Profession: Pharmacist

The profession of pharmacy is changing more rapidly than ever before. Patients, too, are paying attention and often have questions or concerns about trending healthcare topics in the news. On a daily basis, information is released that has the potential to impact clinical processes and/or patient conversations at the pharmacy level. It is important, then, that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians remain abreast of trending newsworthy conversations related to healthcare. In this weekly session, the instructors carefully select the most noteworthy items from the headlines to discuss potential professional implications in this interactive and informative format.

Module 1 – Introduction is the first of 6 modules in the Hands-on Diabetes: A Practical Way to Manage Diabetes series certification. This module discusses the current gap in patient diabetes education and the unique role that pharmacists play in patient education. This presentation explores the benefits of diabetes-related medication therapy management in the pharmacy and the cost savings to the healthcare industry that a consultation in the pharmacy can potentially bring. In addition, risk for diabetes and symptoms of hyper- and hypoglycemia together with factors that can contribute to fluctuation in blood glucose levels are reviewed. Furthermore, module 1 introduces the Hands-on Diabetes Practical Management of Diabetes program through a review of the highlights of each module. Highlights will also include the pearls in of each module that will enhance both pharmacist and pharmacy technician knowledge and skills to provide effective, evidence-based, hands-on patient education.

The federal 340B Drug Pricing Program is an outpatient federal drug pricing program that allows Covered Entities to stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible to reach eligible patients and provide comprehensive medical services. This course will serve as an overview of 340B, as well as an opportunity to reflect on pharmacist participation (either knowingly or otherwise!). By attending this course, participants will learn how pharmacies and patients qualify to use the 340B Drug Pricing Program. This course will also delve into the general compliance parameters around 340B. Finally, participants will be educated on how vital the Drug Pricing Program is to Covered Entities and patients who are using it.

Module 1 – Introduction is the first of 6 modules in the Hands-on Diabetes: A Practical Way to Manage Diabetes series certification. This module discusses the current gap in patient diabetes education and the unique role that pharmacists play in patient education. This presentation explores the benefits of diabetes-related medication therapy management in the pharmacy and the cost savings to the healthcare industry that a consultation in the pharmacy can potentially bring. In addition, risk for diabetes and symptoms of hyper- and hypoglycemia together with factors that can contribute to fluctuation in blood glucose levels are reviewed. Furthermore, module 1 introduces the Hands-on Diabetes Practical Management of Diabetes program through a review of the highlights of each module. Highlights will also include the pearls in of each module that will enhance both pharmacist and pharmacy technician knowledge and skills to provide effective, evidence-based, hands-on patient education.

Caution: Hot! Are we describing this CE presentation or a cup of coffee, or both? Hot off the presses: every single U.S. Surgeon General has proclaimed smoking cessation as being the single most important effort to discuss with respective patients. Some view nicotine as one of, if not the, most addictive substance ever, which transcends from the Big Tobacco days of yore, to our current vaping popularity concerns. This presentation will aim to clear the “smoke” on nicotine content within various products, over-the-counter (OTC) nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), and prescription smoking cessation medications. Sometimes it takes just one puff to form a habit, conversely, let’s spend just one hour on one of the most impactful patient care topics today, tomorrow, and yesterday.

The profession of pharmacy is changing more rapidly than ever before. Patients, too, are paying attention and often have questions or concerns about trending healthcare topics in the news. On a daily basis, information is released that has the potential to impact clinical processes and/or patient conversations at the pharmacy level. It is important, then, that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians remain abreast of trending newsworthy conversations related to healthcare. In this weekly session, the instructors carefully select the most noteworthy items from the headlines to discuss potential professional implications in this interactive and informative format.

Cough, cold, and allergy medications can be confusing even to a patient/customer who speaks the language in which the labels are printed. The challenge to speakers of Spanish when presented with the rainbow of OTC options adds another layer of difficulty. This course will teach the names, directions for use, and side effects of common OTC cough, cold, and allergy medications. Participants will learn how to inquire about symptoms, medications currently taking, and medical conditions. They will also learn how to direct patients to the correct medication. Finally, in the event that flu or COVID is suspected, they will learn a few basic phrases for directly patients to COVID at-home test kits, and phrases directing patients to their doctor or a clinic for testing.

Insomnia, which is defined as either difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, is a prevalent sleep disorder among primary care patients. Unfortunately many patients do not report their sleep disturbances to their providers and fewer patients seek treatment. Insomnia is associated with a large economic burden and can lead to medical complications, psychological disorders and poor quality of life. Understanding the pathophysiology of insomnia will lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of action of the drug treatments, including two of the newest medications to be approved. It is important to appropriately diagnose and treat insomnia to prevent complications. Treatment also includes counseling on proper sleep habits and limiting risk factors that can cause this sleep disturbance.

Adverse medication reactions (AMRs) continue to be a burden on our healthcare systems and more importantly on the quality of life for the patients under our care. However, certain information regarding AMRs, is propagated by not only patients and their family or caregivers, but also by those providing their care. This program is intended to identify some representative examples of AMRs, to bring to light some examples of AMR documentation, and how healthcare providers can improve patient care by eliminating or at least minimizing certain AMR information in the patient’s medical record.

This session is part of the Non-Opioid Module of the Pain Management Certification, which explores diverse pain management treatment plans involving treatments other than prescription opioids during the opioid crisis. This session examines non-pharmacological options that may be employed for the management of pain by classifying them as either passive or active, based on the patient point of view. The session includes a discussion of active non-pharmacological treatment options including psychotherapy, mind-body therapy, various distinct types of exercise, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. The session includes a discussion of passive non-pharmacological treatment options including nutrition, heat/cold, TENs/EMS devices, hyperbaric oxygen, spinal manipulation (chiropractory), massage, ultrasound, paraffin wax, infrared light, spinal traction, and acupuncture.

It has been over 40 years since “HIV” and “AIDS” became commonplace words for both the healthcare profession and the general population. Fortunately, in the 1990s, drugs with different mechanisms of action were developed to take HIV from a “death sentence” to a manageable disease. Today, the focus for affected individuals has shifted to medication adherence for these robust therapies, as well as disease prevention. PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a priority now that we have preventative agents that are more patient-friendly, to help bring an end to the spread of this disease. Join Professor Pete for a comprehensive discussion of the history, treatment, and preventative strategies for HIV and AIDS as patient care moves into a new era.

This course meets the FL requirement of 1.0 board-approved contact hour on the topic of HIV/AIDS.

The profession of pharmacy is changing more rapidly than ever before. Patients, too, are paying attention and often have questions or concerns about trending healthcare topics in the news. On a daily basis, information is released that has the potential to impact clinical processes and/or patient conversations at the pharmacy level. It is important, then, that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians remain abreast of trending newsworthy conversations related to healthcare. In this weekly session, the instructors carefully select the most noteworthy items from the headlines to discuss potential professional implications in this interactive and informative format.

While pharmacists are well-trained to assist human patients in selecting over-the-counter (OTC) medications that are safe and effective, they may not recognize the dangers these medications present to companion animals, such as cats and dogs. By law, pharmacists cannot independently recommend OTC medications for veterinary patients, but they can educate pet owners on the risks of treating their pets with unsafe OTC products. This activity will review common OTC products and their adverse effects in cats and dogs. Treatment options for pets exposed to these medications will also be discussed.

Medication safety remains a top concern for pharmacies and regulators alike. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians find themselves daily in situations whose outcome teeters between success and tragedy. Understanding the framework for medication safety, then, is paramount.  In this session, multiple medication safety models are examined within the context of the community pharmacy and beyond. Avenues for error reporting are explored, along with industry best practices.

This course has been approved to meet the 2.0 hour requirement for medication error prevention training for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians by the Florida Board of Pharmacy.

For patients with diabetes, episodes of hypoglycemia can be a frightening and frustrating piece of managing adequate glucose control. As many as 25% of patients with diabetes have reported having frequent episodes of hypoglycemia. Many factors are involved in minimizing the number of hypoglycemic episodes, including diet and proper management of medications. In this session, the leading causes of hypoglycemia are examined and analyzed from a patient management perspective.  This session seeks to provide the healthcare provider with tools necessary to properly coach patients who experience this preventable phenomenon.

Medication errors affect every pharmacy practice site and occur at all steps in the medication use process. This program will discuss root cause analysis and failure mode and effects analysis as tools to help affect practice change. The pharmacist’s role in transitions of care and medication reconciliation will also be discussed in detail. In addition, tips, techniques, error traps and other medication error prevention tools will be discussed. Finally, the program will provide case examples and practical information that any pharmacist can quickly implement to reduce medication errors at their practice site.

This course has been approved to meet the 2.0 hour requirement for medication error prevention training for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians by the Florida Board of Pharmacy.

An estimated 50-75% of patients struggle with adhering to their medication regimen, which often results in poor health outcomes. Therapy-related factors that can lead to poor medication adherence include dosage form, flavor profile, swallowability, and packaging. Pharmaceutical compounding is a key area of pharmacy practice that can offer solutions to medication adherence problems for patients, especially pediatric, geriatric, and veterinary populations. This continuing education program will discuss the role of the compounding pharmacist in addressing poor medication adherence via working with the care team to provide patient-specific medication preparations. Therapy-related reasons for medication nonadherence and corresponding solutions will be reviewed, with a focus on special patient populations.

Spelling matters. Just Say No? Perhaps, Just Say KNOW! Substances will change controlled substances classes in the future, just as ethyl alcohol had in the past, but their respective pharmacology remain the same. Because of this, we, as healthcare professionals, need to provide impactful patient care with expanded knowledge of substances of abuse. In this program, we will review a multitude of substances of abuse, broken down into therapeutic classes and subclasses, with particular attention to structural nuances, clinical pearls, mechanisms of action, dosages, and interactions. This dynamic discussion will provide a broader depth of knowledge than the average clinician is ever armed with for patient care, while serving as the introduction for the much more comprehensive Substances of Abuse Specialty Pharmacist Certificate. Just Say NOW.

This program will identify and describe current red flags and trends in prescription drug diversion and/or abuse by patients and prescribers, including how they have changed over time. It will include Florida pharmacy practice laws regarding the role of the pharmacist in determining if a prescription is for a legitimate medical purpose and proper assessment of controlled substance prescriptions. It will also include how to assess if a prescription is for a legitimate medical purpose and what steps a pharmacist can take if it is not. Finally, the program will discuss how state and federal laws impact the role of pharmacist in validating and dispensing controlled substance prescriptions.

This course has been approved by the Florida Board of Pharmacy to meet the 2.0 credit-hour requirement for education on validation of controlled substance prescriptions for pharmacists.

For decades, observations have been made between cancer rates in health care workers with exposure to certain antineoplastics. Published in 2016, USP chapter <800> was introduced to help mitigate risks for patients, the environment, and healthcare personnel. As the years have passed, our understanding of these risks has broadened. With that enhanced knowledge comes new processes and recommendations. This session seeks to examine the progression of USP <800> since its introduction and outline appropriate procedures, education, and monitoring for hazardous drugs included in this chapter.

The profession of pharmacy is changing more rapidly than ever before. Patients, too, are paying attention and often have questions or concerns about trending healthcare topics in the news. On a daily basis, information is released that has the potential to impact clinical processes and/or patient conversations at the pharmacy level. It is important, then, that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians remain abreast of trending newsworthy conversations related to healthcare. In this weekly session, the instructors carefully select the most noteworthy items from the headlines to discuss potential professional implications in this interactive and informative format.

The differences between the human and non-human use of medication can be staggering. Strikingly, over 75% of community pharmacies deal with animal prescriptions. However, less than a quarter of pharmacy schools offer didactic courses in veterinarian pharmacy! There is a tremendous need, then, for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to understand the essential principles of medication use in non-human patients. In this unique panel discussion, the intricacies and nuisances of veterinary medicine are highlighted in a way that will help guide community pharmacies involved in this important part of our professional practice.

USP 797 sterile compounding guidelines have been revised, becoming official in 2023!  For the pharmacist or technician working in a sterile compounding environment, a keen understanding of the revisions is paramount.  Pharmacy leadership teams need to intimately understand the changes and what preparatory efforts need to be happening now.  This presentation will review the revised USP <797> standards and best practices that support safe sterile compounding.  Facility design, personnel training and monitoring, environmental monitoring, and work practices will be discussed.

The profession of pharmacy is changing more rapidly than ever before. Patients, too, are paying attention and often have questions or concerns about trending healthcare topics in the news. On a daily basis, information is released that has the potential to impact clinical processes and/or patient conversations at the pharmacy level. It is important, then, that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians remain abreast of trending newsworthy conversations related to healthcare. In this weekly session, the instructors carefully select the most noteworthy items from the headlines to discuss potential professional implications in this interactive and informative format.

Medication safety remains a top concern for pharmacies and regulators alike. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians find themselves daily in situations whose outcome teeters between success and tragedy. Understanding the framework for medication safety, then, is paramount.  In this session, multiple medication safety models are examined within the context of the community pharmacy and beyond. Avenues for error reporting are explored, along with industry best practices.

This course has been approved to meet the 2.0 hour requirement for medication error prevention training for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians by the Florida Board of Pharmacy.

The federal 340B Drug Pricing Program is an outpatient federal drug pricing program that allows Covered Entities to stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible to reach eligible patients and provide comprehensive medical services. This course will serve as an overview of 340B, as well as an opportunity to reflect on pharmacist participation (either knowingly or otherwise!). By attending this course, participants will learn how pharmacies and patients qualify to use the 340B Drug Pricing Program. This course will also delve into the general compliance parameters around 340B. Finally, participants will be educated on how vital the Drug Pricing Program is to Covered Entities and patients who are using it.

Module 1 – Introduction is the first of 6 modules in the Hands-on Diabetes: A Practical Way to Manage Diabetes series certification. This module discusses the current gap in patient diabetes education and the unique role that pharmacists play in patient education. This presentation explores the benefits of diabetes-related medication therapy management in the pharmacy and the cost savings to the healthcare industry that a consultation in the pharmacy can potentially bring. In addition, risk for diabetes and symptoms of hyper- and hypoglycemia together with factors that can contribute to fluctuation in blood glucose levels are reviewed. Furthermore, module 1 introduces the Hands-on Diabetes Practical Management of Diabetes program through a review of the highlights of each module. Highlights will also include the pearls in of each module that will enhance both pharmacist and pharmacy technician knowledge and skills to provide effective, evidence-based, hands-on patient education.

It has been over 40 years since “HIV” and “AIDS” became commonplace words for both the healthcare profession and the general population. Fortunately, in the 1990s, drugs with different mechanisms of action were developed to take HIV from a “death sentence” to a manageable disease. Today, the focus for affected individuals has shifted to medication adherence for these robust therapies, as well as disease prevention. PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a priority now that we have preventative agents that are more patient-friendly, to help bring an end to the spread of this disease. Join Professor Pete for a comprehensive discussion of the history, treatment, and preventative strategies for HIV and AIDS as patient care moves into a new era.

This course meets the FL requirement of 1.0 board-approved contact hour on the topic of HIV/AIDS.

The profession of pharmacy is changing more rapidly than ever before. Patients, too, are paying attention and often have questions or concerns about trending healthcare topics in the news. On a daily basis, information is released that has the potential to impact clinical processes and/or patient conversations at the pharmacy level. It is important, then, that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians remain abreast of trending newsworthy conversations related to healthcare. In this weekly session, the instructors carefully select the most noteworthy items from the headlines to discuss potential professional implications in this interactive and informative format.

An estimated 50-75% of patients struggle with adhering to their medication regimen, which often results in poor health outcomes. Therapy-related factors that can lead to poor medication adherence include dosage form, flavor profile, swallowability, and packaging. Pharmaceutical compounding is a key area of pharmacy practice that can offer solutions to medication adherence problems for patients, especially pediatric, geriatric, and veterinary populations. This continuing education program will discuss the role of the compounding pharmacist in addressing poor medication adherence via working with the care team to provide patient-specific medication preparations. Therapy-related reasons for medication nonadherence and corresponding solutions will be reviewed, with a focus on special patient populations.

Medication errors affect every pharmacy practice site and occur at all steps in the medication use process. This program will discuss root cause analysis and failure mode and effects analysis as tools to help affect practice change. The pharmacist’s role in transitions of care and medication reconciliation will also be discussed in detail. In addition, tips, techniques, error traps and other medication error prevention tools will be discussed. Finally, the program will provide case examples and practical information that any pharmacist can quickly implement to reduce medication errors at their practice site.

This course has been approved to meet the 2.0 hour requirement for medication error prevention training for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians by the Florida Board of Pharmacy.

Caution: Hot! Are we describing this CE presentation or a cup of coffee, or both? Hot off the presses: every single U.S. Surgeon General has proclaimed smoking cessation as being the single most important effort to discuss with respective patients. Some view nicotine as one of, if not the, most addictive substance ever, which transcends from the Big Tobacco days of yore, to our current vaping popularity concerns. This presentation will aim to clear the “smoke” on nicotine content within various products, over-the-counter (OTC) nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), and prescription smoking cessation medications. Sometimes it takes just one puff to form a habit, conversely, let’s spend just one hour on one of the most impactful patient care topics today, tomorrow, and yesterday.

This presentation on influenza vaccination will emphasize the critical role of vaccines in preventing seasonal flu outbreaks and reducing the burden on healthcare systems. Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of vaccination for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, young children, and individuals with underlying health conditions. We will explore the various types of influenza vaccines available, their safety, effectiveness, and recommendations according to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Additionally, the presentation will address common misconceptions about flu vaccination and discuss strategies to enhance vaccine uptake in our communities.

While pharmacists are well-trained to assist human patients in selecting over-the-counter (OTC) medications that are safe and effective, they may not recognize the dangers these medications present to companion animals, such as cats and dogs. By law, pharmacists cannot independently recommend OTC medications for veterinary patients, but they can educate pet owners on the risks of treating their pets with unsafe OTC products. This activity will review common OTC products and their adverse effects in cats and dogs. Treatment options for pets exposed to these medications will also be discussed.

Most seasoned pharmacists have stories of situations that have escalated into violent situations in the pharmacy. In many cases, how the staff reacts to the situation can become the difference between an unfortunate outcome and a catastrophic one. This session seeks to identify the current trends in pharmacy robberies and examine the appropriateness of various responses from a law enforcement perspective. In addition, the session examines preemptive measures that pharmacies may take to discourage robberies and other violent behaviors. Some focused forethought and planning by the pharmacy staff can be critical in assisting law enforcement later in the investigation. Commander John Burke employs his extensive experience in law enforcement to host a candid discussion with pharmacists and pharmacy technicians regarding the inherent dangers of the work environment that we all share.

For patients with diabetes, episodes of hypoglycemia can be a frightening and frustrating piece of managing adequate glucose control. As many as 25% of patients with diabetes have reported having frequent episodes of hypoglycemia. Many factors are involved in minimizing the number of hypoglycemic episodes, including diet and proper management of medications. In this session, the leading causes of hypoglycemia are examined and analyzed from a patient management perspective.  This session seeks to provide the healthcare provider with tools necessary to properly coach patients who experience this preventable phenomenon.

Insomnia, which is defined as either difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, is a prevalent sleep disorder among primary care patients. Unfortunately many patients do not report their sleep disturbances to their providers and fewer patients seek treatment. Insomnia is associated with a large economic burden and can lead to medical complications, psychological disorders and poor quality of life. Understanding the pathophysiology of insomnia will lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of action of the drug treatments, including two of the newest medications to be approved. It is important to appropriately diagnose and treat insomnia to prevent complications. Treatment also includes counseling on proper sleep habits and limiting risk factors that can cause this sleep disturbance.

In this course, participants will deepen their understanding of the physiological changes during pregnancy and their impact on medication safety. They will learn to identify teratogenic risks, navigate medication safety categories, and collaborate with healthcare providers to optimize maternal and fetal health outcomes, as well as identify appropriate treatments for conditions unique to pregnancy. By gaining expertise in evidence-based guidelines and counseling techniques, attendees will enhance their ability to provide tailored medication management support to pregnant patients while ensuring optimal safety and efficacy.

The profession of pharmacy is changing more rapidly than ever before. Patients, too, are paying attention and often have questions or concerns about trending healthcare topics in the news. On a daily basis, information is released that has the potential to impact clinical processes and/or patient conversations at the pharmacy level. It is important, then, that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians remain abreast of trending newsworthy conversations related to healthcare. In this weekly session, the instructors carefully select the most noteworthy items from the headlines to discuss potential professional implications in this interactive and informative format.