Vaccine and Immunization Training
Target Audience: Pharmacist
Course Overview
Vaccines are an effective life-saving public health intervention. Vaccines have saved roughly 37 million lives between 2000 and 2019 and are projected to save 69 million deaths by 2030. These statistics are even more impressive because much of the benefit has been in children under five. Pharmacy teams have significantly contributed to advancing public health by providing immunizations. Depending on state law, pharmacy technicians may play a greater role in screening patients for vaccine eligibility and administering injectable vaccines. Understanding vaccine administration best practices, contraindications, and which characteristics and populations may result in patients being recommended for one vaccine over another is essential to the safe and effective administration of vaccines.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this educational activity, participants should be able to:
- Identify vaccine administration clinical activities
- Describe receiving, storing, and handling vaccines
- Describe administration routes for routinely recommended vaccines
- Describe the safe handling and disposal of sharps
- Identify strategies and best practices to prevent vaccine administration errors
- Identify contraindications for patients receiving vaccines
- Identify how to recognize and manage an adverse reaction to vaccination
- Describe immunization documentation procedures
Faculty
I. Introduction
II. The History of Vaccines
III. Types of Vaccines
IV. Vaccine Intervals
V. Effectiveness of Vaccines
VI. Identify Vaccine Administration Clinical Activities
VII. Administration Routes and Sites for Routinely Recommended Vaccines
VIII. Immunization Documentation
IX. Strategies and Best Practices to Prevent Vaccine Administration Errors
X. Adverse Reactions to Vaccines
XI. Safe Handling and Disposal of Sharps
XII. Current Immunization Resources
XIII. Assess for Appropriateness and Need
XIV. COVID-19 and Other New Vaccine Information
A. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
B. Pneumococcal Vaccines
C. Meningococcal Vaccines
XV. The Role of the Pharmacy Technician in Vaccination
XVI. Vaccine Billing
XVII. Hypothetical Patient case
XVIII. Additional Resources
XIX. Summary
From January 17, 2025 through January 17, 2028, participants must:
- Read the "learning objectives" and "author and planning team disclosures"
- Study the section entitled "educational activity"
- Complete the Course Test and Evaluation form. The Course Test will be graded automatically. Following successful completion of the Course Test with a score of 70% or higher, a statement of participation will be made available immediately. (No partial credit will be given.)
Credit for this course will be automatically uploaded to CPE Monitor®.
Faculty Planner Disclosure
The following individuals were involved in developing this activity: Steven Malen, PharmD, MBA, and Pamela Sardo, PharmD, BS. Pamela Sardo and Steven Malen have no conflicts of interest or financial relationships regarding the subject matter. There are no financial relationships or commercial or financial support relevant to this activity to report or disclose by RxCe.com or any of the individuals involved in the development of this activity.
Unlabeled Use Disclosure
The information provided in this course is general in nature and it is solely designed to provide participants with continuing education credit(s). This course and materials are not meant to substitute for the independent, professional judgment of any participant regarding that participant’s professional practice, including but not limited to patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment and/or health management. Medical and pharmacy practices, rules, and laws vary from state to state, and this course does not cover the laws of each state; therefore, participants must consult the laws of their state as they relate to their professional practice. Healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, must consult with their employer, healthcare facility, hospital, or other organization, for guidelines, protocols, and procedures they are to follow. The information provided in this course does not replace those guidelines, protocols, and procedures but is for academic purposes only, and this course’s limited purpose is for the completion of continuing education credits. Participants are advised and acknowledge that information related to medications, their administration, dosing, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, warnings, precautions, or accepted uses are constantly changing, and any person taking this course understands that such person must make an independent review of medication information prior to any patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment and/or health management. Any discussion of off-label use of any medication, device, or procedure is informational only and such uses are not endorsed hereby. Nothing contained in this course represents the opinions, views, judgments, or conclusions of RxCe.com LLC. RxCe.com LLC is not liable or responsible to any person for any inaccuracy, error, or omission with respect to this course, or course material.
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Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, RxCE.com is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.