharmacy technician training programs could be an important inflection point leading to profession-wide support for uniform education, training, and credentialing of pharmacy technicians. Such broad support may stimulate more uniform state statutes and regulations regarding pharmacy technicians. The requirement that pharmacy technicians be graduates of ASHP-ACPE accredited training programs to be certified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) mirrors the profession’s approach to the education (first) and licensure (second) of pharmacists. Consistent with this model, PTCB will, in 2020, require that an individual sitting for the pharmacy technician certification examination be a graduate of an ASHP-ACPE accredited training program. Although programs currently accredited by ASHP will be granted the joint accreditation, the anticipated increase in demand for enrollment in ASHP-ACPE accredited training programs will require an expansion of the number and distribution of such programs.
9. ASHP policy #1537 states: ASHP Statement on the Role of the Pharmacy Technician.
TARGET:
1. CSHP provides resources to its members, their patients, and the public per the 2017-2021 Strategic Priorities and Goals.
2. CSHP develops professional policy in congruence with other professional organizations, but adopts policy as an independent professional society.
3. CSHP has professional polices 2012-09 Technician Regulations, 2013-10 Technician Accreditation, 2013-31 Qualifications of Pharmacy Technicians in Advanced Roles which could be replaced with the Statement on the Roles of Pharmacy Technicians.
PROPOSAL:
1. Replace CSHP policy 2012-09, 2013-10, and 2013-31 with the following ASHP policy.
2. Adopt the following as CSHP professional policy,
Statement on the Roles of Pharmacy Technicians
The California Society of Health-System Pharmacists:
1. Recognizes that pharmacy technicians have many different roles in a variety of health care settings, with varying levels of responsibility and complexity, from those suitable for technicians just entering the workforce to advanced or specialized roles that require additional education, training, experience, and competence.
2. Recognizes there is a need for specialized certification of pharmacy technicians who perform activities involving higher than normal degrees of complexity and risk. Any pharmacy technician in an area of pharmacy practice designated for specialty or advanced certification must have the appropriate certifications successfully completed prior to practicing in that specialty area.
3. Recognizes that differing roles for pharmacy technicians will require advanced education and training beyond that of an entry-level technician. Education and training requirements must reflect the responsibilities that technicians will have in their daily activities. Ongoing competence assessment must be a component of advanced or specialized technician roles.
4. Supports that all pharmacy technicians, from entry-level to specialty-trained technicians, complete a pharmacy technician training program accredited by ASHP and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) through the Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission (PTAC) as a requirement for earning PTCB certification or equivalent certification.
5. Supports that pharmacy technicians have eitherbe PTCB or equivalent certificationed as a prerequisite to licensure by the California Board of Pharmacy and maintain their certification through mandated continuing education and recertification.
RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR PROPOSED ACTION(S)
Financial: Minimal
CEO time: Minimal
Staff time: Minimal
CSHP BOARD ACTION:
The CSHP Board of Directors approved this proposal on July 14, 2017 for consideration by the 2017 House of Delegates
ACTION:
☐ Bylaws update
☐ Rules and Procedures of the House of Delegates
☐ Update Administrative Policy catalog
☒ Update Professional Policy catalog
☐ Staff Procedural manual
☐ CCTF’s volunteer hand book
☐ Minutes only
☐ Any other (please state)
HOD ACTION:
Page 1 of 1