2021 APhA’s Pharmacy-Based Immunization Administration by Pharmacy Technicians

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

OSPA has a licensing arrangement with the American Pharmacy Association (APhA) to deliver their immunization training program, but everything is the APhA program – both the educational program and injection assessment.

Completing this course requires participants to demonstrate two injections, intramuscular and subcutaneous, on a live person. At this point, APhA is discouraging assessment of immunization technique virtually (i.e., via Zoom). Instead, APhA is allowing any person who is able to immunize within their scope of practice to “assess” the immunization technique of the participant. In order to serve as an “assessor,” this person would need to watch two short videos through the APhA website and then use the APhA checklist when supervising the IM and SubQ injections.

Since this is a virtual course, it is the participant’s responsibility to identify someone who is willing to be the recipient of these immunizations and someone who can assess the participant’s technique. The same person cannot fill both roles simultaneously. The individual assessing the participant’s technique can be anyone who immunizes within their scope of practice; this is not limited to other pharmacists. This can be a pharmacist, nurse, physician, etc… (anyone who can immunize within their scope of practice).

Participants will complete the required 4 hour live training on June 19, 2021. Afterwards, you will need to find a person who could supervise the live injections within three (3) weeks. This “assessor” would complete the assessment sheets, return to OSPA, and then OSPA would release the code, so that the participate could complete the course and the certificate.

Additionally, it is participant’s responsibility to locate the supplies necessary for the two immunizations. In some cases, OSPA may be able to help with supplies. However, participants should contact OSPA prior to registering for the course if they foresee issues locating supplies.

This certificate will come from a single entity, which is APhA.

Injection Supplies

Fees