Ian Stewart, B.Sc.Phm., R.Ph. The similarity of drug names continues to be a common factor in the dispensing of an incorrect drug product. Poor verbal or written skills can increase the risk of errors involving drugs with similar names. Case: A 50-year-old patient had been taking Cyclophosphamide 50mg once daily and Sulfatrim 400/80 three times weekly on a regular basis. On one occasion, the patient presented a written prescription to her usual community pharmacy for…
To protect patients and contribute to safe and effective pharmacy care, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, employers and facility operators have obligations to report certain information to the College. Pharmacy Connection shares three things pharmacy professionals should know about their reporting responsibilities. Mandatory reporting is a duty under the Regulated Health Professions Act Under the Regulated Health Professions Act all employers, facility operators and regulated health professionals have a mandatory duty to report to the College for…
Health Canada is calling on healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, to support a program focused on ending the illegal advertising of drugs and medical devices. The program—Stop Illegal Marketing of Drugs and Devices—was created to help increase public protection through education, engagement and reporting tools. The program aims to: create an understanding of legal and illegal practices; provide a quick and easy tool to file a complaint to Health Canada; and keep healthcare…
Pictured above is Threse Guirguis (centre) and her pharmacy team. The implementation and adherence of NAPRA’s non-sterile compounding standards is an important way pharmacy professionals can increase patient safety and protect pharmacy personnel. With support from resources available on the College’s website, pharmacies and pharmacy professionals are to continue to work towards full implementation. The implementation of these standards requires an investment in time and effort to understand the gaps in current practice, where the…
Decisions of the Discipline Committee between July 2021 and November 2021. Joy Abanzukwe (OCP #103497) and 2037424 Ontario Inc. operating as Brock Medical Pharmacy (Accreditation #300274) At a hearing on July 19, 2021, a Panel of the Discipline Committee made findings of professional misconduct against Joy Abanzukwe with respect to four referrals from the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee. READ MORE Referral 1: The Panel found that Ms. Abanzukwe, while practising as a pharmacist, Designated…
Centralized prescription processing—also known as central fill—is a service one pharmacy provides to another to support the preparation and packaging of a prescription drug. Pharmacy Connection shares five things pharmacy professionals should know about this service. 1. A central fill pharmacy is an accredited community pharmacy READ MORE The term central fill pharmacy is defined solely for the purpose of the Policy – Centralized Prescription Processing (Central Fill) and is not a separate class of…
Practice Insight explores concerns reported to the College as part of the complaints and reports process that present learning opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. This close up on a complaint reminds pharmacy professionals to complete and maintain their injection training if administering injections, report incidents appropriately, continually identify areas of practice improvement and clearly communicate with patients about vaccine injections and possible side effects before administration. Flu Administration Causes Patient Discomfort After receiving a…
March 18, 2022 update: In recognition of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic and to support evaluation of the latest component of the College’s Quality Assurance Program, Part A pharmacists’ 2022 participation in the new open-book Knowledge Assessment will be by expression of interest only, with random selection initiating in 2023. The expression of interest deadline was March 18, 2022. Beginning in May 2022, pharmacists in Part A of the Register will be selected once every five…
Julianne Labelle (centre) is joined by her pharmacy team at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie. Julianne Labelle, registered pharmacist and pharmacy program director at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie, shared her thoughts with Pharmacy Connection on the impact, challenges and benefits of implementing the NAPRA Model Standards for Pharmacy Compounding of Non-Sterile Preparations. Pharmacy Connection: Describe the impact non-sterile compounding standards has on your practice and safe, quality patient…
Ian Stewart, B.Sc.Phm., R.Ph. During the dispensing process, the Drug Identification Number (DIN) and the tablet or capsule appearance are two factors commonly used to confirm that the correct drug is being dispensed. However, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must be aware of the potential for error when the medication is dispensed in the original sealed stock bottle. CASE: A patient requested a refill of his Janumet® 50mg/500mg tablets. The total quantity to be dispensed was…
