Nevada Board of Pharmacy CE Programs

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As medical professionals serving the public in the State of Nevada, pharmacists are an invaluable component of the wider healthcare system that helps keep all Nevada residents healthy and productive. In order to serve the public with the highest degree of medical professionalism, all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are required to complete Nevada Board of Pharmacy CE Programs, otherwise known as continuing education classes.

These essential courses help pharmacists and pharmacy techs stay current on the rules, regulations, and requirements that govern how to provide services in a pharmacological setting. Because CE Programs are essential to ensuring the highest possible standard of pharmacy care in the state, all pharmacists are required to complete a predetermined number of hours to renew their licenses.

Required hours vary depending on several factors, such as graduation date, and courses can be completed online or in-person. This article covers in the ins and outs of how, when, and why all pharmacists must complete Nevada Board of Pharmacy CE Programs. Keep reading to learn more.

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What Is the Nevada Board of Pharmacy?
Why Is CE Important?

Nevada Board of Pharmacy CE Programs

Conclusion

What Is the Nevada Board of Pharmacy?

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The Nevada Board of Pharmacy ensures that pharmacists and technicians practicing in the state of Nevada are competent to deliver effective, high-quality services. The robust Nevada licensing program is the cornerstone of the Board’s work. Before issuing a license, the Board requires that all pharmacists pass two exams:

  1. The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination
  2. The Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination

By requiring that all pharmacists have completed required testing and state-mandated assessment programs, the Nevada Board of Pharmacy is able to control the quality of pharmacy services across the state. In addition, the Board is also responsible for license renewals. Renewal applications can be submitted online, in-person, or through the mail. Prior to requesting renewal, the Nevada Board of Pharmacy dictates that all pharmacists complete a set number of CE hours.

Why Is CE Important?

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Continuing education is essential to maintaining effective pharmaceutical practice, since healthcare professionals face a dynamic professional landscape marked by changing regulations and statutes. Continuing education is the best way to keep abreast of all these changes, dialogue with other pharmacists, and ensure that healthcare professionals are prepared to deliver consistent services.

With pharmaceutical continuing education, treatment protocols are often addressed, so pharmacists can better understand how to serve patients and answer patient questions about medications, medical conditions, and doctor’s diagnoses.

Is CE Required in Nevada Board of Pharmacy?

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Pharmacists that are living or practicing in the state of Nevada must pursue all required CE before submitting a license renewal request to the state. In order to have a license renewal approved, pharmacists must complete 30 required CE hours. There is only one required course (a law course) and 29 hours may be done via elective CE credits. Fortunately, there are several methods for completing the CE requirement, both in-person and online.

How are Continuing Education Hours Calculated?

CE hour requirements are calculated based on a simple formula: 1.25 hours each month. This calculation applies beginning two years after the pharmacist’s graduation date, since all pharmacists are exempted from the requirement for 2 years after graduation. In total, pharmacists must complete 30 continuing education hours by the 31st of October on all odd-numbered years. See the following cases for detailed calculations that illustrate the CE hours requirement:

Case A: Calculation of Full Hours

  • A pharmacist graduates in November 2010
  • According to the requirement, the pharmacist is exempt from required CE hours for 2 years, until November 2012
  • If this pharmacist's license expires on October 31, 2014, hours must be calculated between November 2012 and October 2014
  • At 1.25 hours per month, for 24 months (including the 31 days in October), that is 1.25 x 24 = 30 required CE hours
  • This pharmacist must complete 30 required CE hours to receive a renewed license

Case B: Calculation of Partial Hours

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  • A pharmacist graduates in June 2008
  • According to the requirement, the pharmacist is exempt from required CE hours for 2 years, until June 2010
  • If this pharmacist's license expires on October 31, 2010, the hours must be calculated between June 2010 and October 2010
  • At 1.25 hours per month, for 5 months, that is 1.25 x 5 = 6.25 required CE hours
  • This pharmacist must complete 6.25 required CE hours to receive a renewed license

Case C: Calculation of No Required Hours

  • A pharmacist graduates in June 2016
  • According to the requirement, the pharmacist is exempt from required CE hours for 2 years, until June 2018
  • If this pharmacist's license expires on October 31, 2017, this falls within the exemption window, since it has not yet been 2 years since graduation
  • Because this pharmacist is within the exemption window, no CE hours are required to renew the license.

Which CE Programs are Accredited?

In order to meet the Nevada Board of Pharmacy requirements, pharmacists and technicians must complete CE programs that are accredited by ACPE, or the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. The ACPE is responsible for setting the educational standards for pharmacists and accrediting pharmacy degree programs and continuing education courses.

All ACPE accredited courses will meet the quality standards demanded by the Nevada Board of Pharmacy. These accredited courses may be offered either online or in-person. Details about these courses can be found in the following section.

Nevada Board of Pharmacy CE Programs

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Fortunately, there are a wide range of Nevada Board of Pharmacy CE Programs courses available for pharmacists and technicians. Regardless of the specific continuing education courses selected, all CE programs will cover important content that will help pharmacists and technicians sharpen skills and improve practices.

Many courses are available in-person in the Carson City, Las Vegas, or Reno areas. And for those that prefer to take courses from the comfort of home, online options are available and may include such diverse topics such as:

  • Law and Ethics for Pharmacists
  • Administration of Drugs
  • Immunization Programs
  • Guidelines for Pain Treatment
  • Medications for Treating Diabetes
  • Medication and Patient Safety
  • Anxiety Treatment Options

As illustrated by the list above, there are several courses covering a variety of topics that meet Nevada’s CE requirements. Despite this wide availability of courses, the Nevada Board of Pharmacy also suggests several, specific courses, as follows:

Nevada WebIZ Continuing Education Units

The statewide immunization information system in Nevada, known as Nevada WebIZ, is used to keep a central database of all immunization records. It is required by Nevada Law that all immunizations are recorded in the registry, including childhood immunizations such as the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, as well as the wide variety of vaccines provided to adults, including for diseases such as tetanus and hepatitis. Because all vaccines must be recorded, it is essential that medical professionals, including pharmacists and technicians, understand how to use this system.

To meet this training requirement, across the State of Nevada, pharmacists and technicians have access to high-quality, engaging Nevada WebIZ training sessions that address how to use this statewide online database. Since the sessions are free and widely available, the Nevada Board of Pharmacy suggests all new users take the course. Best of all, Nevada WebIZ training sessions count toward CE units, and the new user courses allow students to accumulate between 2 and 3 CE hours.

Law Continuing Education Units

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All pharmacists renewing a license in Nevada must complete one-hour of required Law CE. There are three ways to complete this Nevada Law CE requirement:

  1. Attending a live program and presentation from the Nevada Board of Pharmacy
  2. Attending a complete, full-day Nevada Board of Pharmacy board meeting
  3. Completing an online law program 

Antibiotics Continuing Education Units

The Nevada Board of Pharmacy offers a course entitled, “Know When Antibiotics Work.” The course addresses antibiotic resistance, which is widely understood to be a significant public health issue that is directly impacted by pharmacological care. Because pharmacists are uniquely positioned to understand how adult and pediatric treatment guidelines differ when considering antibiotic resistance, this course covers both topics. This CE course is free for pharmacists, and is particularly important for those working in the outpatient or ambulatory settings where daily engagement with a patient is expected.

Conclusion

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Continuing education is important for all professionals, but for those in the medical community, keeping up with the changing landscape of rules and requirements can mean the difference between life and death for a patient. Pharmacists are on the front lines of the medical profession. Working with patients daily to help them understand their medications and treatment protocols means that pharmacists are in a unique position to help keep patients healthy.

By engaging with the robust educational opportunities in Nevada Board of Pharmacy CE Programs, pharmacists not only meet their required CE hours for renewing a licence, but more importantly, they can work to build the key skills that help them better serve patients in Nevada. Therefore, it is essential that all pharmacists and techs complete required CE hours and apply the three steps outlined below:

  1. Determine when a license expires
  2. Calculate required CE hours
  3. Complete all required CE hours through ACPE-accredited course providers