Innovations-Magazine-May-2023 - 12

INTERVIEW WITH A BOARD MEMBER
Sabrina Beck, PharmD, RP
Member, Nebraska Board of Pharmacy
When were you appointed to
the Board of Pharmacy? Are you
a pharmacist, technician, public
member, or other type of member?
I joined the Nebraska Board of Pharmacy
in September 2016 as a hospital
pharmacist member.
Nebraska Department of Health
and Human Services, Division of
Public Health, Licensure Unit
Number of Board
Members
4 pharmacist members
and 1 public member
Number of
Compliance
Officers/Inspectors
3
Rules & Regulations
Established by
Board of Pharmacy
and the Division
of Public Health,
Licensure Unit
Number of
Pharmacist Licensees
5,495
Number of
Pharmacies
478
Number of
Wholesale
Distributors
502
In your opinion, what steps should
a board member take to be
successful in their role?
I believe that it is important for board members
to maintain a working knowledge of pharmacy
law. Specifically, it is important to be aware of
department of health revisions to regulations
as well as pending legislation being discussed
in the legislature. Both of these topics are
reviewed as part of standing agenda items for
Board meetings. The Board works closely with
the Nebraska Pharmacists Association and area
schools and colleges of pharmacy to assess the
impact of proposed changes.
What are some recent policies,
legislation, or regulations that
your Board has implemented or is
currently working on?
Nebraska is going through a process to
rewrite regulations to decrease redundancies
and overlap between statutes and regulations.
The Board also recently worked to help
clarify restrictions around naloxone
dispensing throughout the state. The Board
added naloxone to the delegated dispensing
formulary to allow dispensing by emergency
rooms through Nebraska's delegated
dispensing process.
Has the Board encountered any
challenges to developing and/or
implementing these new policies,
legislation, or regulations?
I would not say that the Board encounters
challenges; however, the contrast between the
intent of legislation and the interpretation
of legislation is often stark. I am much more
aware of the impact of word choices. The
details are not always exciting, but they can be
powerful in the way they influence practice.
10 | MAY 2023
What advice would you give to a
new Board member?
I recommend that new Board members take
advantage of opportunities to network with
the schools and colleges of pharmacy and the
pharmacy associations. These organizations
and professionals are tremendous allies who
can help communicate, educate on, and
advocate for changes to state regulations and
laws. We generally have good attendance
at Board meetings, but I always encourage
pharmacy students to attend and ask
questions when they are available.
Have you served as a member of any
NABP task forces or committees, or
attended NABP or district meetings?
If so, in your experience, what are
the benefits of participating in these
NABP activities?
I have participated in a couple of task forces,
the most recent being the Task Force on
Requirements for Pharmacy Technician
Education. In addition, I currently serve on
NABP's Committee on Law Enforcement/
Legislation. I regularly attend District 5
meetings, as I have found them helpful
in facilitating conversation between the
schools and colleges of pharmacy and
the boards about national initiatives that
result from what happens at the district
level. Participating in NABP task forces
and committees gives board members the
opportunity to see how others approach
issues similar to the unique problems that
we may be facing in Nebraska.
For example, I have appreciated and
valued the opportunity to provide feedback
and opinions on issues and on updates to the
Model State Pharmacy Act and Model Rules
of the National Association of Boards
of Pharmacy.
https://nabp.pharmacy/members/board-resources/
Innovations-Magazine-May-2023

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