Innovations-Magazine-April-2022 - 13

FEATURE NEWS
example, state pharmacy regulators established and/or participated
in advisory committees or task forces with the goal of positively
affecting pharmacist working conditions. The Missouri Board of
Pharmacy consulted with other state boards of pharmacy in 2019
when studying how to best address negative pharmacist working
conditions, exploring how such regulatory approaches as mandated
rest breaks or particular pharmacist/technician ratios worked for
them in practice.
Going forward, NABP will carry on with
its efforts to address the crucial issue of
pharmacist well-being and its impact on
patient safety.
NABP continues to engage in various efforts to promote
the well-being and resilience of pharmacy personnel and thereby
protect the public health. The Association collaborated with other
major pharmacy-related organizations in 2019 to hold a National
Consensus Conference, gathering stakeholders from across the
profession and producing numerous actionable recommendations
targeted at many sectors of the industry, from employers
and payers to pharmacy schools, regulators, and professional
associations. In November 2021, NABP convened the Task
Force on Workplace Safety and Well-Being in response to a
resolution passed at the Association's 117th
Annual Meeting to
pharmacy students, and pharmacy technicians can quickly and
anonymously answer the questions; they are then immediately able
to compare their scores to their peers and to national averages,
and are given access to customized local and national resources to
help improve their well-being. They can also take the assessment at
intervals and track their status over time. Reports to other parties
appear in a de-identified, aggregate form. APhA launched an
initiative with the Mayo Clinic in 2019 to give its membership access
to the WBI, and released aggregate findings initially to the state
pharmacy associations prior to collaborating with NABP to provide
reports to the boards of pharmacy as well. Access to WBI information
can, among many other things, allow the boards of pharmacy to
compare well-being in different states or regions, track trends, and
assess responses to mitigation efforts or external factors.
With a multifaceted issue like pharmacist well-being, collaboration
is key: There is no one entity that can offer a solution to burnout, but
many have a role to play in improving pharmacy working conditions.
Boards of pharmacy can only operate within the purview of the legal
authority granted to them by their states, but within those bounds,
they may have a large impact - and their impact can be amplified
if they work in concert with others. In both Ohio and Illinois, for
" examine the topics of pharmacy workplace safety and pharmacist
well-being and their effects on patient safety, " with goals of
recommending best use of existing guidelines and tools that
address those issues, along with any relevant changes to the
Model State Pharmacy Act and Model Rules of the National
Association of Boards of Pharmacy. More information about this
task force is available in the task force report published in the
Reports section of the NABP website.
Earlier this year, NABP released a position statement reiterating
its support of efforts to improve pharmacist workplace safety and
well-being and noting the importance of regulators and industry
working together to effect change. The Association voiced its support
for APhA's and National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations'
attention to the issue, and for their development of the Pharmacist's
Fundamental Responsibilities and Rights document.
Going forward, NABP will carry on with its efforts to address
the crucial issue of pharmacist well-being and its impact on patient
safety. Together with its member boards of pharmacy and other
stakeholders, the Association will continue to utilize innovative tools
like the Pharmacist WBI and other measures to further public health
and pharmacist well-being.
APRIL 2022 | 11

https://nabp.pharmacy/members/board-resources/model-pharmacy-act-rules/ https://nabp.pharmacy/members/board-resources/model-pharmacy-act-rules/ https://nabp.pharmacy/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Report-of-the-Task-Force-on-Workplace-Safety-and-Well-Being.pdf https://www.pharmacist.com/pharmacistsresponsibilities https://www.pharmacist.com/pharmacistsresponsibilities

Innovations-Magazine-April-2022

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