With the oncoming of the dreaded flu season, there’s something positive to look out for; vaccinations are becoming easier to get. It is now within the purview of pharmacists in the province to administer influenza vaccinations. The Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan has made it possible for pharmacists to get licensed to administer vaccines.
“Ideally, we’ll help increase the rate of folks getting vaccinations in the province, providing easier access and more access to flu shots,” said Dawn Martin, CEO of the Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan. “We’re doing this in the hopes we’ll see that overall rate of people getting vaccinated grow,” said Martin.
Martin said there is a push to get vaccination rates up, after Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer, disclosed that only a third of Saskatchewan’s population gets vaccinated for the flu every year.
“We don’t know whether it’ll be incremental growth or substantial, but we’re hoping to have some impact,” said Martin. “We want to make sure people have as much access to flu shots as possible, and that’s where we see pharmacists fitting into the overall team of people providing those shots.”
Jeff Hilderman, a staff pharmacist at the Estevan Pharmasave, said the licensure of pharmacists to inject flu shots is part of a broader effort on the part of the Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan, to expand the scope of practice of pharmacists which has been going on over the past several years.
“Health events will draw in a certain amount of people, but there are a number of people who find the pharmacy is a more convenient place to have this sort of thing done,” said Hilderman. “With this, they can pop in, and pop out at any time of the day.”
Pharmacists who are licensed to provide vaccinations had to complete 60 hours of education, with preparatory reading and testing. They were also required to do a one-day practical portion.
“If the people giving the seminars felt the person wasn’t ready, they didn’t pass them,” said Hilderman. “For the most part, the actual physical part of giving the injection isn’t hugely complicated. There are things we have to do to make sure we’re not passing on infections, with aseptic techniques.”
There is also a screening process carried out for anyone looking to get a flu shot at pharmacies, ensuring that the vaccine available at pharmacies is the right thing for the patient, noted Hilderman.
“There aren’t a lot of things that would stop a person from getting a flu shot, other than being very ill,” said Hilderman. “We’re screening just because the immune system needs to have a good response to the vaccine in order for it to work properly.”
Kim Gabriel, a pharmacist at Henders Drugs, said she’s trying to plan the best way to offer vaccinations during the hours in which she works.
“It’s so new. Right now we’re looking to offer walk-ins, but I may have to schedule appointments,” said Gabriel. “Everything is still in the testing stage, because this is a new skill for me.”
Gabriel approves of the new legislation surrounding vaccination because increased access will help protect people who are more prone to health problems from the risks associated with the flu. She noted that vaccinations at pharmacies are not available to children under nine years old, and to people who don’t have a valid Saskatchewan health card. Both these groups would need to see a public health official to
get vaccinated.
