DiMario Alexis, McCall Kenneth Lee, Couture Sara, Boynton Wendy
School of Pharmacy, University of New England, Portland, ME 04103, USA.
Hannaford Supermarkets & Pharmacy, Scarborough, ME 04074, USA.
Vaccines (Basel). 2022 Aug 19;10(8):1354. doi: 10.3390/vaccines10081354.
In response to the increased demand for healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act amendments and guidance authorized pharmacy technicians, who are not otherwise authorized in their state, to administer the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)-recommended immunizations and COVID-19 vaccines under pharmacist order. Subsequently, many pharmacies nationwide have expanded technician duties to include immunization administration. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the attitudes and experiences associated with technician-administered immunizations among community pharmacists and technicians. The cross-sectional study evaluated the primary endpoint through the completion of anonymous surveys containing peer-reviewed questionnaires. Pharmacy technicians and their supervising pharmacists were selected to complete the survey at a grocery chain’s pharmacies located in five states across the Northeast if they completed the immunization program and administered at least one immunization. Surveys were drafted using Microsoft Forms and results were analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Chi-squared tests were utilized for comparing categorical variables between groups. A total of 268 survey responses were obtained; 171 responses came from pharmacists and 97 responses came from immunization-certified technicians. Most pharmacists and pharmacy technicians responded that technicians could safely administer vaccines (87.1% and 96.9%, respectively) and competently process and bill vaccine services (90.6% and 99.0%, respectively). In addition, both participant populations responded that technician-administered vaccines improved the workflow of vaccine services (76.6% and 82.5%, respectively) without increasing the likelihood of vaccine errors (56.1% and 78.3%, respectively). When compared with technicians, fewer pharmacists were confident in a technician’s ability to competently prepare vaccines (63.7% vs. 91.8%; p < 0.001). A statistically significant association was observed between responses regarding an efficient process for immunizing patients and the likelihood of technician vaccination errors (χ2 = 14.36; p < 0.01). Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians responded that technicians competently administer immunizations and should participate in more patient-care duties. Multiple states are enacting legislation to include technician vaccine administration as a permanent component of their scope of practice.
为应对新冠疫情期间对医疗服务需求的增加，《公共准备与应急法案》（PREP）的修正案及指南授权了在本州未获其他授权的药房技术员，在药剂师的指令下，进行免疫实践咨询委员会（ACIP）推荐的免疫接种和新冠疫苗接种。随后，全国许多药房扩大了技术员的职责范围，将免疫接种管理纳入其中。本研究的主要目的是评估和比较社区药剂师和技术员对技术员进行免疫接种的态度和体验。这项横断面研究通过完成包含经过同行评审问卷的匿名调查来评估主要终点。如果药房技术员及其主管药剂师完成了免疫接种项目并至少进行了一次免疫接种，那么他们就被选中在位于东北部五个州的一家连锁杂货店的药房完成调查。调查问卷使用微软表单起草，结果使用微软Excel进行分析。卡方检验用于比较组间的分类变量。总共获得了268份调查回复；171份回复来自药剂师，97份回复来自获得免疫接种认证的技术员。大多数药剂师和药房技术员回应称，技术员能够安全地接种疫苗（分别为87.1%和96.9%），并且能够熟练地处理疫苗服务并进行计费（分别为90.6%和99.0%）。此外，两个参与群体都回应称，技术员接种疫苗改善了疫苗服务的工作流程（分别为76.6%和82.5%），且没有增加疫苗错误的可能性（分别为56.1%和78.3%）。与技术员相比，对技术员熟练准备疫苗能力有信心的药剂师较少（63.7%对91.8%；p<0.001）。在关于为患者进行免疫接种的高效流程的回复与技术员接种疫苗错误的可能性之间观察到了统计学上的显著关联（χ2 = 14.36；p<0.01）。药剂师和药房技术员回应称，技术员能够熟练地进行免疫接种，并且应该参与更多的患者护理职责。多个州正在制定立法，将技术员疫苗接种管理作为其执业范围的一个永久组成部分。
