FAQs for Supervising Pharmacy Professionals:
Registrants wishing to move from Part B to Part A of the register must successfully complete a practice assessment. The options for their practice assessment include:
- Practice Assessment of Competence at Entry (PACE) at an assessor’s practice site, or
- Practice Assessment by a College practice advisor at a practice site of the registrant’s choice, or
- Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada’s Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE – for Part B pharmacists) or Objective Structured Performance Examination (OSPE – for Part B pharmacy technicians)
For the purpose of preparing for their practice assessment, Part B registrants may perform the controlled acts in a pharmacy under the direct supervision of a Part A pharmacist or a Part A pharmacy technician (for Part B pharmacy technicians only) for up to two consecutive six-month periods, with approval from the Registrar. A longer practice preparation period will require the approval of the Registration Committee. Before beginning to perform the controlled acts, the Part B registrant must complete and submit this application form to notify the College in writing of the name and address of their intended practice site, the supervising Part A registrant(s) who will directly supervise their practice, and the anticipated start date for their practice preparation.
During PACE, a Part B registrant is expected to work with minimal guidance under their assessor’s supervision. During the practice assessment by a College practice advisor (if the registrant chooses that option), the registrant should demonstrate preparedness and provide patient care examples based on their experience performing the controlled acts. Therefore, it is crucial that a Part B registrant is given sufficient opportunities to perform the controlled acts under the direct supervision of their supervisor.
For the purpose of preparing for their chosen practice assessment, a Part B registrant (with written approval from the Registrar) may perform the listed controlled acts in a pharmacy under the direct supervision of a Part A pharmacist, or a Part A pharmacy technician (for Part B pharmacy technicians only).* All other terms, conditions, and limitations on a Part B registrant’s certificate of registration continue to apply. For example, a Part B pharmacist cannot:
- Supervise a pharmacy or the part of the pharmacy where drugs are kept
- Supervise the practice of the profession by another person
- Be a Designated Manager (DM) of a pharmacy (as defined in the Drug and Pharmacies Regulation Act)
*Note: Controlled acts performed for the purposes of providing a publicly funded drug or service must be in accordance with Ministry of Health policies, which may limit participation to Part A registrants. Please refer to the Ontario Public Drug Programs Executive Officer Communications for the latest updates and program requirements. Additionally, while the Part B registrant may be able to perform a controlled act, for example prescribe for the purposes of adapting or extending a prescription, they may not be able to bill for this act under the Ontario Drug Benefit Program. In the case that these acts are billed under the supervisor’s name and OCP number, there should be clear documentation on who was involved in the provision of that service.
Direct supervision (i.e., the supervisor is physically present on the premises) is required when supervising a Part B registrant, in accordance with the Supervision of Pharmacy Personnel Policy. The Part B registrant should observe the Part A registrant in practice and transition to providing patient care under supervision as appropriate based on their level of competence. The degree of oversight of the Part B registrant’s practice may be adjusted based on their demonstration of competence. The Pharmacy Connection article, Six Things to Consider when Supervising Pharmacy Practice, is an additional helpful resource in determining the level of supervision needed. The level of supervision may change over the course of a supervisory relationship. For example, the Part A supervisor may allow the Part B registrant to work more autonomously as they progress, based on the supervisor’s judgement and observations of the Part B registrant’s competence.
The Part B registrant and the supervisor will have shared accountability for the Part B registrant’s actions, including errors and how they learn from them. Supervision requires the exercise of professional judgment before, during, and after the professional interaction with a patient. In the case that an act (i.e., extending a prescription) is done by the Part B registrant, and billed under the supervisor’s name and OCP number, there should be clear documentation on who was involved in the provision of that service.
Part B registrants who are practising in preparation for the practice assessment are required to hold personal professional liability insurance. If they are volunteering at a site, it is also recommended that they hold AD&D (Accidental Death and Dismemberment) insurance as they would not be covered by WSIB.
Any Part A pharmacist or a Part A pharmacy technician (for Part B pharmacy technicians only) may be a supervisor. The Part B registrant must complete and submit this application form to notify the College in writing of the name and address of their intended practice site, the supervising Part A pharmacist(s) or Part A pharmacy technicians (for Part B pharmacy technicians only) who will directly supervise their practice, and the anticipated start date for their practice preparation. A Part B registrant may have more than one supervisor; however, all supervisors must be listed on the application form. If the Part B registrant selects the practice assessment by a College practice advisor, they will have to indicate one of their supervisors who will be physically present for this assessment.
If training and coaching pharmacy professionals is new to the supervisor, they are encouraged to complete modules 1, 3 and 6 of this preceptor training program and to review the scope of practice.