The Advanced Prescribing B (APB) program is still under development. More information about the program will continue to be posted here as it becomes available.

Program Overview

Summary

Advanced Prescribing B (APB) has been approved by the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals (SCPP) Council (SCOPE, pg 15).

After successful completion of the Advanced Prescribing program and additional requirements, licensed, practicing pharmacists will be authorized by Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals (SCPP) to prescribe and manage medications for a variety of approved, diagnosed chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), obesity, heart failure, and hypertension.

All participants will need to have a designated prescribing professional (DPP), either a physician or nurse practitioner, to complete the learning-in-practice portion of the course. More information on finding a DPP is included in subsequent sections.
Mode of Study

Part-time Blended Learning – 4 months

  • 32 hours of learning-in-practice
  • 2 day physical assessment workshop
  • Synchronous online sessions (approx. 2 hours every second week)
  • 75 hours of independent online learning *
* Note: the 75 independent online learning hours are an estimate. Depending on prior experience and knowledge, the time may increase or decrease accordingly. The allotted hours do not necessarily equate to participant competency. 
Date The APB program will welcome the first cohort in 2025. USask CPE will be soliciting applications towards the end of 2024. This webpage will be updated as more information becomes available.
Duration 4 months plus support for 6 months after APB designation through monthly case study discussions and touchpoints with mentors as needed.
Fees TBD

Entry Requirements

Registration for the Advanced Prescribing B course is currently open to Saskatchewan Pharmacists only. The following are requirements for applying to the course:
  1. The applicant must be in good standing with SCPP.
  2. Successful completion of Advanced Level II A training (therapeutic substitution).
  3. Successful completion of lab courses and requirements, as determined.
  4. Provide a letter of intent including outlining evidence of collaboration with other prescribers, and intent of how APB will be implemented into the applicant's practice.
  5. Recent (within the last 3 years) practice experience including the equivalent of one year of practice in a direct patient care environment, or 2000 hours in the last 3 years.

Entry requirements for the Advanced Prescribing B course are subject to change per provincial and national policy. Check this website for updates on if you may be eligible. Contact cpe.admin@usask.ca for more details.

APB Program Outcomes

1.1: Gather relevant information through patient-centred consultation skills to inform safe prescribing. 

1.2: Perform and document assessment of physical exams appropriate to their scope of practice. 

1.3: Determine and justify the necessity of ordering additional lab tests to inform critical decision-making. Establishes and maintains a plan to review and monitor the patient's treatment, including the effectiveness of treatment and potential unwanted effects. 

1.4: Interpret, curate, and document all relevant available patient data necessary to inform treatment options; for example, disease stability, medication side effects, patient preferences/drug coverage changes/availability, and medication side-effects. 

2.1: Apply complex evidence-based research to determine viable patient-centred treatment options; include both non-pharmacological and pharmacological data.

2.2: Assess the risks of a patient taking or not following a treatment plan, including but not limited to adverse effects and potential misuse.  

2.3: Create a plan to minimize potential risks associated with a treatment plan.

2.4: Determine viable evidence-based treatment options for specific cases and justify why they are better than the next best options; include both non-pharmacological and pharmacological options. 

3.1: Translate medical terminology into accessible language and formats to ensure the patient fully understands the treatment options so that they can make an informed choice. 

3.2: Use open-ended questions and active listening skills to understand the patient's and/or caregiver's needs, preferences, and values. 

3.3: Use indicators to assess whether the patient and/or caregiver understand the material risks and benefits, and the rationale behind the management options so that they can make an informed choice. 

3.4: Demonstrate a patient-centred approach that respects the patient's values and preferences to collaboratively make informed decisions about their treatment plan, while employing strategies to mitigate the risk of the prescriber's personal bias unduly influencing prescribing decisions. 

4.1: Provide a management plan in an understandable and accessible format for the patient. 

4.2: Provide appropriate resources to support the patient and/or caregiver in self-managing their medicines and monitoring their condition.

4.3: Uses strategies to ensure the patient and/or caregiver understand(s) the essential actions for the treatment plan. 

4.4: Uses strategies to ensure the patient and/or caregiver understand(s) what to do if there are any concerns about the management of their condition, if the condition deteriorates, or if there is no improvement in a specific timeframe. 

5.1: Establishes and maintains a plan to review and monitor the patient's treatment, including the effectiveness of treatment and potential unwanted effects. 

5.2: Adapts management plans, (as needed) in collaboration with the patient/caregiver, in response to ongoing monitoring and review of the patient's condition and preferences.  

5.3: Recognises and reports suspected adverse events to medicines and medical devices using appropriate reporting systems. 

6.1: Analyse and apply the current national and provincial standards and legal requirements to accurately prescribe a medicine or device within their scope of practice. 

6.2: Synthesize clinical information to document accurate and legible clinical records following professional standards and best practices. 

6.3: Clearly and securely communicate the assessment findings and treatment plan to those in the patient's circle of care, demonstrating both timeliness and adherence to required protocols. 

6.4: Establish a transfer of care plan so that a patient’s continuity of care is not compromised when a transfer of care is initiated. 

Structured Learning Activities

The course is delivered through a combination of independent learning activities within Canvas, synchronous online learning sessions, and in-person learning in practice. 

The structured learning activities are elaborated on below. 

The independent learning activities are accessed online through Canvas and provide approximately 75 hours of learning activities so participants can study flexibly and at their own pace. Examples of independent learning activities include assessing case studies, interactive videos, and virtual simulations. 

There will be synchronous online learning sessions throughout the course. These sessions are an opportunity to practice specific skills with peers and discuss concepts from diverse perspectives. These are active learning sessions, not webinars.

The live online sessions will held at flexible times to try and accommodate diverse schedules; they will be held approximately once every two weeks. 

Physical Assessment Workshop (16 hours) 

First, there is a two-day in-person physical assessment workshop.  

Learning in Practice (32 hours) 

Second, each learner will work with a DPP at their workplace for a minimum of 32 hours. This provides the opportunity to apply knowledge and develop specific skills in context. It also provides opportunities to gain feedback from the DPP and patients. An individual learning plan developed at the start of the course guides efficient use of this time and ensures the pharmacist's development needs are addressed. 

Understanding Competency Based Programming

This course is a competency-based program, meaning participants pass based on their ability to demonstrate competency in all areas of the course by the end. Success is measured by meeting defined standards of competence, not by achieving a certain percentage or by attendance and participation. Each learner must show proficiency in the essential skills and knowledge required for the course.

Below are descriptions of evidence of competency for the outcomes of this course.

Learners are required to create a personal formulary by selecting and detailing a minimum of three medications they anticipate seeing frequently in their practice. Additionally, they must identify first-line medication choices for common conditions they will encounter with the specific chronic conditions including providing a rationale based on clinical guidelines and evidence-based practices. 

The case study presentation assesses the ability to complete several parts of the prescribing process. Learners are advised to choose a case they have managed autonomously, under supervision, within their identified scope for this course. The case should demonstrate their transition to an independent prescriber focusing on their competencies for development identified in their individual learning plan. 
The reflective practice log is a means for learners to plan, record, and and provide evidence of their development during their learning in practice.
At the end of the program, there will be a three-station clinical examination. 

Learners must demonstrate competency in all three stations:  

  1. Clinical assessment/diagnostic aid, i.e., radial pulse and manual blood pressure  
  2. History-taking and record-keeping, i.e., documented history  
  3. Professional accountability and communication, i.e., prescription-writing and providing medicine-related information

The Designated Prescribing Professional

All participants will need to have a designated prescribing professional (i.e., a physician or nurse practitioner) who is willing to support their competency development during 32 hours of learning-in-practice. The pharmacist will work on location with their DPP to practice and gain feedback for improvement on their APB skills. It is the responsibility of the pharmacist to find a designated prescribing professional for the program.

Please refer to the following documents for more information on the DPP.