Immunization Delivery for Pharmacists

Introduction/Establishing a Need

1. Describe the current regulatory status of pharmacist-administered vaccinations in Minnesota.
2. Recognize the public health impact of vaccine-preventable disease in the US.
3. Articulate the levels at which a pharmacist can undertake vaccine advocacy.
4. Describe a pharmacist's unique opportunities to contribute to disease prevention in the US.

Pharmacotherapeutics/Patient Care

1. Discuss basic immunology as it relates to vaccines.
2. Describe vaccine-preventable diseases including: influenza, coronavirus, pneumococcal, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis A and B, poliomyelitis, varicella, varicella zoster, measles, mumps, rubella, and human papillomavirus.
3. Recognize populations at-risk for vaccine-preventable illnesses.
4. Apply CDC vaccination recommendations to individual patients.
5. Review patient-specific immunization records and identify vaccine indications.
6. Identify patients who have contraindications to vaccine administration.
7. Outline treatment procedures for patients experiencing local and systemic adverse effects secondary to vaccine administration.
8. Demonstrate proper intramuscular and subcutaneous injection technique.

Practice Issues

1. Outline documentation requirements for immunizations including informed consent, patient-specific records, pharmacy records, screening forms, and adverse event reporting.
2. Recognize the need for communication between pharmacist, patient and primary care provide with respect to vaccine administration.
3. Describe requirements for proper vaccine storage and handling.
4. Identify liability issues related to vaccine administration
5. Describe Medicare reimbursement requirements and processes for vaccine administration.

Ann Philbrick, PharmD, BCACP
Associate Professor
College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota

Dr. Ann Philbrick is an associate professor at the College of Pharmacy at the University Of Minnesota and adjunct faculty in the Medical School Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. She is on the faculty of Woodwinds Family Medicine Residency Program and maintains her pharmacy practice at MHealth Fairview Bethesda Family Medicine Clinic. She graduated in 2006 from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She completed a PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency with an emphasis in Ambulatory Care and a PGY-2 Specialized Residency in Ambulatory Care at the University Of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. She became Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy in 2008.

At Bethesda Family Medicine Clinic, she provides medication therapy management services and patient education on a variety of disease states and medications. Through collaborative practice protocols, she manages an anticoagulation service and visits with patients for smoking cessation. Dr. Philbrick is also a preceptor of pharmacy and medical students on rotation at the clinic as well as family medicine residents completing an elective rotation in pharmacotherapy. In June 2010 she took over as content expert of immunization education at the College of Pharmacy. She has been published nationally on this topic.

Immunization Delivery for Pharmacists is a two-part course that provides background knowledge and hands-on training in the administration of immunizations. In the online portion of this course, you will learn to recognize the public health impact of vaccine-preventable disease in the US; practice the application of CDC-recommended vaccinations in individual patient scenarios; and describe requirements for proper vaccine storage and handling. All of the materials and assessments for this course are housed in the Canvas course site.

Once you have finished the online portion of Immunization Delivery for Pharmacists by passing the two quizzes with an average score of 70% or better, you must demonstrate intramuscular and subcutaneous injection technique to complete the course. Demonstration may be in person at the College of Pharmacy or with an immunizing pharmacist.

In addition to this, all participants may purchase the following  text to complete this course: "APhA's Immunization Handbook, 4th Edition" by Lauren Angelo (available from Amazon or the APhA bookstore). 

Prior to receiving their statement of credit, all participants must produce documentation of current CPR or BLS certification. CPR/BLS does not need to be completed prior to the live program. However, the statement of credit will be held until the documentation is provided.

Module 1

Targeting & Screening
Vaccine Basics

Module 2

Diseases and Vaccines

Module 3

Vaccine Storage and Transport
Documentation and Record Keeping
Vaccine Administration & Emergency Management

Module 4

Obtaining Reimbursement for Services
Vaccine Controversies

Credit Designation Statement

In support of improving patient care, this activity is planned and implemented by The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education and the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

This application-based hybrid educational offering and has been approved for 20 contact hours. 

Following successful completion of the online activity, an activity evaluation, and a live demonstration of skills, participant data will be submitted to The Monitor within 10 days. 

CE completion requirements

• CE participants must be pharmacists.
• Participants must complete the online activity, passing two quizzes (70% or better on each).
• After completing the online activity, participants must demonstrate intramuscular injection technique.
• Participants must provide documentation of current CPR or BLS certification.
• Following successful completion of the above activity requirements as well as submission of a course evaluation and verification of completion, participants will be able to access their CPE data directly from the Monitor. Once information is received by NABP, the tracking system will make CPE data for each participant available to the state boards of pharmacy where the participant is licensed or registered.