The Pharmacy Technician's Role in the Opioid Crisis
About the Course
This course will provide pharmacy technicians practicing in healthcare systems and community pharmacy settings an overview of contemporary considerations for ways that the opioid crisis intersects with pharmacy practice. This course will provide a history of the current state of the opioid crisis and how pharmacy practice has expanded to meet patient and community needs as well as ethical dimensions of the opioid crisis and the role of social determinants of health in opioid-related disparities. This course will describe how the pharmacy professional can be supportive of patients with opioid use disorder to reduce stigma and facilitate treatment-seeking, and the benefits of medications for opioid use disorder.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe the historical context of the opioid crisis, including trends in substance use globally and in the United States, as well as contributing factors to the opioid crisis in both healthcare and the community.
- Identify signs and symptoms of opioid toxicity and gain an appreciation for the role of naloxone, the drug that is able to reverse opioid overdose.
- Describe techniques and strategies for engaging with patients who may be at high risk of opioid overdose, articulating how these patients may be introduced to naloxone and treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) as well the pharmacist’s ongoing role in public health, healthcare, and community teams to reduce the impact of the opioid crisis.
About the Author/Presenter
Laura Palombi, PharmD, MPH, MAT
Laura Palombi, is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy in Duluth. Her teaching, public health practice, and research focus on community engagement to address the opioid crisis. She is an active member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Substance Use Disorder Special Interest Group, holding positions including chair, incoming chair, immediate past chair, and secretary of knowledge management. Dr. Palombi has authored over 50 publications focused on opioid use disorder prevention, intervention, and curricula as well as community engagement to address the opioid crisis. She was honored with the American Public Health Association’s 2018 Community Leadership award through the Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs Section and the 2020 University of Minnesota President’s Community Engaged Scholar Award.
How to Receive Credit
- Read the entire course online or in print which requires a 3-hour commitment of time.
- After completion of the course, complete the final examination. A passing grade of 75% is required. Test questions link content to learning outcomes as a method to enhance individualized learning and material retention.
- Note to Nursing professionals: Depending on your state requirements, you will be asked to either affirm that you have completed the course, or you will be required to complete the Post-test included in the course.
- Provide required personal information and payment information.
- Complete the mandatory course evaluation.
- Print your Certificate of Completion.
Resolution of Conflict of Interest
Colibri Healthcare, LLC implemented mechanisms prior to the planning and implementation of the continuing education activity, to identify and resolve conflicts of interest for all individuals in a position to control content of the course activity.
Sponsorship/Commercial Support and Non-Endorsement
It is the policy of Colibri not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.
©2024: All Rights Reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without the expressed written permission or consent of Colibri Healthcare, LLC. The materials presented in this course are meant to provide the consumer with general information on the topics covered. The information provided was prepared by professionals with practical knowledge of the areas covered. It is not meant to provide medical, legal, or professional advice. Colibri Healthcare, LLC recommends that you consult a medical, legal, or professional services expert licensed in your state. Colibri Healthcare, LLC has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that all content provided in this course is accurate and up to date at the time of printing but does not represent or warrant that it will apply to your situation nor circumstances and assumes no liability from reliance on these materials. Quotes are collected from customer feedback surveys. The models are intended to be representative and not actual customers.
Accreditations and Approvals
Colibri Healthcare, LLC is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Colibri Healthcare, LLC is accredited by the Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmaceutical education. (Provider #0607).