CPD Idea's

[Mr Pharm S]

Hi folks

Cheating here a bit like but. . . .

What do people on here do their CPD on, Ive got a lot to catch up on and Im struggling to document what I do on a daily basis, ie learn new things.

Im sure Im not the only one but I hate hate hate CPD, I find it insulting that I have to document my learning. Id say I was a keen pharmacist and always looking for new things to learn. Every day I learn something new or a better way of doing things.

So why on earth do I have to spend what seems like a life time on the worst program ever invented pulling my hair out over who Im having a reflection on or identifying my evaluation needs or what ever the hell they are wanting us to do.

BEFORE the messages come pouring in saying it needs to be documented -
I KNOW but theres got to be a simpler and shorter way to record what is essentially what we do on a daily basis.

Rant over, so what does everyone else do for their CPD, Im not wanting specific entries, just the type of things people do document.

Ps What are your opinions on CPD?

[Steve G]

Re: CPD Idea's

CPD is a bit of a pain, but it's something we have to do. The website isn't the best either. I'm quite clinically focused, so most of my stuff has been clinical - i.e. equivalence of actiq lozenges and oral morphine. I have done some other stuff as well, such as child protection. I'm fairly lucky in that I have to do a CPD cycle for each module of my clinical diploma so that's given me four entries over the last year, and I get feedback on it as well.

[admin]

Re: CPD Idea's

Hi

It isn't compulsary yet is it? I'm saving up all my interventions for when it is! This year I have been more then covered by doing the 20 modules of the Medway MUR course.

When it does become compulsary I will put down all the things I have been saving.

[Mr Pharm S]

Re: CPD Idea's

Hi

It isn't compulsary yet is it? I'm saving up all my interventions for when it is! This year I have been more then covered by doing the 20 modules of the Medway MUR course.

When it does become compulsary I will put down all the things I have been saving.

Not sure about compulsary but the MEP says ' all practising pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have a PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATION to maintain a record of their CPD'

Does that mean compulsary or not?

The multiple I work for has a CPD facilitator that goes store to store checking that pharmacists and technicians are doing it. They say the role is there to support us but its more a policing of CPD.

CPD cops armed and dangerous

[the old merlin]

Re: CPD Idea's

As I understand it, the situation is that if you make a cock-up in an area where you might reasonably have been expected to keep yourself up-to-date and have no evidence of CPD that'll be taken as evidence that you don't do any. If on the other hand you do that would be a mitigating factor.

AFAIK there's no inspection at the moment, although the process is starting, but at first it will simply be a box-ticking exercise; how many bits of evidence has T-O-M, regn no whatever?

And, again AFAIK it's not a question of putting loads in; just some now and again.

I'd agree about the website though; not really user-friendly! And doesn't take account of reality.

[Pharmanaut]

Re: CPD Idea's

Rant over, so what does everyone else do for their CPD, Im not wanting specific entries, just the type of things people do document.

Ps What are your opinions on CPD?

The role playing exercises put me off completely.

[admin]

How do you record your CPD ???

Not sure about compulsary but the MEP says ' all practising pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have a PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATION to maintain a record of their CPD'

Mr Pharm S

Thanks, I understand your point, and if needed could probably produce quite a few hours of what could be classed as CPD. Do I have to use the society's website, because I thought that as yet we didn't have to do that. That's what I meant by compulsary - sorry, I should have made it clearer. So what do I actually do? Well: -

I have always read a lot, looked things up, done a lot on the internet etc. This I would call keeping up with new drug information, and keeping my knowledge fresh.

I have basically always tried to boost my knowledge - or keep a bit of it!.

I like to keep my own folder with copies of scripts (and the outcomes) I have made interventions in. I black out the patients name for confidentiality reasons.

I obviously have the certificates of things I have been to - for example a course run by my local PCT on pharmacist prescribing of EHC, and the CPPE course that I also had to do to get my certificate for this.

I have (as we all have) looked for answers to posts placed on the forum that I have not known the answer to - I know this sounds a bit lame, but it's updating your knowledge isn't it?

I have done some calculations for pre-reg pharmacists on the forum, and at work.

I regularly help trainee dispensers with their course work, which often means I have to refresh my memory on things I have long forgotten.

I have completed all 20 of the Medway modules and passed their MUR "exam" giving me quite a lot of hours CPD - I forget exactly how many at the moment.

All of these could count as CPD couldn't they? Is the society's website the only record of CPD that they will accept as evidence you are doing it?

Do you think I'm wrong in doing it my own way (so to speak) and should record it how they want me to?

I have tons of stuff I think I could record as CPD, so would like to know the opinions of others on this subject. I do not want to get nicked for not recording in the "correct" way things I am actually doing.

Am I being naive in keeping my own records, or should I take the time to log it all on the societys website?

Thanks

[johnep]

Re: CPD Idea's

Well here is a bit I need for my own CPD. Did MUR for a diabetic on glipizide and metformin. He had been started on glipizide and then the metf added later.

Realised I was not too sure of rationale of adding diabetic meds. What exactly is happening?
johnep

[Mr Pharm S]

Re: CPD Idea's

Admin,

Im probably not the best one to speak regarding that query but my understanding is that at present we can do it any way we want as long as we can somehow prove we are doing it and can present a portfolio if asked.

When you do it on the Societies website, at the end it asks if you want to submit it for viewing by the society and there is a page at the end for a modulator to make comments.

When the crunch comes and it becomes manditory I assume the only way they can keep tabs is by view it on their website, thats the only reason I do it on that God forsaken website, so I dont have to transpose all the entries onto the official form IF they ask us to do it that way.

I know nothing of the crunch....

[Pharmanaut]

Re: CPD Idea's

Admin,

Im probably not the best one to speak regarding that query but my understanding is that at present we can do it any way we want as long as we can somehow prove we are doing it and can present a portfolio if asked.

When you do it on the Societies website, at the end it asks if you want to submit it for viewing by the society and there is a page at the end for a modulator to make comments.

When the crunch comes and it becomes manditory I assume the only way they can keep tabs is by view it on their website, thats the only reason I do it on that God forsaken website, so I dont have to transpose all the entries onto the official form IF they ask us to do it that way.

I know nothing of the crunch....

Problem is that using the website seemed to take longer than reading the CPD article.
But what do I know. Don't have to like it - just have to do it. Like most things about pharmacy.

[Jeff]

Re: CPD Idea's

my understanding is that at present we can do it any way we want as long as we can somehow prove we are doing it and can present a portfolio if asked.

That's my understanding as well - I also suspect that I've enough posts on enough boards to be able to cut and paste a portfolio if required.

Jeff

[pharout]

Re: CPD Idea's

Well here is a bit I need for my own CPD. Did MUR for a diabetic on glipizide and metformin. He had been started on glipizide and then the metf added later.

Realised I was not too sure of rationale of adding diabetic meds. What exactly is happening?
johnep

Johnep,
Typically, there is really one factor when deciding which oral dm agent to start in one with type2 dm. If their BMI is>27 , then metformin is preferred because it is mainly an insulin sensitivity issue. If <27, then a sulfonylurea is started because it is mainly a pancreatic beta cell issue. This is the approach we take and is based off of recommendations by our endocrinology dept and the ADA guidelines. I would suspect your pt were a thin diabetic who was uncontrolled on sulfonylurea and then metformin added to get HbA1c down, which is perfectly normal.

[pharout]

Re: CPD Idea's

Also for the foreigner in the group, can someone clarify the cpd requirement in England? Here in the U.S., each state has their own, but typically anywhere from 12-15 hours per year and must be ACPE (American College of Pharmaceutical Education) accredited CE (continuing education). Most states fairly lenient in terms of types of CE, but some states go as far as mandating a portion of this be "live" CE by attending a program or course. Just wondering what the 30,000ft view of this requirement was in the UK. If I remember correctly, it will be mandate this fall there?? We may move there in the future so that's why I'm asking-thanks pharout

[johnep]

Re: CPD Idea's

Thanks pharout, you have exposed some weaknesses in my knowledge. I will have a look at a diabetic module as now realise not sure re actions and classifications of the various drugs. I presume that their are two actions. One makes best use of insulin produced. The other stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin?
johnep

[the old merlin]

Re: CPD Idea's

There used to be a basic time requirement, but it's changed now. The requirement is to do approved CPD. Basic problem was that there was too much "bums on seats" and not enough proving that practice had changed. Also UK had a very bad experience with medics CPD.

So now you have to record experiences. These may be as a result of experience; you met a situation where you realised you didn't know enough and you went and found out about it (Johnep's diabetes query) or as a result of planning; your question now would be an example.

There's a website RPSGB - CPD Online - Home. Not, in my experience the most user friendly since it's sometimes difficult to differentiate between the two sorts of questions and if you think too much about it you can enter all sorts of competencies that that particular experience will cover.
The RPSGB is now starting a monitoring programme, but at the moment it's simply quantitative, and the idea is to ensure that the sample monitored are putting in one experience per month.