ASHP Publishes New Edition of Competence Assessment Tools for Health-System Pharmacists

ASHP has released the fifth edition of its Competence Assessment Tools for Health-System Pharmacists, a publication designed to help pharmacy directors and their staff provide more informed patient care and meet Joint Commission accreditation standards.

Available both in print and as an eBook, the fifth edition of this valuable resource has been revised to address current guidelines and standards, including providing:

• Ten new competencies created by subject-matter experts,
• A “crosswalk guide” identifying competencies for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians,
• Updated competencies on compounding sterile preparations and hazardous drugs as well as study guides that reflect USP requirements,
• Additional information on the revised Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard,
• Updated information on safe injection practices from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
• Updated confidentiality and patients’ rights chapter to reflect recent legislation, and
• Updated pharmaceutical care competencies to reflect modern practice.

“As healthcare continues to evolve, pharmacy practitioners are constantly being challenged to meet the changing needs of patients,” said editor Lee Murdaugh, R.Ph., Ph.D., director of accreditation and medication safety for Cardinal Health’s Innovative Delivery Solutions. “ASHP developed Competence Assessment Tools for Health-System Pharmacists to serve as a practical, accessible resource to help pharmacy staff at all levels strengthen their ability to provide safe and effective care in today’s fast-paced environment.”

Several all-new chapters have been added to the fifth edition, covering:

• Aminoglycoside dosing,
• Educating pharmacy staff,
• Parenteral and oral anticoagulant therapy,
• Medication dosing in hepatic dysfunction,
• Compounding nonsterile preparations, and
• Age-specific competencies for pharmacy technicians.

As in the past, the fifth edition includes a companion CD with PDF files of the competencies and MS Word documents with job descriptions. The individual competencies also will be available soon through ASHP’s eLearning platform.

To place orders for the print (ISBN: 978-1-58528-402-3) or eBook version of Competence Assessment Tools for Health-System Pharmacists, visit ASHP’s online store at www.ashp.org/compassessment. Or, please email custserv@ashp.org or call 1-866-279-0681 (US & Canada), 001-301-664-8700 (International).

About ASHP

ASHP represents pharmacists who serve as patient care providers in acute and ambulatory settings. The organization’s more than 40,000 members include pharmacists, student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. For over 70 years, ASHP has been on the forefront of efforts to improve medication use and enhance patient safety. For more information about the wide array of ASHP activities and the many ways in which pharmacists advance healthcare, visit ASHP’s website, www.ashp.org, or its consumer website, www.safemedication.com.