Whats Happening Around freeCE: New Live Webinars Launching In February

freeCE has a full schedule of live CE planned for the month of February 2023, including seven new courses.

Each of the webinars we are launching this month are worth 1 contact hour. Select your favorites and join us to grow your expertise and work toward your continuing education requirements.

 

Webinars Premiering in February:

 

Law Update: Opioid Prescribing, (Mis)Information, and Dispensing Decisions

Taught by: Gerald Gianutsos, JD, PhD, BS Pharm, MS | Premiering: 2/9/23 10:30 AM ET

Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians face many legal and regulatory issues when dispensing prescriptions, besides the risk of making an error. Federal and state legislative and regulatory bodies and courts have made changes that impact prescribing and dispensing, especially for controlled drugs.

Pharmacy staff need to be cognizant of penalties for excessive prescribing and dispensing of opioids, new standards for determining the validity of a prescription, oversight of information about medically controversial therapies, and limits on dispensing of politically divisive drugs.

Webinar participants will learn how to:

• Describe penalties for overprescribing or dispensing controlled substances
• Discuss the recent Supreme Court decision concerning the overprescribing of controlled drugs
• Compare the application of legal and regulatory rules when disseminating information about controversial therapies
• Characterize emerging legal and regulatory standards on refusing or preventing dispensing

 

Humanitarian Aid: A Pharmacist’s Perspective

Taught by: Jon Wietholter, Clinical Professor | Premiering: 2/14/23 10:30 AM ET

Pharmacists can play a vital role while serving those in need during humanitarian aid missions created by either a natural disaster or war. This session will review population needs immediately following a disaster and commonalities between humanitarian aid workers. 

Additionally, the session will focus on potential roles for pharmacists while on humanitarian aid missions, pharmacist training that should be completed prior to departure, and pre-travel evaluation and travel health kit best practices.

Furthermore, the session will review common diseases encountered during humanitarian aid missions as well as safety and security best practices that should be undertaken while completing these types of experiences.

Join in on February 14 to learn how to:

• Identify appropriate steps to take prior to departure for pharmacists completing a humanitarian aid mission
• Recognize common health problems that need to be monitored for by pharmacists while completing a humanitarian aid mission
• List appropriate safety and security measures that should be undertaken by pharmacists both prior to departure and while completing a humanitarian aid mission

 

Cannabis Specialty Pharmacist Module 1: The Endocannabinoid System and Pharmacology

Taught by: Mark Garofoli, PharmD, MBA, BCGP, CPE, CTTS | Premiering: 2/22/23 2:00 PM ET

Cannabis. Marijuana. Cannabinoids. CBD. THC. Cannabis has been around almost forever, with quite the circular debate on its safety, efficacy, and, of course, legality across the globe.

Perhaps before getting lost in the weeds, we all need to discuss the basic pharmacology of all things cannabis, starting with some basic botanical “farm” information and a review of our human Endocannabinoid System (ECS) before then endeavoring into the complexities of its pharmacology. A higher education for all. This webinar pairs well with our non-opioid pain management course for pharmacists.

This webinar is designed for pharmacists to learn how to:

• Distinguish between the terms: cannabis, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, hemp, marijuana, and cannabinoids, with particular attention to CBD and THC
• Recall the physiological effects of the human endocannabinoid system (ECS) overlapping with other human body systems
• Recall the respective pharmacology of cannabinoids including endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids, and synthetic cannabinoids

 

Beyond the Classroom: Medicinal Cannabis Application and Regulation

Taught by: Multiple faculty members | Premiering: 2/22/23 8:00 PM ET

Cannabis has been around since early history, with an intriguing ongoing debate regarding safety, efficacy, and legality of the substance. Depending on the state of practice, today’s pharmacists and technicians may find themselves directly involved in the dispensing of cannabis and/or associated products. Regardless of the state of practice, all healthcare providers are likely to find themselves presented with questions regarding drug interactions, efficacy, and regulatory parameters.

In this unique panel discussion, we are joined by a team with diverse academic, regulatory, and dispensing perspectives. As with all Beyond the Classroom sessions, participants will be able to present questions to the panelists in real time.

After the course, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians will be able to:

• Recognize the roles that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are playing in various states in regard to the dispensing of medicinal cannabis
• Identify appropriate processes for providing information about marijuana to pharmacy patients
• Recognize potential legal liabilities in regard to the use or dispensing of medicinal cannabis
• Identify potential drug-drug interactions with CBD and THC based on CYP-450 enzyme activity, protein binding, and sedative effects

 

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes: An Overview of Common Chronic Disease States in the Geriatric Population

Taught by: Rebecca DeMoss, PharmD, BS | Premiering: 2/23/23 2:00 PM ET

This technician-specific presentation will provide an overview of the guidelines for identifications, recommend treatment options, and clinical pearls of the common disease states from head to toe affecting the geriatric population.

The overall purpose will be to provide fundamental knowledge of these common disease states to prepare the technicians for early identification and treatment. The course will also provide the necessary education for learners to guide their family and friends to be advocates for themselves and those they care about.

Some examples of the disease states that could be discussed include dementia, strokes, glaucoma, thrush, dry mouth, osteoporosis, GERD, COPD, urinary incontinence, and others to be determined. 

After the course, pharmacy technicians will be able to:

• Identify 4 common conditions affecting the head in the geriatric population
• Identify 3 common conditions affecting the heart in the geriatric population
• Identify 2 common conditions affecting the lungs in the geriatric population
• Define pill burden, polypharmacy, transitions of care, and the prescribing cascade, and identify why it is concerning for the geriatric population

 

Sterile Compounding – Navigating Revised USP <797>

Taught by: Patricia Kienle, RPh, MPA, BCSCP, FASHP | Premiering: 2/25/23 11:30 AM ET

On February 25, Patricia Kienle, Director of Accreditation and Medication Safety at Cardinal Health, will be offering guidance on navigating the USP Chapter 797 revisions. Tune in to have your questions answered!

 

New Drugs and Drug News from 2022 You Can Use!

Taught by: Lynn McPherson | Premiering: 2/28/23 8:00 PM ET

In 2022, a total of 37 novel drugs were approved by the FDA. New approvals have the potential to change the landscape for disease state management or simply become another choice in the arsenal of options. Either way, it is essential that the healthcare provider understand the new indications, adverse effects, and potential interactions and risks associated with these new players.

In this session, newly approved drugs, ranging in specialties from multiple sclerosis to diabetes to carcinomas and beyond are examined from the lens of a pharmacist. The session will focus on notable approvals expected to impact pharmacy practice most significantly, while providing an overview of drug approvals for more rare diseases as well. 

Webinar participants will learn how to:

• Describe new medications approved in 2022, including the indications, common adverse effects, and drug interactions.
• Identify important drug alerts and their relevance to drug therapies commonly used in hospice and palliative care patients.

 

A Look Back at the Courses We Launched in January

Here’s what freeCE members thought about the courses we launched last month:

 

Flavor Matters: A Primer on Flavoring and Sweetening Compounded Medications 

“Liz Fredrickson did an amazing Job explaining the different flavors and how to mask bitter and salty flavors.” – Jonathan N., pharmacy technician

“Excellent presentation. Very thorough coverage of areas to be considered when flavoring a medication. Slides were easy to follow and contained lots of information.” – Cynthia K., pharmacist

 

Difficult Conversations: Men’s Sexual Health 

“Thank you for this presentation. This is a topic on which I’ve received minimal education. It was very informative, and a topic that can be very impactful to this patient population.” – Emily L., pharmacist

 

The “Tripledemic”: Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Influenza, and COVID-19 

“Great presentation. I liked how this was taught simply during the presentation – it was easy to understand and follow. And then went more into detail during the Q and A, which I enjoyed.” – Zachary D., pharmacist

“Liked his lecture style – not hurried and thoughtful. Practical knowledge that can be used in clinical settings.” – Thomas S., pharmacist

 

Review of Pertinent Laws on the Validation of Controlled Substance Prescriptions – FL Approved 

“Excellent review and clarification of federal controlled substance law.” – Laura C., pharmacist

“Interesting presentation on a topic that tends to be very dry. Thank you.” – Marisela L., pharmacist

Don’t miss your chance to be among the first to learn about these emerging hot topics. Become a freeCE member today to get full access to our entire live CE calendar.