Pharmacist prescribing eligibility for approved ailments and conditions
The medSask Guidelines for Prescribing and Patient Self-Care is a tool to aid decision-making when prescribing for minor ailments or self-care guidelines. Although this tool is a great resource for documenting assessments when prescribing, the presence of medSask criteria is not what determines eligibility for prescribing. MedSask is a resource developed for the province of Saskatchewan, and as scope of practice is determined at the provincial level, criteria will vary by province.
For a list of approved ailments and conditions, please refer to Appendix A of the Standards of Practice for Prescribing by Pharmacists.
Reminder to PICs – Pharmacy Technician Students and Interns
As previously communicated, the Pharmacy Act, 2024 created two new registration categories:
These categories of registration also include title protection – only those registered with CPNL as a pharmacy technician student or a pharmacy technician intern may use those titles or identify themselves as such while interacting with the public. Additionally, only those who are registered are permitted to practice within the scope of a pharmacy technician (when under the appropriate supervision of a pharmacy technician or pharmacist).
If you have people employed in your pharmacy who are currently enrolled in, or have graduated from, a pharmacy technician education or bridging program who are not registered with CPNL, they must not use these titles and their activities must be limited to those of a pharmacy assistant in the pharmacy.
Information about registering as a pharmacy technician student or pharmacy technician intern is available on the CPNL website at https://cpnl.ca/registration/initial-registration/pharmacy-technician/.
Seeking Candidates for the PMP Consultants Committee
The Minister of Health and Community Services, Honorable Krista Lynn Howell, is seeking candidates for appointment to the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) Consultants Committee, established pursuant to section 14 of the Prescription Monitoring Act (Act) and subsection 6(1) of the Prescription Monitoring Regulations (Regulations).
The PMP Consultants Committee supports the ongoing administration and operations of the PMP by providing retrospective drug utilization review of prescription data for the purposes of monitoring the prescribing, dispensing, and utilization of monitored drugs and identifying unusual and potentially inappropriate trends.
In accordance with subsection 7(1) of the Regulations, the Minister appoints a pharmacist from a list of pharmacists submitted by the College of Pharmacy of Newfoundland and Labrador. If you are a pharmacist in good standing and are interested in serving on this committee, please submit an expression of interest and a copy of your resume to inforx@cpnl.ca by June 13, 2025. A list of candidates and their resumes will then be forwarded to the Minister for her consideration.
New Process for Applying to Complete Practical Training
If you are a pharmacy intern or pharmacy technician intern who is planning to complete practical training over the coming months, or a pharmacist or pharmacy technician who is planning to serve as a preceptor, please be advised that to apply for practical training, the intern must do so by completing the appropriate application in the CPNL Application Portal.
During this process, the intern will identify their proposed preceptor and practice site and upload a completed preceptor acceptance form. This application will be reviewed, and if approved, the intern will be notified and sent a copy of the relevant practical training manual.
Following completion of the practical training period, the intern must log into the CPNL Registrant Portal and document the completion detail under “Practical Training” (note that for pharmacy technician interns, this includes uploading their daily technical check logs).
Once the intern has entered the information, the preceptor will be notified via email that an approval request is pending their review. They must then log into the Registrant Portal, approve the information entered by the intern, and upload a copy of the final evaluation form.
Once all of the information has been documented and uploaded by both the intern and preceptor, it will be reviewed and, if approved, the intern will be notified that the practical training program has been completed.
More detailed instructions are provided on the Pharmacy Intern or Pharmacy Technician Intern pages of the CPNL website.
Please note that faxed, emailed, or mailed copies of the preceptor acceptance form, final evaluation form, or technical check logs will NOT be accepted.
If you have questions or need assistance with this process, please contact our registration team at registration@cpnl.ca.
Invitation to Provide Feedback on Standards of Practice
In the coming months, the College of Pharmacy of Newfoundland and Labrador (CPNL) will be starting a review of both the Standards of Practice for the Provision of Pharmaceutical Care to Long-Term Care Facilities and the Standards of Practice for the Provision of Pharmaceutical Care to Personal Care Homes.
If you participate in the provision of services to long-term care facilities and/or personal care homes, CPNL invites you to share any feedback that you may have on the current standards, including areas that you feel need revision, addition, or clarification with Melanie Healey, Deputy Registrar and Director of Practice and Registration, at mhealey@cpnl.ca, by June 27, 2025.
Thank you in advance for your participation in this consultation.
PEBC Survey: Help Shape the Future of the PEBC Qualifying Examinations
The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) invites pharmacy professionals to participate in an important survey aimed at gathering insights on key competencies required for entry to practice pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
The results of this survey will help guide revisions to the PEBC Qualifying Examination blueprints, which are used to assess the competence of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians seeking to enter practice across Canada. By sharing your perspective, you’ll contribute to maintaining the relevance and validity of the exam content, ensuring it aligns with the critical competencies needed in practice.
Who can participate: Practising pharmacy professionals in Canada.
Responses will remain confidential and are collected by an independent third party to ensure unbiased analysis.
Incentive: In recognition of your time and contribution to this study, you will have the chance to win one of ten $100 prizes by entering a random draw upon completing the survey.
Social Impact: For each completed survey, PEBC will make a monetary donation to the Canadian Mental Health Association, helping support mental health initiatives across the country.
Deadline: Complete the survey by June 20, 2025.
Your input is vital for ensuring the PEBC Qualifying Examinations remain robust and relevant.
Take the Survey Now (https://act.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7aLG0Bh0amW13Wm)
NLCSU Project Echo NL: Substance Use (Cycle 4)
Upcoming Cycle 4 Sessions
| Session 6: A Stimulating Discussion About Replacement Therapies and Treatment: Stimulant Use Disorder Date/Time: Wednesday, June 11, 2025 (8:30-9:45am NDT; 8:00 – 9:15am ADT) Speaker: Dr. Sara Davidson CLICK HERE TO REGISTER by June 9, 2025 |
Please direct any questions to NLCSU.ECHO@nlhealthservices.ca
CAPT Annual Spring Conference
Registration is open for the 2025 Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians Annual Conference taking place June 6-8 at the Saskatoon Inn in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
The conference is designed by pharmacy technicians, for pharmacy technicians across Canada. Expand your knowledge, discover new techniques, and connect with like-minded professionals who share your passion for the field.
Program Highlights include:
Regular Reminders
Scheduling Appointments with Staff
CPNL staff are here to assist and support you. If you wish to meet with a staff member in person, please call to schedule an appointment before visiting our office. Having details regarding your inquiry will help us appropriately prioritize and prepare to answer your question if we need to collect additional information before calling you back or meeting with you. If you are unable to reach the staff person by phone, please leave a detailed message. Voicemails are regularly checked, and staff members get email alerts when a message is left on their phone line.
Keeping Contact Information Up to Date
Registered pharmacy professionals are responsible for ensuring that the contact information on their registrant profile, including email address and practice site, is accurate at all times. CPNL primarily uses email communication to send newsletters, renewal reminders, practice site assessment information, professional development audit information, calls for interest for committees, and other alerts. If the email address on file is incorrect, important information may be missed and/or disclosed to the wrong person. If your contact information changes, please update your information on file by logging into the Registrant Portal.