Program Description
Meningococcal vaccines play a major role in the prevention of disease caused by Neisseria meningitis, which can occur in anyone, but select high-risk groups include adolescents and young adults, individuals traveling to endemic areas, and young adults residing on a college campus. In addition to the vaccine types covering ACWY and B serogroups, the recent approval of a pentavalent meningococcal vaccine requires that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians be familiar with differing recommendations of each. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians should identify patients that may be candidates for vaccination, emphasize the importance of completing the recommended vaccine schedule as appropriate, and administer the vaccine(s) if able. When educating patients and/or caregivers, pharmacists can counsel on adverse effect management or any safety or effectiveness concerns. In this activity, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians will improve their knowledge of patient education approaches and benefits of receiving the meningococcal vaccines, identify the appropriate populations that may be candidates for the vaccine(s), and implement communication strategies for increasing vaccination rates.
Target Audience: Health-system, retail, and specialty pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians
Type of Activity: Application
Release date: November 13, 2023
Expiration date: November 13, 2024
Time to complete activity: 2.0 hours
Fee: Free
Educational Objectives
At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
Pharmacists
- Explain the clinical burden of meningococcal disease and impact on patients’ and caregivers’ quality of life
- Examine the serogroups of Neisseria meningitidis and the patient populations at elevated risk for meningococcal disease
- Analyze the available meningococcal vaccines including the safety and efficacy
- Identify the critical roles of pharmacists as patient identifier, patient educator, and vaccine administrator, including the importance of augmenting meningococcal vaccination rates
Lauren B. Angelo, PharmD, MBA
Associate Dean, Academic Affairs
Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice
College of Pharmacy
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
North Chicago, Illinois
Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This activity is approved for 2.0 contact hours (0.20 CEU) under the ACPE universal activity numbers for pharmacists, 0290-0000-23-415-H06-P and 0290-0000-23-416-H06-T for technicians. The activity is available for CE credit through November 13, 2024.
Instructions for Completing the Activity and Receiving CPE Credit
To receive CPE credit, participants must complete the pretest, view the activity in its entirety, complete the posttest, and complete the online activity evaluation. After successful completion of the online activity evaluation, you can submit your credit to CPE Monitor. You may view your credit within 48 hours at www.mycpemonitor.net. All participants must request credit before the activity expiration date. CE credit will not be issued after this date.
Disclosures
Faculty
Lauren B. Angelo, PharmD, MBA, has the following relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose:
Consultant: Moderna
Speaker's Bureau: Pfizer
Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ Planning Staff—Jim Palatine, RPh, MBA; Maryjo Dixon, RPh, MBA; Liza Patel, PharmD, RPh; Angelica Archibald; Susan Pordon; Brianna Winters; Chloe Taccetta; and Rebecca Green have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.
Anonymous peer reviewers were used as part of content validation and conflict resolution. The peer reviewers have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.
Educational Disclaimer
CPE activities are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of professional advice or referral. Discussions concerning drugs, dosages, and procedures may reflect the clinical experience of the author(s) or they may be derived from the professional literature or other sources and may suggest uses that are investigational in nature and not approved labeling or indications. Participants are encouraged to refer to primary references or full prescribing information resources.
For questions about this internet CPE activity, please contact:
[email protected]
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