california society of health-system pharmacists
proposal in stp format
PROPOSAL: Pharmacist Licensure
SUBMITTED BY: Board of Directors
DATE: October 4, 2017
SITUATION:
1. CSHP Professional Policy #2015-04 directs CSHP to adopt ASHP policies and other guidance documents as CSHP Professional Policy
2. To 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. To 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 2012-10 Pharmacist Licensure
#2012-10: Pharmacist Licensure
All applicants for pharmacist licensure in California should meet the same minimum competency standards irrespective of category of licensure.
The California State Board of Pharmacy should maintain its competency standards for licensure;
The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), combined with
a California Practice Standard and Jurisprudence Examination (CPJE), is appropriate to test for basic competencies essential for entry-level pharmacist practice if the examinations include, but are not limited to, testing for pharmacy principles and standards in:
1. Patient consultation skills;
2. Application of clinical knowledge in a variety of patient care settings;
3. Sterile and non-sterile compounding;
4. Drug distribution; and
5. Medication safety.
6. The 2016 ASHP House of Delegates replaced ASHP policy 0612 Streamlined Licensure Reciprocity with a new title, Timely Board of Pharmacy Licensing:
1621
TIMELY BOARD OF PHARMACY LICENSING
To advocate that the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) collaborate with boards of pharmacy to streamline the licensure process through standardization and improve the timeliness of application approval; further,
To advocate that NABP collaborate with boards of pharmacy and third-party vendors to streamline the licensure transfer or reciprocity process; further,
To advocate that boards of pharmacy, grant licensed pharmacists in good standing temporary licensure, permitting them to engage in practice, while their application for licensure transfer or reciprocity is being processed.
Rationale
Pharmacists sometimes face challenges from delays in obtaining licensure by transfer or reciprocity when moving their practice from one jurisdiction to another. Such delay may be due to the need for boards to review pharmacists’ licensure records in all jurisdictions in which they are licensed, administer a state pharmacy law exam, complete a criminal background check, and, in some cases, schedule an interview with the board. To address these challenges, boards of pharmacy should allow pharmacists in good standing to immediately practice in a different jurisdiction when they change employment or enter a residency program. Granting pharmacists, a temporary license for a period of up to six months while the board completes its review would help meet workforce demands while continuing to safeguard the public health. In some cases, pharmacists who are unable to obtain a license in a timely manner are unable to fully use the skills in which they have been trained. Without a license, the pharmacist may temporarily have to function as a technician or perform other tasks. For pharmacists participating in residency programs outside their jurisdiction of licensure, several months of their residency program can elapse before they receive licensure transfer or reciprocity. Upon completion of a year-long residency program, many residents move to another jurisdiction to practice and have to start the transfer or reciprocity process again.
Members in several states have reporting that in recent years boards of pharmacy have been slow to issue pharmacy licenses. This delay is especially problematic for pharmacy residents from another jurisdiction who rely on boards to grant them a license prior to performing in a clinical capacity. Given that the licensing period can take several months, this delay has presented a problem for pharmacy residents who have a limited timeframe to successfully complete their duties, typically one year. In some cases, state boards are urging residents to obtain a pharmacy technician license; however, this is inappropriate given the expertise and education residents have and the level of practice they’re expected to engage in. Given its national scope, NABP is well-positioned to explore a broad solution to this problem rather than the current, incremental, state-by-state approach.
7. California State Board of Pharmacy does not allow for license transfer or reciprocity.
8. Per business and professional code 4200.2 California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination for Pharmacists; Required Inclusions.
When developing the California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence
Examination for Pharmacists, the board shall include all of the following:
(a) Examination items to demonstrate the candidate's proficiency in patient
communication skills.
(b) Aspects of contemporary standards of practice for pharmacists in
California, including, but not limited to, the provision of pharmacist care and
the application of clinical knowledge to typical pharmacy practice situations
that are not evaluated by the North American Pharmacy Licensure
Examination.
9. Per business and professional code 4200.3 Examination Process to be Reviewed Regularly; Required Standards; the board may terminate its use of North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination and use board developed written and practical examination.
(a) The examination process shall be regularly reviewed pursuant to Section
139.
(b) The examination process shall meet the standards and guidelines set forth
in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing and the Federal
Uniform Guidelines for Employee Selection Procedures. The board shall work
with the Office of Professional Examination Services of the department or with
an equivalent organization who shall certify at minimum once every five years
that the examination process meets these national testing standards. If the
department determines that the examination process fails to meet these
standards, the board shall terminate its use of the North American Pharmacy
Licensure Examination and shall use only the written and practical examination
developed by the board.
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 an updated professional policy that addresses pharmacist licensure, which includes collaboration with NABP, who oversees the NAPLEX, in agreement with ASHP Policy 1621.
PROPOSAL:
1. Update CSHP policy 2012-10 to emphasize collaboration with boards of pharmacy and third-party vendors to streamline the licensure process and improve timeliness of application approval.
2. Adopt the following as CSHP Professional Policy:
#2012-10: Pharmacist Licensure
The California Society of Health-System Pharmacists:
1. supports that the California State Board of Pharmacy should maintain its competency standards for pharmacist licensure.
2. acknowledges that the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), combined with a California Practice Standard and Jurisprudence Examination (CPJE), is appropriate to test for basic competencies essential for entry-level pharmacist practice if the examinations include, but are not limited to, testing for pharmacy principles and standards in:
a. patient consultation skills;
b. application of clinical knowledge in a variety of patient care settings;
c. sterile and non-sterile compounding;
d. drug distribution; and
e. medication safety.
3. Advocates that the California Board of Pharmacy streamlines the licensure process through standardization and improve the timeliness of application approval.
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 October 3, 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: Approved as amended on 10.29.2017
Page 1 of 1