Understand the Culture in Which You Practise Hyperthermia: Are ...

practice Q&A
Greg Ujiye, R.Ph., B.Sc.Phm.
Professional Practice Advisor
Does the College have any training or certification
Q requirements to demonstrate competency
in specialty areas of pharmacy practice such as
compounding, TPN preparation, sterile IV admixtures,
methadone dispensing, or veterinary medicine?
Members should refer to the Standards of Practice and any
guidelines or policies to assist them in their daily practice as
well as to provide them with the expectations of the College.
All pharmacists, regardless of practice settings, must
continuously strive to gain knowledge and maintain professional
competencies required to practice in their area of
specialty.
In the Standards of Practice (2003), it is stated thus:
Operational Component 2.4
The pharmacist continuously strives to gain knowledge
and maintain professional competence. 2.4.1
The pharmacist identifies learning needs and seeks,
evaluates and participates in learning opportunities
to meet these needs to enhance practice through
education and experiential learning. 2.4.2 The
pharmacist recognizes and practices within the limits
of his/her professional expertise.
Policy and procedure manuals, quality assurance programs,
appropriate resource materials, and safety and environmental
policies should therefore be in place for the
specific area of practice to ensure pharmacists and staff
are properly trained and evaluated in their specific area of
practice.
Frequency of training/recertification/maintenance of
minimal competency is left up to the individual facility, using
the above guidelines.
In the Standards of Practice (2003), it is stated thus:
Standard 6
The pharmacist applies knowledge, principles and
skills of management as they pertain to the site of
pharmacy practice, with the goal of optimizing patient
care and inter-professional relations. Refer:
Operational Components 6.1 - 6.3
As an example, Guidelines for Compounding Preparations
(2007) expands and reinforces Standard 6 of the Standards
of Practice (2003) for this particular area of practice.
I’ve been asked to join a Family Health Team as
Q their clinical pharmacist. Does the College have a
list of resources for pharmacists anything like the OCP
Required Reference Guide for pharmacies?
The library or reference guide is a requirement for pharmacies.
If you are working with a Family Health Team, you will
not be operating a pharmacy, but, rather, will be employed as
a pharmacist for your clinical expertise. As a pharmacist, you
will be required to meet the Standards of Practice for Pharmacists.
You will be expected to maintain resources related
to the health team practice to which you belong, and to any
specific or specialized practice that you will be involved in,
to meet the standards. I would recommend you review the
mandate of the team and your job description to determine
what resources you will require.
In recent months, a number of break-ins and robberies
have been reported to the College. There is no one specific
area of the province or pattern. Pharmacists are asked to
review their security and raise awareness with staff. It
may be useful to check with the local police for advice
on assisting staff should a theft occur. Please review the
Inspector’s Corner article, “Securing Your Pharmacy” in
the March/April 2008 Pharmacy Connection, available online
at:
http://www.ocpinfo.com/client/ocp/OCPHome.nsf/web/
Securing+Your+Pharmacy
20 pharmacyconnection • July/August 2009