APhA's Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery

The University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences is a licensed partner with APhA in providing the Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Certificate Training Program. 

APhA’s Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program (14^th Edition) is based on national educational standards for immunization training from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  This practice-based curriculum represents a fusion of science and clinical pharmacy. The program, which emphasizes a health care team approach, seeks to foster the implementation of interventions that will promote disease prevention and public health.

The purpose of this certificate training program is to prepare pharmacists with comprehensive knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to provide immunization services to patients across the life span

Educate pharmacists about:

• The impact of vaccines on public health.
• Pharmacists’ roles in immunization.
• Immunologic principles of vaccine development and immunizations.
• Vaccine-preventable diseases and the vaccines used to prevent them.
• Strategies for improving immunization rates.
• Requirements for pharmacists who provide immunization services.

Prepare pharmacists to:

• Read an immunization schedule and identify appropriate vaccines for individuals across the life span and with special needs.
• Educate patients about the benefits of vaccines and dispel myths about vaccines.
• Safely administer vaccines to patients via subcutaneous, intramuscular, intranasal, and intradermal routes.
• Operate an immunization service in compliance with legal and regulatory standards.
• Partner with immunization stakeholders to promote immunizations and the immunization neighborhood.

Direct pharmacists to resources necessary to:

• Promote public health through immunizations.
• Access regularly updated information about vaccines and their use.
• Effectively communicate with patients and other stakeholders about resources.
• Operate an immunization service in compliance with legal and regulatory standards.

This ACPE activity does not provide a certification in this topic but rather advanced professional training which upon successful completion the learner will be able to download a certificate of achievement.

At the completion of the self-study program, the participant will be able to: The self-study learning activity is designed to ensure that all participants have an understanding of vaccine-preventable diseases and the role of pharmacists as vaccine advocates and administrators.  There are five learning modules that present in-depth information on immunology, practice implementation, and legal and regulatory issues as noted below, with appropriate references to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) resource publication, Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Disease.  The self-study program includes a self-assessment test and real-life case studies that are designed to help reinforce and evaluate participants' understanding of key information and concepts.

APhA's Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program is a practice-based activity approved for a total of 20.0 contact hours of continuing pharmacy education (CPE) credit (2.0 CEUs). The ACPE Universal Activity Numbers (UAN) for this activity are listed below.

Once you complete your registration on the UB CE site, you will receive an email with your enrollment code and instructions on enrolling with APhA to begin the self-study component.

• Part I: Successful completion of the self-study component involves passing the selfstudy assessment with a grade of 70% or higher and will result in 12 contact hours of CPE credit (1.2 CEUs). Part I must be successfully completed prior to Part II.

The 12 hour self-study part I, must be completed before the live 8 hour (part II), two-evening webinar.

One week prior to the live webinar activity date, participants will receive a reminder email with instructions for participation in the two-part lecture component.

• Part II: Successful completion of the live seminar component involves attending the full live seminar, successfully completing the injection technique assessment, and completing the online assessment and evaluation. Successful completion of this component will result in 8 contact hours of CPE credit (0.8 CEU). 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic we will provide the 8-hour live component in a virtual, on-line format, delivered in two evenings. 

Thursday, 4/22 @ 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm and Tuesday, 4/27 @ 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Welcome, Introductions and Acknowledgements

• Clinical Review
• Managing a Pharmacy-Based Immunization Program
• Strategies for Increasing Immunization Rates
• Applying ACIP Immunization Schedules
• Communicating with Patients
• Vaccine Administration Technique
• Transitional/Summary Remarks
• Skills Assessment     

System Requirements: Computer and Internet access are required to complete this activity.  Please visit the APhA website www.pharmacist.com to view the technology system requirements in order to have a positive learning experience.

INJECTION TECHNIQUE TRAINING INFORMATION

The injection technique session:  Participants will be required to find a NYS immunization certified pharmacist (or health care professional, e.g. nurse) to observe and document validation of their injection technique and they will also need a second person, such as a housemate, friend, significant other to serve as the “human arm”. 

Each participant must pass the injection technique administration portion, which will involve a volunteer to be your patient (to be injected) and a volunteer certified immunizer evaluator. Injection Technique Administration will need to be evaluated by a certified immunizer (pharmacist, or other provider) who can volunteer to assess injection technique (2 intramuscular injections; 1 subcutaneous injection) of normal saline. The assessment form must be completed and signed by the evaluator. A short orientation webinar and Q&A session will be offered to evaluators.

You will be asked to submit your evaluator name and their contact information at the time of the live webinar lecture session. More instructions will be discussed at the live webinar.

Supplies will not be provided so each participant must prepare the following to complete their injection technique.

- 1 ml x 25G x 1” safety syringe (quantity: 2) (recommend preparing extra)

- BD Safety Lock 1ml 25G 5/8 (0.5mm * 16mm) (quantity: 1) (recommend preparing extra)

- Bandages (quantity: 3)

- Alcohol Swabs (quantity: 3)

- 0.9% NaCl injection, 10 ml, closed (2-3 vials)

- Cotton Balls (3)

- Gloves

- Hand sanitizer

- Sharps container 

To obtain credit for "Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery" complete home study activities, complete both home study and final assessments with a grade of 70% or better, attend the live webinar seminar, successfully complete the injection technique assessment, complete the evaluation, and CLAIM credit. To obtain credit, the Learner must CLAIM credit once each component is completed. Once credit is claimed, Transcripts of CPE will be available online within 24 hours on the Learner’s CPE Monitor profile. The Certificate of Achievement will be available online upon successful completion of the necessary activity requirements on the participant’s “My Training” page on www.pharmacist.com. Statement of Disclosure: In accordance with ACPE Standards, APhA and ACPHS require

Nicole Paolini Albanese, PharmD, CDCES, BCACP
Clinical Associate Professor
Assistant Director of Experiential Education, Department of Pharmacy Practice
University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 

Karl D. Fiebelkorn, RPh, MBA
Senior Associate Dean
Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Administration
University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

William A. Prescott, Jr., PharmD
Clinical Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacy Practice
Univerisity at Buffalo, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Robert G. Wahler, Jr., PharmD, BGCP, CPE, FASCP
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice
University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

General Registration $295, which includes the 12-hours self-study component and the 8-hour live webinar.   

Once participants have activated their code with APhA, no refunds can be provided.

The American Pharmacists Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. APhA's Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program is approved for a total of 20.0 contact hours of continuing pharmacy education (CPE) credit (2.0 CEUs). The ACPE Universal Activity Numbers (UAN) for this activity are listed below.

• Successful completion of the self-study component involves passing the self-study assessment with a grade of 70% or higher and will result in 12 contact hours of CPE credit (1.2 CEUs). ACPE UAN: 0202-0000-20-179-H06-P / 0202-9999-20-179-H06-P
• Successful completion of the live seminar component involves attending the full live seminar, successfully completing the injection technique assessment, and completing the online assessment and evaluation. Successful completion of this component will result in 8 contact hours of CPE credit (0.8 CEU). ACPE UAN: 0202-0000-20-180-L06-P / 0202-9999-20-180-L06-P

To obtain 20.0 contact hours of CPE credit (2.0 CEUs) for APhA's APhA's Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program, the learner must complete all components listed above, and CLAIM credit for each component. Participants will need to have a valid APhA (pharmacist.com) username and password, as well as a CPE Monitor account to claim credit. After credit has been claimed, please visit CPE monitor for your transcript. The Certificate of Achievement will be available online upon successful completion of the necessary activity requirements on the participant’s My Training page.

APhA continuing pharmacy education policy provides you with two opportunities to successfully complete the continuing pharmacy education assessment. Please note that you will not be permitted to submit the assessment a third time. The current policy of the APhA Education Department is not to release the correct answers to any of our CPE tests. This policy is intended to maintain the integrity of the CPE activity and the assessment.

Release Date: March 30, 2020

Expiration Date: March 20, 2023 - PLEASE NOTE: NO Home Study credit granted after this date; Live Credit can only be granted within 60 days from the day of the seminar attended.

APhA's Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery was developed by the American Pharmacists Association.  Copyright © 2017 by the American Pharmacists Association.

Please email pharmacyce@buffalo.edu