Training for Pharmacists for the Supply and Administration of Emergency Medicines
Pharmacists who have completed the required training, are permitted to administer five medicines for the purpose of saving life or reducing severe distress in certain emergency situations:
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anaphylaxis (adrenaline),
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asthma attack (salbutamol inhaler),
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hypoglycaemia (glucagon injection),
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angina attack(glyceryl trinitrate aerosol) and
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opioid overdose (naloxone).
Read the legislation which allows for these services.
How can I complete training?
You can contact the Irish Institute of Pharmacy (IIOP) to find out how to register and complete the required training programmes. Most of the training programmes are available online, so you can complete them in your own time. Most programmes are free of charge. There is a fee associated with the Medicines Administration (Parenteral) (PAMT) training programme.
What training do I need to complete?
There are seven training programmes available in total. You will receive a certificate of completion once you complete each training programme.
The number of training programmes you will have to complete will depend on what services you wish to provide. Some services, such as the administration of adrenaline in anaphylaxis (autoinjector), only require two training programmes to be completed. Other services, such as the supply and administration of glucagon, require four training programmes to be completed.
A diagram of the training programmes is set out below. This is known as a ‘modular’ system of training and was first introduced in 2016. Some of the training programmes are the same as those required to supply and administer vaccinations. If you have competed training in these programmes previously and still have a valid certificate for this training, you do not have to complete the training again.
Which training requirements do I need to complete?
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- If you wish to provide adrenaline (autoinjector only), you will need to have valid training in CPR and RESMA
- If you wish to provide adrenaline (autoinjector and ampoule presentations), you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA and PAMT
- If you wish to provide salbutamol inhaler, you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA and salbutamol
- If you wish to provide glucagon injection, you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA, PAMT and glucagon
- If you wish to provide glyceryl trinitrate aerosol, you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA and GTN
- If you wish to provide naloxone, you will need to have valid training in CPR, RESMA and naloxone
How long is training valid for?
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| Training programme | Validity period |
| CPR Course for Adults and Children | Two years (or as stated by training provider) |
| Responding to an Emergency Situation and Management of Anaphylaxis (RESMA) | Two years |
| Herpes Zoster (Shingles) Vaccine | Two years |
| Influenza Vaccine | One year/ season |
| Pneumococcal Vaccine | Two years |
| Delivery of a vaccination service | Pharmacists are asked to reflect, self-assess and to evaluate whether they need to refresh their training in this programme, in order to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to safely deliver a vaccination service. The PSI requires that this training programme is repeated if a pharmacist has not vaccinated in the past 12 months (or influenza season). |
| PAMT | Pharmacists are asked to reflect, self-assess and to evaluate whether they need to refresh their training in this programme, in order to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to safely deliver the associated medicines or vaccination service.
The PSI requires that this training programme is repeated if a pharmacist wishes to administer: a vaccine or emergency medicine via an injection route i.e. intramuscular or subcutaneous, which they have never previously administered; or a vaccine or emergency medicine via an injection route which they have neither practised (i.e. administered to a patient) nor been trained in the previous 12 months (or in the case of seasonal influenza vaccination, in the previous flu season).
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| Emergency Medicines |
| Glyceryl Trinitrate Spray | Two years |
| Salbutamol inhaler | Two years
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| Glucagon | Two years
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| Naloxone | Two years
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What do I need to do each year?
You should review the training requirements for the delivery of the services you wish to provide each year. You should check that your training in each training programme is up-to-date. You should also complete a self-declaration form, which will help you to review the requirements and provide a means for you to attest to your competency to deliver the chosen service(s).
If you have any questions about the training requirements, you can email education@psi.ie.