Information
- What is the APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate program?
- What are the program requirements?
- Do I need to be licensed or live in Florida to take your APhA Immunization Delivery Course?
- I am a pharmacy technician. Will completion of this program satisfy the immunization administration certification program requirement for my state board of pharmacy’s Immunization Administration Certification?
- Where can I find the accreditation details for this program?
Program Details – Home Study
- What does the home study cover and how is it completed?
- How long does it take to complete the home study?
- Do I have to complete the home study prior to attending the live session?
Program Details – Live Session
- What is included in the 8-hour live session of this program?
- When are live sessions typically scheduled?
- What platform will the live session be held? – Fully Online Offerings
- What are the live session expectations?
- What are the consequences of not meeting the live session expectations?
- What happens if I get sick or an emergency occurs during the live session that prevents me from participating any further?
- Will the live sections be recorded and made available at a later date?
- What do I do after attending the live session?
Program Details – Injection Skills Assessment & Final Assessment
- When do I complete the injection skills assessment portion of the program?
- Can I complete the injection skills assessment prior to the live seminar?
- How do I complete the injection skills assessment for a fully online offering? – Fully Online Offerings
- Will I be administering live vaccines?
- Do I have to administer an injection to be eligible to receive a certificate of completion?
- When coordinating a remote injection skills assessment, can a relative be the person to receive the injection or be the assessor to sign the injection assessment form? – Fully Online Offerings
- When completing my injection skills assessment, do I need to take a video recording of my technique?
- What supplies do I need to complete the injection assessment?
Registration
- What are the required Internet and Computer requirements to complete the program?
- Are there any pre-requisites to register for the program?
- What does my registration include?
- Who do I contact if I am having issues with the registration system?
- When and where will the program be held?
- I registered for the program and selected a live session already, but your office has since added a new live session date that works better for my schedule. Can I switch live session dates?
- What if something comes up and I am unable to attend my selected live session?
- Who do I contact if I cannot access my course?
Continuing Education Requirements
- I previously completed this program. Do I need to recertify?
- Do I need to complete additional continuing education to maintain this certification?
Receiving Credit
- Will I earn a certificate for successfully completing this program?
- Will I earn continuing pharmacy education credit for successfully completing this program?
- Who can I contact if I do not see my continuing education credit within CPE Monitor and/or CE Broker?
- After I complete the program, when can I start administering immunizations?
Information
What is the APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate program?
APhA’s Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program is based on national educational standards for immunization training from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This practice-based curriculum represents a fusion of science and clinical pharmacy. The program, which emphasizes a health care team approach, seeks to foster the implementation of interventions that will promote disease prevention and public health.
The purpose of this certificate training program is to prepare pharmacists with comprehensive knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to provide immunization services to patients across the life span.
Visit the APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program site for more information.
What are the program requirements?
There are three required components to completing the APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program:
- Self-study, 12-hour program
- Live seminar, 8-hour program
- Completion of the skills assessment and post-seminar activities
See program timeline for more information.
Do I need to be licensed or live in Florida to take your APhA Immunization Delivery Course?
No, you do not need to be licensed or live in Florida to take our course. We have fully online offerings that can be completed from your own location. You will need to verify that this course meets the requirements of your state board of pharmacy prior to enrolling.
I am a pharmacy technician. Will completion of this program satisfy the immunization administration certification program requirement for my state board of pharmacy’s Immunization Administration Certification?
No. Registered pharmacy technicians have different requirements for the Immunization Administration Certification. Completion of this program will not satisfy certification requirements for pharmacy technicians.
This program satisfies the immunization administration certification program requirement for registered pharmacists and pharmacy interns.
Where can I find the accreditation details for this program?
The APhA maintains the program accreditation details on the Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program page under Accreditation Information.
Program Details – Home Study
What does the home study cover and how is it completed?
The home study learning activity is designed to ensure that all participants understand vaccine-preventable diseases and the role of pharmacists and student pharmacists as vaccine advocates and administrators. There are 23 core learning modules and several optional modules that present in-depth information on immunology, practice implementation, and legal and regulatory issues with appropriate references to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) resource publication, Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Disease.
The home study program includes a short self-assessment after each module and real-life case studies that are designed to help reinforce and evaluate participants’ understanding of key information and concepts. Each self-assessment must be passed with a score of 70% or higher to earn 12.0 hours of CPE credit for the home study portion of the program.
Module topics and learning objectives can be found on the Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program page under Self-Study Learning Objectives.
How long does it take to complete the home study?
The home study is designed as a 12.0 hour course, which is based on real time. While 12.0 hours of active engagement with the content is the standard, some learners take more or less time to complete the home study. Our office recommends you register for the program far enough in advance of the live session to give yourself time to complete the home study at your own digestible pace.
Do I have to complete the home study prior to attending the live session?
Our office highly encourages that you complete the home study material prior to attending the live session; However, we will permit you to attend the live session with an incomplete home study. If you choose to attend the live session with an incomplete home study, you must complete the home study at a later time. Please note that you will not be able to access the injection skills assessment nor the final assessment until your home study has been completed.
Alternatively, if you would like to complete your home study before attending the live session and do not have time to do so, we are happy to transfer you to a future live session. If you would like to be transferred, please contact our office.
Program Details – Live Session
What is included in the 8-hour live session of this program?
The program live session is an active learning session focusing on pharmacy practice implementation. The live session is based on the experience of practitioners involved in immunization advocacy and administration. The live event reinforces and expands on the self-study program and addresses areas such as immunization needs, legal and regulatory issues, and injection-technique training.
For hybrid offerings with a synchronous, in-person live session, you will be expected to practice giving intramuscular and subcutaneous injections during the scheduled session time.
For fully online offerings with a synchronous, virtual live session, you will be expected to coordinate and complete the injection skills assessment on your own within 60 days of your attended live session.
In addition to attending the live session, after the live session has concluded, you will be required to complete the activities listed in the Post-Live Activities section of the program to earn 8.0 hours of live CPE credit. See What do I do after attending the live session? below.
When are live sessions typically scheduled?
Our office schedules virtual live sessions on Saturdays from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Eastern time. The exact date of the live session is based upon instructor availability. To view available live session dates, please view the program registration page.
Note: At this time, our office does not have plans to offer in-person live sessions for continuing pharmacy education learners.
What platform will the live session be held? – Fully Online Offerings
The live sessions will be offered via Zoom. You will receive the login information the week of the first live session.
Please be sure to download and test Zoom prior to the live seminar.
- Click here to download and test Zoom
- Here is a link to frequently asked questions about Zoom
- Zoom – audio and visual overview
What are the live session expectations?
For live sessions that will be held virtually via Zoom, it is expected that learners will conduct themselves as they would should the session be been held in a physical classroom. We ask that you please observe the guidelines below:
(1) You must remain on camera for the duration of the session, we must be able to see your eyes – no “phone number, initials, or pictures”.
It is your responsibility to ensure you have a working camera to meet this requirement.
Exceptions to this include, but are not limited to:
- Restroom breaks
- Water breaks
- Scheduled lunch break
- Breast feeding
(2) You must show active participation for the duration of the session.
You are expected to actively participate through polling questions, chat messaging, and breakout rooms.
The following activities are not permitted during the live session. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. We ask that participants refrain from any behaviors that may be distracting to fellow learners. If you need to step away please signal to the instructor or moderator privately (private chat message). Engaging in any of the following may result in removal from the live session:
- Sleeping
- Driving
- Shopping
- Pointing webcam at ceiling (or other area/object)
- Texting or scrolling on phone (when cell phone is not being used to view live session materials)
(3) For attendance purposes, your Zoom display name must match your name in the APhA LMS.
To change your name after entering a Zoom meeting:
- Click on the “Participants” button at the top of the Zoom window.
- Hover your mouse over your name in the “Participants” list on the right side of the Zoom window.
- Click on “Rename.” Enter the name you’d like to appear in the Zoom meeting and click on “OK.”
What are the consequences of not meeting the live session expectations?
Behavior that distracts other participants and/or shows that you are not paying full attention to the live session will be grounds for removal from the program for cause. If an instructor or moderator observes a behavior that is believed to be distracting and/or an overt sign of inattention, you will be asked to correct the behavior. If the behavior is not corrected, you will be removed from the meeting and will not receive credit for the live session.
If you are removed from the live session, you will not be permitted to re-enter the meeting room and will be required to attend a future live session to satisfy the live session requirement of the program. If this occurs, you will not be awarded a refund and it will be your responsibility to communicate which program date you would like to transfer to.
If you are unable to meet the live session requirements due to technology limitations, please contact our office prior to your scheduled live session to discuss your options.
What happens if I get sick or an emergency occurs during the live session that prevents me from participating any further?
We understand that unforeseeable circumstances occur. In this case, please exit the live session meeting and contact our office as soon as practicable to discuss make-up options.
Will the live sections be recorded and made available at a later date?
No. You are required to attend the program in real-time.
What do I do after attending the live session?
You will have 60 days from the date of your attended live session to complete the following activities (located within the Post-Live Activities section of the APhA learning management system):
- Complete the injection technique assessment and upload your assessment form.
- Complete the online final assessment.
- Complete the instructor survey/evaluation.
- Complete the education survey/evaluation.
If you are not able to complete the above activities within 60 days from the date of your attended live session, APhA may be unable to award you 8.0 hours of CPE credit for the live portion of the program.
Program Details – Injection Skills Assessment & Final Assessment
When do I complete the injection skills assessment portion of the program?
For hybrid offerings with a synchronous, in-person live session, you will be expected to practice giving intramuscular and subcutaneous injections during the scheduled live session time. Your technique will be assessed by one of the program instructors and he/she will sign off on your injection skills assessment form.
For fully online offerings with a synchronous, virtual live session, you will be expected to coordinate and complete the injection skills assessment on your own within 60 days of your attended live session.
Can I complete the injection skills assessment prior to the live seminar?
No. The injection skills assessment must be completed after you have completed the 12.0-hour home study and have attended the 8-hour live seminar in full. Instructions to appropriately administer intramuscular and subcutaneous injections will be provided at the conclusion of the live seminar.
How do I complete the injection skills assessment for a fully online offering? – Fully Online Offerings
You will be expected to coordinate and complete the injection skills assessment on your own within 60 days of your attended live session. To coordinate your injection skills assessment, you will need to identify an assessor and “patient”. Your assessor must be a certified immunizer and may be within your organization or community. This person does not need to be a pharmacist. Any trained medical professional certified to provide immunization services can oversee your technique demonstration (e.g., nurse or physician who is certified). Your “patient” (person receiving the saline injections) must be a live person and he/she will need to provide consent to receive the injection in the form of printed name and signature on your skills assessment form. Your assessor and “patient” cannot be the same person. Once you have identified an assessor and a “patient”, you will need to coordinate a time and location for your skills assessment where you can all be located in the same room. The review of the injection cannot occur via a video streaming or recorded platform. Upon successful demonstration of the injection technique, your assessor will sign off your injection skills assessment form. In addition to your assessor’s signature, you will need to record his/her full name, professional title (i.e. MD, PharmD, RN), and NPI# or state license number. When identifying your assessor, you may provide them with the Assessor Instructions.
See the APhA Injection Technique Assessment Form and view the How to: Completing the Injection Assessment Form tutorial video. Additional instructions will be provided during the scheduled live session.
Will I be administering live vaccines?
No. You will be using normal saline to administer the two intramuscular and one subcutaneous injection.
Do I have to administer an injection to be eligible to receive a certificate of completion?
Yes. Participants will be expected to practice giving two intramuscular and one subcutaneous injections. A total of three injections must be administered.
When coordinating a remote injection skills assessment, can a relative be the person to receive the injection or be the assessor to sign the injection assessment form? – Fully Online Offerings
Yes, a relative can be the “patient” (injectee) or the assessor; however he/she cannot be both the “patient” (injectee) and the assessor. You must have a different person to assume each role. If you have two different relatives to assume each of these roles, then both relatives may participate.
When completing my injection skills assessment, do I need to take a video recording of my technique?
No. The APhA does not require a video recording to approve your injection technique. Approval of the technique is provided by your assessor. The APhA learning management system will provide you with the option to upload a video file, but APhA asks that you do not use this feature. Please upload only your completed injection skills assessment form as one file in a .jpg, .pdf, or .png format.
What supplies do I need to complete the injection assessment?
Please see the supply list below. You will have the opportunity to order supplies during registration. You are not required to order supplies from our office if you are able to obtain supplies on your own.
(2) Non-latex, non-powder gloves (when ordering supplies from our office, you will select your preferred size: small, medium, and large)
(3) 1 ml OR 3ml x 25G x 1” safety syringe
(2) 1ml OR 3ml x 25G x 5/8” safety syringe
(3) Bandages
(3) Alcohol swabs
(3) Cotton balls
(1) Sodium Chloride 0.9% (Single dosage vial 10 ml or smaller)
Registration
What are the required Internet and Computer requirements to complete the program?
Computer and Internet access are required to complete this activity. Please visit the APhA website to view the Technology System Requirements in order to have a positive learning experience.
Are there any pre-requisites to register for the program?
All participants are strongly encouraged to obtain CPR or BCLS certification. However, certification is not a prerequisite of the program. A Certificate of Achievement is awarded to participants who successfully complete all program requirements. The Certificate of Achievement is invalid, however, without written proof of current CPR or BCLS certification.
The cost of the CPR or BCLS certification is not included in the admission price of this APhA program.
What does my registration include?
Your registration package includes the Immunization Home Study, Immunization Live Session, and Immunization Post-Live Activities. Injection technique skills assessment supplies may be purchased for an additional fee at the time of registration.
Who do I contact if I am having issues with the registration system?
Contact the Office of Continuing Pharmacy Education.
When and where will the program be held?
This program is offered in two formats: fully online and hybrid. Fully online offerings will have an asynchronous (self-paced) home study component and a synchronous virtual live session. Hybrid offerings also have an asynchronous (self-paced) home study, but have a synchronous in-person live session.
All course content will be provided through the APhA learning management system. To access the APhA learning management system, please click the enrollment link provided within your receipt of payment email.
For in-person live sessions, a physical meeting location will be provided within the “Live Session Details” area of your My Training page. For virtual live sessions, a Zoom link will be provided within the “Live Session Details” area of your My Training page. Please view the Session Events area of the Live Session Details to confirm your live session time and location.
Note: At this time, our office does not have plans to offer in-person live sessions for continuing pharmacy education learners.
I registered for the program and selected a live session already, but your office has since added a new live session date that works better for my schedule. Can I switch live session dates?
Yes. You are allowed to transfer to a different live session on an as needed basis. There is no limit on the amount of times you may transfer, however, your live session date cannot exceed more than one calendar year from your initial date of enrollment. If you are unable to attend a live session within one calendar year from your initial date of enrollment, you may be asked to reenroll in the program at full cost.
Please contact our office to complete your transfer.
What if something comes up and I am unable to attend my selected live session?
If you are unable to attend your selected live session, you may transfer to a different live session. We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise and while we do not require you to provide advance notice of your need to transfer live session, please note that no shows will not be automatically transferred to the next available live session. Please contact our office as soon as practicable to complete your transfer.
Who do I contact if I cannot access my course?
Please contact our office. We will complete the initial troubleshooting process and escalate your case as necessary.
Continuing Education Requirements
I previously completed this program. Do I need to recertify?
Please see the APhA Certificate Training Program Certificates of Achievement Guidance Document.
Do I need to complete additional continuing education to maintain this certification?
Yes. Please verify your required continuing education with your state board of pharmacy.
Receiving Credit
Will I earn a certificate for successfully completing this program?
This ACPE activity does not provide a certification in this topic but rather advanced professional training which upon successful completion the learner will be able to download a certificate of achievement. Please see the APhA Certificate Training Program Certificates of Achievement Guidance Document.
Will I earn continuing pharmacy education credit for successfully completing this program?
You will be eligible to receive up to 20.0 contact hours of CPE credit (2.0 CEUs) for APhA’s Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program (12.0 hours of general continuing education credit and 8.0 hours of general, live continuing education credit). To obtain 20.0 contact hours of CPE credit (2.0 CEUs) for APhA’s Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program, you must have updated your APhA My Account, CPE & License Information page BEFORE completing the home-study course, and completing the live components. You will need to have a valid APhA (pharmacist.com) username and password, as well as a CPE Monitor account to obtain credit. After credit has been earned, please visit CPE monitor for your transcript.
Who can I contact if I do not see my continuing education credit within CPE Monitor and/or CE Broker?
The APhA is responsible for reporting continuing education credit for this program. If you do not see your credit posted after 48 hours, please contact APhA’s Continuing Education Support Team at education@aphanet.org.
Prior to contacting APhA, please verify that your certificate of completion has been awarded. If you have not been awarded your certificate of completion, it is likely that you have not satisfied all the program requirements. If you are unsure which program requirements you have not met, please contact our office.
After I complete the program, when can I start administering immunizations?
To administer immunizations, you must be certified by your state board board of pharmacy. Completion of the APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certificate training program does not directly certify you to administer immunizations. Instead, the program satisfies the 20.0-hour education requirement for certification by your state board of pharmacy. For a list of additional certification requirements, please check with your state board of pharmacy. When applying with your state board of pharmacy, you will need to provide your certificate of completion for the course.