Advanced Certifications for Pharmacists: Extending Your Competencies in the Field of Pharmacy Specialties
With the abundance of available certifications that reflect specialized knowledge and expertise, today, pharmacists can work in any number of careers. One of the most crucial bodies offering special certifications is the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS). Along with this, a number of other certifications outside of BPS are tailored for particular areas in pharmacy practice. We will go into both BPS and non-BPS certifications that pharmacists may seek for advancing their career and professional development.
Board of Pharmacy Specialties BPS Certifications
The Board of Pharmacy Specialties provides a range of certification programs, enabling pharmacists to demonstrate advanced knowledge and expertise in specific areas of pharmacy practice. A few of the most prominent BPS certifications will be covered here:
1. Ambulatory Care Pharmacy (BCACP)
This certification reflects expertise in managing disease states in an outpatient setting. Ambulatory care pharmacists work with patients to manage medication therapy for illness such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma.
The pharmacotherapy that pertains to cardiovascular diseases is included in this certification. BCCP-certified pharmacists care for patients with cardiovascular ailments such as heart failure, arrhythmias, and hypertension.
3. BCSCP = Board of Pharmacy Specialties Compounded Sterile Preparations Pharmacy
It assures competence in the compounding of sterile preparations for safety and quality in patient-specific medication therapies.
4. Critical Care Pharmacy Certification
Critical care pharmacists manage complex medicinal regimens in critically-ill patients, which are usually admitted in the intensive care units characterized by mechanical ventilation and hemodynamic monitoring.
5. Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Specialty Certification (BCEMP)
Pharmacists with a specialization in emergency medicine engage in the rapid evaluation and management of patients in the emergency department and prepare work on conditions ranging from trauma to toxicology to cardiac emergencies.
6. Geriatric Pharmacy Specialty Certification (BCGP)
The certification recognizes a pharmacist with specialty recognition in managing the unique medication needs among the elderly, including polypharmacy and age-related pharmacokinetic changes.
7. Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Specialty Certification (BCIDP)
The BCIDP certificate accomplishes competency in the service areas of anti-microbial stewardship, management of complex infectious diseases including those caused by resistant organisms.
8. Nuclear Pharmacy Specialty Certification (BCNP)
Nuclear pharmacists are specialists who compound and dispense radioactive agents used in both diagnostic imaging and therapeutic procedures.
9. Nutrition Support Pharmacy Specialty Certification (BCNSP )
BCNSP pharmacists provide management for specialized nutrition support therapy-parenteral and enteral nutrition-of patients with highly complex nutritional needs.
10. Oncology Pharmacy Specialty Certification (BCOP)
It is accreditation that displays the practice of chemotherapy, management of other cancer therapies, and supportive care for oncology patients.
11. Pediatric Pharmacy Specialty Certification (BCPPS)
Pediatric pharmacists are experts in the safe use of medicines in children, a specialty that addresses the unique pharmacokinetics of pediatrics related to drug dosing.
This is a widely recognized certification that reflects proficiency in general practice of pharmacotherapy within a wide range of disease states in multiple patient populations.
14. Psychiatric Pharmacy Specialty Certification(BCPP)
Psychiatric pharmacists manage and treat mental health disorders, including depressions, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and others, with pharmacological and other therapeutic interventions.
15. Solid Organ Transplantation Pharmacy Specialty Certification [BCTXP]
BCTXP pharmacists manage immunosuppressive therapy and all other medications in transplant recipients.
Other certifications aside from BPS:
Besides BPS, however, there are other advanced certifications of pharmacists that show a high level of expertise in specialized areas not covered by BPS. Some of these include:
1. Certified Pain Educator (CPE)
A CPE is a healthcare professional interested in education of other professionals and patients about pain management, assessment, and treatment options. This certification has been recognized for pharmacists specializing in the management of chronic pain.
2. Certified Diabetes Educator - CDE
The CDE certification allows the pharmacist to specialize in teaching diabetes patients how to manage their diabetes through mediation, change of lifestyle, and monitoring. In particular, this board-certified credential is ideal for pharmacists working in clinics or community settings where diabetes management is a main concern.
3. Asthma Educator Certification Training - AE-C
The role of the AE-C-certified pharmacist is to provide direct asthma education to patients and healthcare professionals, which thus enables the optimization of various treatment plans for better asthma control. Certification requires passing an examination provided by the National Asthma Educator Certification Board.
4. Certified Anticoagulation Care Provider (CACP)
This certification refers to pharmacists specialized in the management of anticoagulation therapy, especially for warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants, or heparin users. It shall ensure that patients are treated safely and effectively with anticoagulation, minimizing complications related to either bleeding or clotting.
American Pharmacists Association Advanced Certificates
Similarly, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) offers several advanced certificates for pharmacists. Several of these certificate training programs are attached to the delivery of immunization, MTM service provision, and travel health services. These become essential in community and clinical practice, hence giving a rise in more opportunities being availed to the community and clinical pharmacists.
Conclusion
Pharmacists will further their careers with higher certifications to prove their specialized knowledge in either ambulatory care, cardiology, oncology, or infectious diseases. These certifications not only ensure that a pharmacist's knowledge is validated but also lead to improved patient care through the active, more specialized participation of a pharmacist in health teams. Pharmacists would have different means of continuing their development for career advancement through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties, other non-BPS certifications, or through advanced certificates of the American Pharmacists Association.