Now is the time to boost your 2024 CPD credits

Industry
By
Chloe Hava
-
CPD

We’ve passed the halfway mark in the CPD year. Top up your credits and develop the most sought-after pharmacy skills by completing these CPD activities.

In a changing social and healthcare landscape – including fears around opioid overdoses, the rise of injectable medicines and new treatments for chronic pain – pharmacists need to keep on top of trends and education to best serve their communities.

AP outlines the most clicked-on CPD articles over the last 12 months and why you should complete them – along with a few other ways to score credits before the CPD year ends.

1. Disposal of Schedule 8 medicines

Did you know that different dose forms of Schedule 8 medicines need to be disposed of in different ways? Or that requirements for authorised witnesses for destruction of Schedule 8 medicines by pharmacists vary per jurisdiction?

All pharmacists must familiarise themselves with local legislation and best practice guidelines for the correct process for disposal of Schedule 8 medicines. 

This helpful CPD article summarises environmental and safety considerations, destruction recommendations and considerations for legislative requirements for disposal of Schedule 8 medicines.

2. How to save a life with naloxone

Opioid overdose deaths in Australia have continued to rise. According to Australia’s Annual Overdose Report by the Pennington Institute, unintentional drug overdose deaths have skyrocketed by 71% in 20 years (2001–2021). 

Opioids are the drugs most commonly involved in poly-substance deaths (81%).

With experts warning of an impending influx of synthetic opioids into Australia’s illicit drug market and the Take-Home Naloxone program now national – all pharmacists should know how to supply and administer this life-saving medicine.

By undertaking PSA’s How to save a life with naloxone CPD article, pharmacists will learn how to effectively counsel patients on using the medicine, learn the key points of the Take Home Naloxone (THN) program and how to provide support and advice to people who use opioids, their peers, and family – all of which can have a significant impact on reducing the number of lives lost.

3. B12 deficiency 

The raft of scope of practice changes that continue to occur across Australian states and territories has meant many pharmacists are able to administer medicines by injection (if suitably trained) – such as intramuscular vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause serious haematological, neurological, and psychiatric problems –  early detection and treatment may reverse and minimise harms. This CPD article will help pharmacists identify and refer patients with possible deficiency, advise on suitable treatments, and know when administration of intramuscular vitamin B12 treatment is appropriate.

4. Cannabis drug interactions

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates 600,000 Australians use cannabis for medicinal purposes. This is a dramatic uptick from the 2,560 medicinal cannabis prescriptions approved through Therapeutic Goods Administration’s (TGA) Special Access Scheme (SAS) in 2018. In fact, last year there were 132,000 SAS-B applications approved by the TGA from 2,565 medical practitioners.

This CPD article explains the common mechanisms whereby medicinal cannabis may interact with other medicines, and the role of the pharmacist in reviewing and identifying these interactions.

5. Immediate-release melatonin for jet lag

Melatonin is now a schedule 3 medicine for Australians aged 55 years of age or older with primary insomnia with poor sleep quality, and for those aged 18 or older to treat jet lag.

But do you know when melatonin should be taken to stave off jet lag, or its potential adverse effects and drug interactions? There are also several non-pharmacological options to treat jet lag that pharmacists should also be across. Pharmacists can access all this information and more in PSA’s Immediate-release melatonin for jet lag article.

How else can I gain CPD credits?

Prefer to rack up your CPD credits in other ways? If networking with other healthcare professionals while gaining knowledge from the industry’s top thought leaders is more your thing, AP has rounded up the top up-coming conferences to attend:

  • CPC24 – it’s not too late to secure tickets to CPC24, held in Cairns from 3–5 May 2024. This conference is applicable to credentialed and non-credentialed pharmacists looking to advance their practice.
  • PSA24 – missed the advanced early bird rego for PSA’s flagship conference? There’s still a chance to secure discounted tickets for PSA24, held for the first time at Sydney’s mammoth International Convention Centre, with early bird registration extended until 11:59 pm on May 26, 2024. 
  • 48th Offshore Refresher Conference – soak up some sun and pharmacy knowledge in Spain before winter hits at PSA’s offshore conference, held from 7–15 May 2024.
  • Annual Therapeutic Updates – if it’s local practice insights you’re after, don’t miss the last of this year’s ATU’s, still to come in VIC/TAS (31 May–2 June 2024 in Hobart), WA (11–12 October 2024 in Perth, super early bird registrations open 29 July 2024) and QLD (19–20 October 2024 in Brisbane, super early bird registrations open 5 August 2024).

More bang for your buck

These CPD activities are all worth up to 10 Group 2 CPD points and are available to complete now!