First Aid Requirements for Pharmacy Professionals

As a Standard of Practice

It is a requirement of the NAPRA Model Standards of Practice for Canadian Pharmacists for pharmacists who provide patient care to maintain valid certification in first aid and CPR, at a level equivalent to the St. John Ambulance or Canadian Red Cross Standard First Aid & CPR/AED Level C.

As a self-regulated health professional, it is the responsibility of the individual pharmacist to determine the applicability of this standard to the nature of patient care being provided in the context of one’s specific working environment. Pharmacists should apply professional judgment to make this determination with the best interest, benefit, and safety of the patient considered first and foremost.

First Aid & CPR training is not a requirement of the NAPRA Models Standards of Practice for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians.

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As a Requirement for Administering Injections

It is a requirement of the College for pharmacists to have valid certification in first aid and CPR, at a level equivalent to the St. John Ambulance or Red Cross Standard First Aid & CPR/AED Level C, prior to administering any substance by injection. It is also a requirement for administering publicly funded influenza vaccine in the context of the Ministry of Health’s Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP). These requirements also apply to a pharmacy student or intern practicing under the supervision of an injection-trained pharmacist.

To register your injection training with the College, you must acknowledge completion of the required First Aid & CPR training. This is a self-declaration and there is no requirement to submit documentation to the College. Pharmacy professionals should retain supporting documentation in a readily retrievable manner.

First Aid & CPR training is not a requirement of the Ministry of Health for pharmacy technicians to administer influenza vaccine by injection. It is recommended but not mandated by the College as pharmacy technicians will only administer the vaccine in a setting where other health care professionals are required to have this certification.

Approved Course Providers

The College does not specify or endorse a particular First Aid & CPR course provider. It is the responsibility of the pharmacist to ensure the course taken is equivalent to the St. John Ambulance or the Red Cross Standard First Aid & CPR/AED (Level C) by consulting with the course provider directly. The course provider also stipulates the expiration date and recertification parameters. The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario (WSIB) maintains a list of providers approved by the WSIB to deliver Standard First Aid.