National Immunizations Awareness Week
Story updated: August 2016
On October 29, 2014, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced that pharmacists are now able to administer flu vaccinations.
To support pharmacists’ expanding scope of practice and to offer education to the province’s practitioners, the School of Pharmacy has initiated an injections training program for pharmacy students and pharmacists.
“The program is designed so that pharmacy students and pharmacists will feel confident in their knowledge and skills regarding immunization, and intramuscular and subcutaneous injection of medications and vaccines,” said Dr. Carla Dillon, associate dean of undergraduate studies and program lead.
Prior to this program, pharmacists either had to leave the province to become certified to perform injections, or have an out-of-province program brought in.
“Being the most accessible health care providers, pharmacists will play a crucial role in meeting the needs of the population in administering the vaccine,” Dr. Dillon added.
“We are encouraging pharmacists to take an active role in preventing the spread of influenza by learning who qualifies as a high priority recipient, asking patients if they have already received their flu shot this year, organizing a flu shot clinic, distributing information with each prescription. We want to encourage and help pharmacists to promote their ability to administer this service in their practice.”
Dr. Carlo Marra, dean, stated that the training is part of the School of Pharmacy’s dedication to offer teaching and learning experiences that will produce practice-ready pharmacists upon graduation.
“In a few years we plan to offer a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) program as our entry-to-practice degree, which is in response to a nation-wide recognition that graduating pharmacists must be equipped to offer an expanded scope of practice. Obviously, part of this role will be to administer vaccinations and medications by injection, and as such, the development and offering of this training program is a natural fit with our goals as a school.”
Another goal is to maintain and strengthen relationships with other pharmacy and health care organizations, and the school has received support from the Pharmacists Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL).
Mr. Stephen Reid, executive director (PANL), echoed the importance of forming partnerships.
“PANL is working with the School of Pharmacy to ensure patients and those that are the most vulnerable have access to services equally throughout the province,” he said. “All of my counterpoints across the country are very collaborative with their Schools of Pharmacy in relation to rolling out expanded scope of practice, and as a result, it has improved health care delivery and outcomes.”
To date, the school has provided six sessions in total, with four sessions in St. John’s, one in Corner Brook, and another in Happy Valley-Goose Bay – totalling 79 pharmacy students and 51 pharmacists.
The next batch of students will be trained this coming September to allow them to be able to administer the flu shot when it becomes available in October. The school hopes to offer more sessions for pharmacists as well.
A number of sessions both in the Injection and Immunization Live Training Program as well as the Assessment for Minor Ailments in 2016:
Injection & Immunization Live Training Program. Workshop for Pharmacists, St. John’s, NL, May 2, 2016
Injection & Immunization Live Training Program. Workshop for Pharmacists, St. John’s, NL, Oct 10, 2015
Injection & Immunization Live Training Program. Workshop for Pharmacy Students & Pharmacists, St. John’s, NL, Sept 18, 2015
Injection & Immunization Live Training Program. Workshop for Pharmacy Students & Pharmacists, St. John’s, NL, Sept 11, 2015
Assessment for Minor Ailments Session
In collaboration with a faculty member (Mr. Pevida) and with the input and support of Pharmacists’ Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL), Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board (NLPB), and the School of Pharmacy developed and delivered a session designed to increase pharmacists’ confidence with the minor ailment expanded scope of practice.
An Approach to Patient Assessment for Minor Ailment. PANL Zone Meeting. Dillon C, Pevida A. St. John’s, NL, June 16, 2016
An Approach to Patient Assessment for Minor Ailment. PANL Zone Meeting. Dillon C, Pevida A. Corner Brook, NL, June 14, 2016
An Approach to Patient Assessment for Minor Ailment. PANL Zone Meeting. Dillon C, Pevida A. Grand Falls-Windsor, NL, June 13, 2016
For further information on the School of Pharmacy’s Injection Training, please contact Dr. Carla Dillon.