[NPInfo] pharmacist and injections

[Johnny Hudson]

Hi Margie!

I would worry about this, for several reasons. 

First, are pharmacists trained to give injections? If not, I'm sure they
easily can be, but who will give them the proper training, and who would
make sure they received the training? 

Are they trained to screen for appropriateness for the flu shot? Again,
easily trained, but......

What about adverse reactions? Who will treat the patient in an urgent or
emergent situation? Are pharmacists even required to have CPR training
to work in retail? What about follow-up in minor reactions?

Do pharmacist have the TIME to offer this service? I can't say anything
with authority, but I have heard pharmacists, especially at the retail
level, are in short supply. (That's why it takes so long to have a rx
filled.) Can they reasonable handle the additional duties?

Will they be able to or want to delegate this to other store staff
members? Again the training issues some up. 

These are just a few thoughts that come to mind. This isn't intended to
be a "turf war" view, just reality about who can best provide the
service. (On the other hand, when South Carolina NP's sought to expand
heir controlled substance prescribing authority a few years back, it was
the Board of Pharmacy that created the biggest objection. I understand
that they wanted prescriptive authority as well.) 


Johnny Hudson, NP
USC School of Medicine
Division of Neurosurgery
Columbia, SC 
johnnyhudson at sc.rr.com

-----Original Message-----
From: npinfo-bounces at nurse.net [mailto:npinfo-bounces at nurse.net] On
Behalf Of margienp at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 7:55 AM
To: npinfo at nurse.net
Subject: [NPInfo] pharmacist and injections

Hello all,
I would like to have the opinion, our the board, as to how you all, fee
about pharmacists giving flu injections.
Thanks in advance
Margie
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