APhA Immunization Certifications will now expire

[297point1]

Just received the following correspondence from APhA:

As of March 1, 2015, APhA’s Certificates of Achievements will have a different look. This will affect all certificates printed as of March 1, 2015. Any certificates already issued, are still valid, as is explained in the APhA Certificate Training Program Certificates of Achievement Guidance Document.

The new Certificates of Achievement issued by APhA for any of APhA’s certificate training programs will be current for 3 years from the date of issue. The date issued will be printed on all Certificates of Achievement along with the statement:

The training associated with this APhA Certificate of Achievement is current for 3 years from this date of issue. It is the responsibility of the practitioner to engage in continuing professional development and education to meet the existing standards of practice set by the practitioner’s state board of pharmacy and/or the policies and procedures of the organization that employs the practitioner.

Rationale - Due to the large number of pharmacists who use APhA’s Certificates of Achievement as proof of training, it is APhA’s intent to ensure that practitioners stay current with ongoing changes in the clinical area and maintain their knowledge and skills related to patient care.

And suddenly, the perceived value of the pre-March 1 certificates without the expiration date goes up significantly. 😏

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[PharFromNormal]

So here we have it folks, our flagship stakeholder group looking to suck more money out of us.

If they truly care about their pharmacists staying current then keep the price the same, expire it after 3 years but allow free lifetime renewel.

 

[Digsbe]

Right now I'm REALLY glad that I got mine in 2012 through my school.

Then again I don't think revisiting things once every 3 years is necessarily a bad thing. We have to renew CPR certification every 2 years anyway.

 

[PharFromNormal]

Right now I'm REALLY glad that I got mine in 2012 through my school.

Then again I don't think revisiting things once every 3 years is necessarily a bad thing. We have to renew CPR certification every 2 years anyway.

Many states already require immunization CEs that should serve the same purpose that APhA is trying to cash in on. I would love to see a compititor come in an offer an alternative that is honored by state boards.

 

[PharmNerdMatt]

This makes perfect sense, and I don't think that APhA is being a bad guy here. Immunizations change and the recommendations change, so it makes sense for the training certificate to expire. In addition, APhA has to be able to fund the training somehow, so it only makes sense to charge for recertification classes. I also think there isn't any reason that someone else other than the APhA should offer immunization training. Competition is a good thing.

No one complains about BLS, ACLS, or PALS expiring.

 

[npage148]

Sorry, but immunizations don't really changed and don't require practice like BLS because you do it 590 times a year and it's so simple anyone can do it. At most you get some device like the ID injections (which is a horrible thing) that takes 2 minutes to figure out. At most you need a 1 hour CE to go over any cdc changes and that's it

APhA is doing for the money and that's it

 

[Gombrich12]

The wording makes it sound like as long as you do CE or some additional training it is OK. If they end up requiring people to get a new certificate from APhA each time then it is a money grab. Otherwise if it was for safety reasons everyone's would expire.

 

[farmadiazepine]

Things don't change a lot. Theres only like what, 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 ways to stick a needle in somebody to give them a vaccine. Vaccine recommendations change, but all you need is an hour CE to catch up. This is so f'n stupid.

 

[SpartanLaser]

So can I still use my old non-expiring certificate? Not sure how the wording goes.....the certificate is valid but not current???!?!

 

[swatchgirl]

Right now I'm REALLY glad that I got mine in 2012 through my school.

Then again I don't think revisiting things once every 3 years is necessarily a bad thing. We have to renew CPR certification every 2 years anyway.

For immunization certifications issued BEFORE march 1, 2015, how do we renew them? They don't expire, right, ok, but which specific CEs should we do to show proof that we are "engaged in continuing professional development and education to meet the existing standards of practice" ? 😵 And how many hours of CEs are required to satisfy as proof ? 😕

EDIT: nevermind, I got it! I just read the earlier posts in this thread. 🙂

 

[RealRX]

I'm so confuzzed...so I got mine in 2014 so does that mean mine has expired?????

 

[Hope_ful_Pharm]

I'm so confuzzed...so I got mine in 2014 so does that mean mine has expired?????

I don't think so. Mine was issued on 04/8/2015, and mine doesn't even have that statement about the 3 years. I just looked at it and it actually has in there "This Certificate of Achievement does not expire"

 

[Dalteparin]

This makes perfect sense, and I don't think that APhA is being a bad guy here. Immunizations change and the recommendations change, so it makes sense for the training certificate to expire. In addition, APhA has to be able to fund the training somehow, so it only makes sense to charge for recertification classes. I also think there isn't any reason that someone else other than the APhA should offer immunization training. Competition is a good thing.

No one complains about BLS, ACLS, or PALS expiring.

I suppose that's a good point. I haven't had to give immunizations since I started working graveyards. (I offered to go around the hospital giving shots at 0300 but strangely there were no takers... ) In the unlikely event that I go back to day shift, I'll probably want a little practice before I have to stick someone again.


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