Profession-specific standards2 hours
Ethics for Pharmacists
Ethics for pharmacists and technicians: honest dispensing and advice, commercial targets, disclosing errors, shortages and controlled substances.
CA$95DetailsAdd to cart
Profession-specific standards
Professional Standards for Pharmacists
NAPRA and provincial standards, fitness to practise and self-reporting, confidentiality at the counter, social media, boundaries and responding to a regulator for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
- 2hours (estimated)
- 7sections
- 10final questions
- 80%pass mark
- PDFcertificate
- Online and self-paced, on any device
- Reflective account template
- Knowledge checks in every section
- Instant certificate of completion
What you will learn
- Explain professionalism in Canadian pharmacy and why it applies to your own conduct, your team and the pharmacy you manage.
- Distinguish the roles of provincial pharmacy regulators, NAPRA and CPhA.
- Apply integrity, respect, accountability, altruism and professional conduct in dispensing and advice.
- Meet standards for communication, confidentiality, digital conduct and fitness to practise, including self-reporting duties.
- Maintain professional boundaries with patients, including in small communities and virtual services.
- Describe how pharmacy regulators investigate concerns and what they look for in a written response.
- Use reflection, insight and remediation to strengthen professionalism and rebuild trust.
Who this course is for
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Canada, including pharmacy managers.
After a concern
Structured learning and a written reflection to show insight after a complaint, an investigation or a college inquiry.
Routine CPD
Focused learning on a core standard of practice, with a certificate and reflection for your portfolio.
About this course
Pharmacists are among the most accessible and trusted health professionals, and professionalism in pharmacy means consistently putting patient safety and welfare ahead of commercial or personal interest. This course explains how pharmacy is regulated in Canada: provincial and territorial regulators that license pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacies; NAPRA's Model Standards of Practice and National Drug Schedules; and the role of CPhA. It explains why professionalism applies at three levels, your own conduct, your team and, for pharmacy managers, the premises.
It covers the core attributes of integrity, respect, accountability, altruism and conduct, then the professional standards expected in Canadian pharmacy: communication with patients and prescribers, fitness to practise and self-reporting with a practical checklist, confidentiality in open pharmacy settings under PIPEDA and provincial law, digital professionalism, and expanding roles in immunization and minor-ailment prescribing. A boundaries section addresses the power imbalance, dual relationships and sexual abuse rules, team relationships, virtual services across provincial lines and cultural safety, with a worked case on a small-town patient seeking a personal relationship.
The final sections explain common breaches, how regulators investigate, possible outcomes and review routes in Ontario, a worked case on a stigmatizing social media post and what a regulator looks for in your written response. The course closes with self-awareness, reflective practice, insight and remediation. It is for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across Canada, including those responding to a complaint or investigation.
Course details
- Learning time
- 2 hours (estimated learning time including knowledge checks, reflection and assessment)
- Standards covered
- NAPRA Model Standards of Practice and National Drug Schedules; provincial pharmacy regulator standards and codes of ethics (e.g. Ontario College of Pharmacists, Alberta College of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacists of British Columbia); CPhA guidance; Ontario's RHPA, 1991 (self-reporting, sexual abuse reporting, ICRC, HPARB); PIPEDA and provincial health-privacy laws (e.g. PHIPA); TRC Calls to Action and In Plain Sight
- Format
- Online and self-paced: gated lessons with knowledge checks, worked cases, a reflective account and a final assessment
- Assessment
- 10 scenario-based multiple-choice questions, 80% to pass (8 of 10), with an explanation for each answer
- Outcome
- Certificate of completion and a written reflective account you can keep for your CPD or quality-assurance record
Course curriculum
7 sections · 28 lessons · 2 hours (estimated) · 10-question final assessment
-
1Introduction3 lessons
- The meaning of professionalism in Canadian pharmacy practice
- Why professionalism matters for patient safety, trust, and public confidence
- Oversight of professional standards by NAPRA and provincial and territorial pharmacy regulators
-
2Core Attributes5 lessons
- Integrity and honesty in pharmacy practice
- Respect, compassion, and treating patients with dignity
- Accountability to patients, colleagues, regulators, and society
- Altruism and service: prioritizing patient welfare in pharmacy
- Professional appearance, communication, and conduct in all settings
-
3Professional Standards5 lessons
- Expectations for clear and respectful communication with patients and prescribers
- Fitness to practise, complaints, and mandatory reporting
- Confidentiality and appropriate use of patient health information
- Digital professionalism: responsible use of records, technology, and social media
- Professionalism beyond dispensing: leadership, teaching, and public health advocacy
-
4Boundaries & Relationships5 lessons
- Understanding the pharmacist-patient power imbalance
- Avoiding dual relationships: financial, social, or sexual
- Maintaining professional relationships with colleagues and teams
- Boundaries in digital interactions and virtual pharmacy services
- Cultural sensitivity and professionalism in a diverse Canadian healthcare system
-
5Breaches of Standards4 lessons
- Common breaches in pharmacy practice
- How concerns are reported and investigated by pharmacy regulators
- Possible outcomes of investigations
- Wider impacts of unprofessional behaviour
-
6Reflection, Insight & Remediation5 lessons
- Self-awareness as the foundation of professionalism
- Reflective practice as required by pharmacy regulators
- Demonstrating insight when standards are questioned
- Remediation options: CPD, supervision, mentorship, counselling, or practice changes
- Rebuilding trust through accountability and growth
-
7Conclusion & Key Takeaways1 lesson
- Key takeaways
Assessment and certificate
Final assessment
10scenario-based questions
- Pass mark 80%: 8 correct out of 10
- Knowledge checks in each section as you go
- Tests whether you can apply the standards, not recall a page
- Not passed yet? Review the sections and retake it
Certificate of completion
A certificate of completion for your learning portfolio.
- Your name, the course title and the estimated learning time (record the time you actually spend)
- Completion date and a unique certificate ID that can be verified
- Ready to download as a PDF as soon as you complete the course
Fitness To Practice
Certificate of Completion
This certifies that
Your Name
has successfully completed
Professional Standards for Pharmacists
2hours (estimated)
Continuing professional development record — Canada
Your reflective account
The course includes a structured reflective account template: guided prompts to record what you learned, how you will apply it and how the change will show in your practice. It gives you written evidence of insight after a concern, and a ready record for your CPD portfolio.
Write it in your own words and leave out anything that could identify a patient, a colleague or a case. If you have an open complaint or case, talk to your adviser before reflecting on it in writing.
Questions about this course
Is the course for pharmacy technicians as well as pharmacists?
Yes. Pharmacy technicians are regulated health professionals in most provinces, registered with the same regulator as pharmacists and accountable for their own practice. The course also covers the added accountability of a pharmacist who acts as pharmacy manager.
What is the role of NAPRA compared with my provincial college?
Provincial and territorial regulators, such as the Ontario College of Pharmacists, the Alberta College of Pharmacy and the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, license and discipline. NAPRA is their national alliance: it develops the Model Standards of Practice and manages the National Drug Schedules but does not license. CPhA is the national professional body.
What must I self-report to my regulator?
Using Ontario's RHPA as an example, the course lists reportable matters such as findings of guilt, certain criminal charges and bail conditions, negligence or malpractice findings and findings by another regulator, plus the duty to report sexual abuse of a patient by another regulated professional. A practical checklist covers time limits, reporting in writing, keeping copies and answering renewal questions honestly.
Does it cover social media?
Yes. A worked case examines a public post about drug seekers that allowed a patient to recognize herself, and sets out what a regulator is likely to look at, including identifiability, stigmatizing language, how quickly the post was removed and whether the pharmacist understands why it was wrong.
How does it handle boundaries in a small community?
A worked case covers a long-standing patient, treated for depression, who invites the pharmacist to dinner, sends friend requests and asks for a date. It explains how to decline kindly, continue respectful care, consider transferring care, document and check the regulator's rules on who counts as a patient.
What does a regulator look for in my written response to a complaint?
A factual, respectful account that addresses each concern, reference to the relevant standards, acknowledgment of the impact on the patient, evidence of steps already taken and advice obtained early from your professional liability insurer.
Will my college accept this course for continuing competence?
Each regulator sets its own continuing-competence requirements and decides what it accepts. You receive a certificate of completion and a written reflection for your learning record.
How long is it and how is it assessed?
About 2 hours online and self-paced, with knowledge checks, a written reflection and a final assessment of 10 questions (80% to pass). It costs CA$95.
How this course was built
Official sources only
Every legal and regulatory point comes from primary sources: provincial and territorial health professions statutes, the regulatory colleges' standards and codes, and federal and provincial privacy law. Anything we cannot confirm is left out.
Original, edition by edition
Lessons, scenarios and assessment questions are written by us for each edition separately, then checked for accuracy, teaching quality and fair assessment before publication.
Reviewed when rules change
When a code, standard or law changes, the affected courses are reviewed and updated. Reported errors in legal or regulatory facts are corrected first.
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