The Future of Pharmacy Technicians in Manitoba: Regulations and Examinations Rose Dick Ron Guse MB Representative, CAPT Registrar, MPhA Debra Chartier Kristine Petrasko Director Internal Affairs, MPhA Council / CPhA CAPT Board
Outline • Future for Pharmacy Technicians • Attributes of a Profession • Professional competencies for entry to practice pharmacy technicians • Accreditation of technician programs • PEBC examinations • Manitoba, Technicians and Regulations • Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians • Other Provinces – Ontario and Alberta • Questions
On Track for a New Profession • Recent changes have produced a national movement for pharmacy technicians • It is has been recognized that we are the point in Canada where it is necessary to formalize and standardize the role of pharmacy technicians
Formation of a Profession A profession arises when an occupation transforms itself through “the development of formal qualifications based upon education, apprenticeship, and examinations, the emergence of regulatory bodies with powers to admit and discipline members and some degree of monopoly rights” Alan Bullock & Stephen Trombley, The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought, London: Harper-Collins, 1999, p.689
Structural Attributes of a Profession • specialized body of • vital service to society knowledge and skills • code of ethics • unique socialization of • testing of competence student members • autonomy • licensure/certification • equivalence of • professional associations members, and • governance by peers • special relationship • social prestige with clients. 5
Step 1. Development of formal qualifications based upon education • Professional competencies for entry to practice have been developed by The National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) – Mission of NAPRA is to facilitate the activities of provincial pharmacy regulatory authorities in their service of public interest
NAPRA Competencies • Technicians competencies were developed in 2007 • Response to the changing pharmacist and technician roles and greater complexity in the pharmacy practice environment. • Representatives of the pharmacy profession from all Canadian provinces participated in the process
NAPRA’s Vision for Pharmacy Technicians • Pharmacy technicians will work in collaborative relationships and will be committed to patient- centred, outcomes-focused care • Their expertise will focus on the knowledge, skills and abilities related to technical aspects of prescription and patient information, and of product and drug distribution. • Pharmacy technicians will be responsible and accountable for ensuring patient safety and for the accuracy and quality of product preparation and release.
Competencies for Entry Level Pharmacy Technicians • The competencies describe the primary functions and activities and reflect the common and essential knowledge, skill, abilities and attitudes at the point of entry into the profession required to benefit the Canadian public
Competencies for Entry Level Pharmacy Technicians • Legal, Ethical and Professional Responsibilities • Professional Collaboration and Teamwork • Drug Distribution: Prescription and Patient Information • Drug Distribution: Product Preparation • Drug Distribution: Product Release • Drug Distribution: System and Inventory Controls • Communication and Education • Management Knowledge and Skills • Quality Assurance
Step 2. Accreditation of Pharmacy Technician Programs • The accreditation process ensures that accredited programs contain the necessary content to teach the competencies necessary for successful graduates to safely and effectively do the job of a regulated pharmacy technician
• Responsible for accrediting pharmacy technician programs in Canada • A committee with representatives from pharmacy technicians, technician educator, and pharmacist groups developed the accreditation standards • Winnipeg Technical College received accreditation in 2010
Accreditation and Manitoba – If you graduated from Winnipeg Technical College (WTC) June 2010 or later, you can state that you graduated from an accredited program – If you graduated from WTC prior to 2010 you did not graduate from an accredited program
Step 3. Assessment of Entry to Practice Competencies Entry-to-Practice Examination for Pharmacy Technicians
The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) • national certification body for the pharmacy profession • non-profit, self-supporting organization Purpose: • assess the qualifications and competence of candidates seeking to become licensed by provincial regulatory authorities • award certificates of qualification to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to practice safely
PT Evaluating Examination Eligibility Criteria • Candidates are permitted to take the Evaluating Examination by providing evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of work and/or teaching in the past 36 months in the field of pharmacy • Special application process if some or all work experience occurred outside Canada
PT Evaluating Examination Examination Information – 3 hour written exam consisting of 150 multiple choice questions – exam is offered twice yearly (spring and fall) – Cost $350 Limit on Number of Attempts – a maximum of four attempts
PT Evaluating Examination Blueprint: Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences 25% – includes: pharmacology, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmaceutics Pharmacy Practice 65% – includes: pharmaceutical calculations, dispensing and prescription processing, inventory management, compounding (sterile and non- sterile), federal laws and regulations Social Behavioural and Administrative Pharmacy 10% – includes: profession of pharmacy, management practices, health care systems, quality assurance/patient safety
PT Evaluating Examination Candidate Resources • PEBC web site ( www.pebc.ca ) • Downloadable information • Evaluating Examination information – application procedure – taking the examination – references, learning resources, sample questions, other information
Pharmacy Technician Qualifying Examination for Entry-to-Practice • national entry-to-practice examination for the assessment and certification of the competence of Pharmacy Technicians for purposes of registration • exam consists of two parts: – written multiple choice question exam (MCQ) – performance-based exam Objective Structured Performance Examination (OSPE) • exam offered twice yearly (winter and summer)
PT Qualifying Examination Eligibility Criteria • Completion of the pharmacy technician program at a CCAPP accredited college or institution in Canada OR • Successful standing and status, gained up to and including December 31, 2008, for the OCP pharmacy technician certification examination OR • Successful standing and status, gained up to and including June 30, 2008, for the PTCB (AB) pharmacy technician certification examination OR • Successful completion of a PEBC Evaluating Examination (pharmacy technician or pharmacist) OR • Successful completion of an accredited pharmacist degree program in Canada or the U.S.
Evaluating Qualifying Exam Exam Direct Eligibility Criteria: • completion of a CCAPP program Eligibility Criteria: • pass OCP Cert. Exam (2008) • pass PTCB-AB Cert. Exam (2008) 2,000 h of work and/or • pass PEBC Evaluating Exam (PT or teaching in the past 36 pharmacist) months • completion of an accredited pharmacist degree program in Canada or U.S.
Dec 31 st , 2015 Deadline MB Reg & Evaluating Qualifying Lic Exam Exam ??? MB Bridging??? Direct Eligibility Criteria: • completion of a CCAPP program Eligibility Criteria: • pass OCP Cert. Exam (2008) • pass PTCB-AB Cert. Exam (2008) 2,000 h of work and/or • pass PEBC Evaluating Exam (PT or teaching in the past 36 pharmacist) months • completion of an accredited pharmacist degree program in Canada or U.S.
QUALIFYING EXAMINATION BLUEPRINT • Based on NAPRA’s Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice • 9 competencies: 1. Legal, Ethical, & Professional Responsibilities 2. Professional Collaboration & Team Work 3. Drug Distribution: Prescription and Patient Information 4. Drug Distribution: Product Preparation 5. Drug Distribution: Product Release 6. Drug Distribution: System & Inventory Controls 7. Communication & Education 8. Management Knowledge & Skills 9. Quality Assurance
PT QE EXAMINATION STRUCTURE Part II - performance assessment - Part I - written exam - Objective, Structured, Performance multiple choice (MCQ) Exam (OSPE) • tests understanding and • tests ability to communicate application of knowledge • tests ability to perform professional • tests ability to make functions judgments in situations • tests ability to problem-solve and relevant to practice make judgments
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