657—7.6(155A) Pharmacist absence.
	7.6(1) Pharmacist absent from the pharmacy department. A pharmacy’s policies and procedures shall identify how the pharmacy will operate and be secured to prevent unauthorized access during times when the pharmacist may be absent from the pharmacy department but not absent from the facility. The policies and procedures shall also identify authorized activities of pharmacy staff in the pharmacy department during the absence of the pharmacist from the department in compliance with rules of the board.
	a. 	Remote pharmacy services. Pursuant to rule 657—7.7(155A), the pharmacy may utilize the services of a remote pharmacist or pharmacy to provide pharmacist services to assist the pharmacy department while the on-site pharmacist is absent from the pharmacy department, such as when participating in clinical activities with facility staff and patients.
	b. 	Certified pharmacy technicians. Pursuant to the pharmacy’s policies and procedures, a certified pharmacy technician may be granted access to the pharmacy department to perform authorized technical functions. In the absence of a pharmacist, a certified pharmacy technician may only dispense, deliver, or distribute a drug, including a compounded preparation and controlled substance, when the drug is verified by a pharmacist, including by a remote pharmacist, except as authorized in an approved technician product verification program. A certified pharmacy technician may assist a licensed health care professional in locating a drug to meet the emergent needs of a patient but shall not provide final verification of the accuracy of the drug product obtained.
	c. 	Pharmacy support persons. Pursuant to the pharmacy’s policies and procedures, a pharmacy support person may be granted access to the pharmacy department to perform authorized nontechnical functions.
	d. 	Licensed health care professionals. Pursuant to the pharmacy’s policies and procedures, a licensed health care professional may be granted access to the pharmacy department to meet the emergent needs of a patient. A licensed health care professional may utilize the assistance of a certified pharmacy technician to locate a drug but shall not rely on the technician to verify the accuracy of the drug product obtained.
	7.6(2) Pharmacy department closed. When the pharmacist is absent from the facility, the pharmacy department shall be closed and secured to prevent unauthorized access. The pharmacist in charge shall identify in policies and procedures the facility and pharmacy staff, by title or designation, who are authorized access to the pharmacy department and the specific activities that are authorized.
	a. 	Remote pharmacy services. Pursuant to rule 657—7.7(155A), the pharmacy may utilize the services of a remote pharmacist or pharmacy to provide pharmacist services to the facility when the pharmacy is closed.
	b. 	Certified pharmacy technicians. Pursuant to the pharmacy’s policies and procedures, a certified pharmacy technician may be granted access to the pharmacy department to perform authorized technical functions. In the absence of a pharmacist, a certified pharmacy technician may only dispense, deliver, or distribute a drug, including a compounded preparation and controlled substance, when the drug is verified by a pharmacist, including by a remote pharmacist. During each period of time the certified pharmacy technician is working in the pharmacy without pharmacist supervision, the technician shall document the time worked and activities performed. The documentation shall be periodically reviewed by the pharmacist in charge. A certified pharmacy technician may assist a licensed health care professional in locating a drug to meet the emergent needs of a patient but shall not provide the final verification of the accuracy of the drug obtained.
	c. 	Pharmacy support persons. Pursuant to the pharmacy’s policies and procedures, a pharmacy support person may be granted access to the pharmacy department to perform authorized nontechnical functions. During each period of time the pharmacy support person is working in the pharmacy without pharmacist supervision, the support person shall document the time worked and activities performed. The documentation shall be periodically reviewed by the pharmacist in charge.
	d. 	Licensed health care professionals. Pursuant to the pharmacy’s policies and procedures, a licensed health care professional may be granted access to the pharmacy department to meet the emergent needs of a patient. A licensed health care professional may utilize the assistance of a certified pharmacy technician to locate a drug but shall not rely on the technician to verify the accuracy of the drug product obtained. The pharmacy shall maintain documentation of such access and activities.
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code sections 124.301, 147.76, 147.107, and 155A.33.
[ARC 4267C, IAB 1/30/19, effective 3/6/19; ARC 5007C, IAB 3/25/20, effective 4/29/20]