Administration of Injections Program
Program overview
Registration
Accredited Online Pre-Study Program
Location and workshop dates
First aid and CPR information
Waiver information
FAQs and other injection training resources
Since the July 21 announcement about upcoming regulatory changes under the Health Professions Act giving B.C. pharmacists the legal authority to administer injections, BCPhA has been working with the College of Pharmacists of BC (CPBC), Ministry of Health Services and BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) on the development, accreditation and implementation of the training program.
BCPhA asks that pharmacists ready themselves for this historic scope of practice change. Administering injections is not mandatory, but members are encouraged to consider the advantages of this unique opportunity that will ultimately serve the greater good by improving patient care for all British Columbians.
Accredited Administration of Injections Program - study components
BCPhA launched the online pre-study component of the Accredited Administration of Injections Program on Sep. 11, 2009.
The first component, Immunization Competency Program for BC Health Professionals, is comprised of 15 modules, assigned 7.0 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by the Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy (CCCEP), and will take approximately eight hours to complete.
Pharmacists must achieve at least 70 per cent on the pre-study test prior to being enrolled in the practical workshop.
The second component, Practical Administration of Injections for BC Pharmacists, is a full-day, live workshop facilitated by a Registered Pharmacist and a Registered Nurse and including practical training in administering subcutaneous, intradermal, and intramuscular injections. Pharmacists must successfully administer an intramuscular and a subcutaneous injection to receive certification of completion for the workshop.
To be granted authority to administer injections by the College of Pharmacists of BC (CPBC), a pharmacist must submit the following certifications: CPR; first aid; and completion of both Injections Program components. Applications for the legal authority to administer injections will be reviewed by CPBC as they are received and qualified applicants will be notified of their authorization. Pharmacists must receive authorization from CPBC prior to providing injection services.
Workshops have been taking place since October 2009 with venues in the lower mainland, Kelowna, Prince George, and Victoria. By the end of 2009, over 400 pharmacists had successfully completed the BCPhA Accredited Administration of Injections Program. Additional workshops will be held in 2010 based on demand.
For more information, email RxAdministeringInjections@bcpharmacy.ca.
Registration for injection training program
Registration for the BCPhA Administration of Injections Program starts Tuesday, Aug. 25. Meeting the requirements of the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, the Injections Program will include two components: an online pre-study and a full-day workshop.
Following registration and over the coming days, pharmacists will receive detailed information about how to access the online pre-study portion of the program. They will also be mailed a copy of the Canadian Immunization Guide for their reference. Pharmacists must complete the online pre-study test with a minimum passing grade of 70 per cent before being enrolled in a workshop. They must be able to successfully administer “live” intramuscular and subcutaneous injections at the workshop to receive certification of completion. To be granted authority to administer injections by the College of Pharmacists of BC, a pharmacist must submit to the college certification of completion for both components of the Administration of Injections Program as well as current certification in first aid and CPR.
Register for injection training HERE. For locations and dates: Burnaby, Coquitlam and rest of B.C.
Online pre-study training program
You will need a UBC Campus Wide Login (CWL) to use the online training program. For details on getting a CWL, please download this PDF guide. After registering for the BCPhA Administration of Injections Program, you will be provided with access to the online pre-study training program, as well as an email containing information on using the online training program. Once you receive this email, you will be able to log in to the online training program.
Injection training resource list (PDFs)
FAQs
Campus Wide Login guide
Online pre-study guide
Forgotten anything -- a checklist on how to get your authorization.
Waiver
Get your first aid and CPR certification now
Pharmacists who are planning to participate in the Accredited Administration of Injections Program must have current certification in first aid and CPR in order to be granted authority to administer injections by the College of Pharmacists of BC (CPBC). Even if you successfully complete both the online pre-study and live workshop components of the training program, CPBC will not grant authorization to administer injections without these important certifications. If you have already registered or plan to register for the program, please take time now to ensure your certifications are up to date and, if not, make necessary provisions to update them.
The first aid and CPR requirements for authorization to administer injections are set by the College of Pharmacists of BC (CPBC). For information, please check the CPBC website, http://www.bcpharmacists.org/about_us/key_initiatives/index/articles70.php.
Once registrants have successfully fulfilled CPBC requirements, they may apply to CPBC for authorization to administer injections (please note: the application process is currently under development). Certification is not a requirement for registration in the Accredited Administration of Injections Program, but is a requirement of CPBC.
What the Waiver of Liability means to you
Do you know what it means to sign the Waiver of Liability Agreement when you register for the Accredited Administration of Injections Program? It means that you are agreeing to the condition that the BCPhA-sponsored personal professional liability insurance policy (issued by Grain Insurance) will not cover the authorized pharmaceutical service of administration of injections during the training program, but will provide coverage once you have received authorization from the College of Pharmacists of BC (CPBC) to perform injections. The insurance policy cannot apply during the training period and until the authority by CPBC is issued to the pharmacist. Once authority is granted by CPBC to the pharmacist, the insurance policy will cover that practice. Pharmacists are not required to notify Grain of this authorization.
Hep B shot reminder
In addition to obtaining first aid and CPR certification, pharmacists planning to administer injections should also get their hepatitis B vaccination. Administering injections creates the potential for blood and body fluid exposure. The risk of developing HIV from exposure needle stick injury is less than one per cent, but the risk of contracting hepatitis B and C can be as much as seven per cent.
Locations and dates of workshops