Involvement of immunization-certified pharmacists with immunization activities

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Public Health
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Immunization certification enables pharmacists to administer vaccines.
• Demographics and involvement levels of certified vs. non-certified pharmacists were previously unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare demographics, professional activities, and job satisfaction.
• To differentiate between immunization-certified and non-certified pharmacists.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional pilot study utilizing postal-mailed questionnaires.
• Comparison of certified and non-certified pharmacists.
• Assessment of demographic, practice, immunization involvement, and job satisfaction data.

Main Results:

• Higher involvement in immunizations among certified pharmacists (99% vs. 24%).
• Key motivators for certification included public health improvement and personal satisfaction.
• Certified pharmacists administered influenza, pneumococcal, hepatitis, and diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus vaccines.
• Adequate training, time, support, and liability coverage facilitate pharmacist-led immunizations.
• No significant difference in job satisfaction between certified and non-certified pharmacists.

Conclusions:

• Immunization-certified pharmacists are effectively serving their communities by administering vaccines.
• Initiatives to increase the number of certified pharmacists in the US are recommended.