Continuing Education

Lori Kline
Asst. Director of Continuing Education and Professional Development
(518) 694-7231
lori.kline@acphs.edu

Download the CE/CPD Requirements for NY, VT, and MA 

Download the CEPD Mission Statement

Download the instructions for our Zoom meetings.

There is no specific CE requirement related to the immunization privilege indicated in NYS regulation or law.  Please note, however, your immunization certification privilege is renewed at each license registration renewal.  At that time, you are confirming that you are maintaining the competencies required to provide pharmacy services allowed by NYS law. This includes completing continuing education courses on the topic and maintaining certification in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) or Basic Life Support (BLS). Pharmacists certified in administering immunizations in NYS may determine the coursework, etc. related to immunization administration practice and the amount necessary to maintain competency, upon their own discretion.

The 9^th amendment to the COVID-19 HHS PREP Act Declaration provides limited liability protection to and expands the scope of authority for state licensed and trained pharmacists to order and administer select COVID-19 therapeutics.  This amendment is effective as of September 14, 2021 and preempts state law that would otherwise prohibit pharmacists from administering COVID-19 therapeutics.  Focusing on the administration of these agents the following criteria must be met:

• The COVID-19 therapeutic must be authorized, approved, licensed, by the FDA
• The COVID-19 therapeutic must be administered subcutaneously, intramuscularly, or orally
• The qualified person (pharmacist or pharmacy intern) administering the COVID-19 therapeutic must complete a practical training program that approved by the ACPE.  This training must include:
  • hands-on injection technique,
  • clinical evaluation of indications and contraindications of COVID-19 therapeutics
  • the recognition and treatment of emergency reactions to COVID-19 therapeutics, and
  • any additional training required in the FDA approval, authorization, clearance or licensing
  • also a current certificate in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• Must comply with administration recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including reporting adverse events, and informing the patient’s primary care provider, when available.
• Must comply with any applicable requirements or conditions of use that apply to the administration of COVID-19 therapeutics.

The opioid crisis presents a unique opportunity for pharmacists to improve pharmaceutical care at the point of dispensing with improved knowledge and sills.  Incorporating formal approaches for identifying patients at risk for harm and optimizing the ability of pharmacists to tailor education to the patient within pharmacy practice settings can have a positive impact on the opioid crisis.  One of the most important strategies for improving outcomes for patients with OUD is to ensure they have access to naloxone and MOUD.  Each pharmacist has the potential to be a critical change agent in their community in the fight against opioid overdose deaths.

The Healing Communities Study and Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has accredited a virtual Continuing Pharmacy Education series, which is now being offered as a home study.  Click on the programs listed below to participate in any of these six modules.

• The Opioid Epidemic, Impacts of COVID-19 & How Pharmacists Can Reduce Overdose Deaths
• Equity in Access: Naloxone, MOUD & COVID 19 Services
• Medication for Addiction Treatment: Pharmacology, Misconceptions and Myths
• Harm Reduction for Pharmacists
• Optimizing Pharmacy Interventions in New York State
• Response to the Opioid Crisis: Legal Dimensions & Harm Reduction

ACPE and NABP have partnered to launch an app that will put CPE and CPD all in one place.  The CPE Monitor Plus is a subscription-based service with a cost of $29.99 per year.  It will include:  CPE activities upload of ACPE providers nationwide; a downloadable list of all CPE activities; free mobile app; PLAN (Pharmacists’ Learning Assistance Network), which finds CEs being offered by ACPE providers nationwide; uploads of non-ACPE CPE credits; a breakdown of renewal requirements within the US and District of Columbia; a license status screen showing hours completed and hours needed; alerts for CPE cycle deadline; a detailed transcript for each license that can be submitted to the boards; and Continuing Professional Development tools.

Currently, the free CPE Monitor only includes CPE activities upload of ACPE providers nationwide; a downloadable list of all CPE activities; free mobile app; and PLAN), which finds CEs being offered by ACPE providers nationwide (Pharmacists’ Learning Assistance Network).

Cl.ick here to see ACPE's full announcement about CPE Monitor Plus for your information.

It is increasingly important to communicate appropriately with the expanding focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in our society.  What you say, and what others hear are not always the same thing.  You should know, that ASHP has developed several FREE educational activities to foster effective communication with others as an approach to addressing healthcare disparity.  They have developed several activities about the fundamentals of inclusive conversations and have several others planned for the future. 

We hope these activities will help you recognize, understand, and appreciate the value of others’ perspectives, backgrounds and experiences.

Laying the Foundation (Part 1): How to Understand You and Your Role in Inclusive Conversations

One of a 7-part DEI series, this activity will share strategies for promoting more inclusive conversations and navigating discussions about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in your health-system pharmacy practice. 

Communicating with Care and Compassion: A Key to Unlocking Healthcare Disparity

In this activity, we will discuss strategies to foster effective communication with others as an approach to addressing healthcare disparity. You will leave prepared to facilitate more impactful and meaningful conversations with patients and colleagues.

Speaking Clearly: Inclusive and Bias Free Negotiations in All Your Transactions

What you say, and what others hear are not always the same thing! In this activity, frontline scenarios with practical and professionally developed solutions will help to ensure your negotiations are not sidelined with inaccurate communications.