Innovations-Magazine-NovDec-2023 - 16

INTERVIEW WITH A BOARD MEMBER
Steven P. Irsfeld, RPh
President, North Dakota Board of Pharmacy
When were you appointed to
the Board of Pharmacy? Are
you a pharmacist, technician,
public member, or other type
of member?
North Dakota Board
of Pharmacy
Number of
Board Members
5 pharmacist
members, 1 pharmacy
technician member,
and 1 public member
Number of
Compliance
Officers/Inspectors
4
Rules & Regulations
Established by
State Board of
Pharmacy
Number of
Pharmacist Licensees
2,431
Number of
Pharmacies
964
Number of
Wholesale
Distributors
1,444
I was appointed to the North Dakota Board
of Pharmacy in May 2014 as a pharmacist
member. Members are appointed by the
governor for a five-year term and can
be reappointed for a second term. My
father was on the Board in the 1980s
and had the opportunity to license me
after I graduated from pharmacy school.
Twenty-six years later, while serving on
the Board, I was able to participate in
the licensing for my daughter upon her
graduation from North Dakota State
University College of Pharmacy.
In your opinion, what steps should
a board member take to be
successful in their role?
The boards that I have been a member
of have always been composed of
members who represented a diverse
scope of practice, which allowed us to
tap into each individual's knowledge
and talents when issues specific to their
types of practice arose. So, bringing
your knowledge and experience to the
board and sharing them is important. In
addition, not being afraid to ask difficult
questions is extremely important and
having discussions that, at times, can
become a little heated are both important
to solving problems in our profession.
Lastly, adhering to your board's mission
statement in all the decisions is crucial.
What are some recent policies,
legislation, or regulations your
Board has implemented or is
currently working on?
Our Board has always been a proponent
for the advancement of pharmacy
technicians. In North Dakota, qualified
pharmacy technicians are allowed to give
vaccinations and to screen patients when
they pick up their prescription refills.
14 | NOV/DEC 2023
Has the Board encountered any
challenges to developing and/or
implementing these new policies,
legislation, or regulations?
In the fast-paced, high-volume world of
pharmacy, making changes can be a challenge.
Our inspectors are incredible regarding the
educational aspect of their pharmacy visits,
giving pharmacies ideas on how to implement
new changes to the practice. I think this
will always be a challenge as reimbursement
continues to erode.
What advice would you give to a
new board member?
Read your state's pharmacy law book from
start to finish because we typically access
it for specific issues within our practice.
You will also need to learn to shift from a
practitioner's point of view to a regulator's
point of view when making decisions.
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 try to attend the NABP Annual Meeting
each year, as I enjoy meeting other board
members and being involved in the process
of molding the profession for the next
generation. The Board typically has a
large group that goes to these meetings,
including students who present posters at the
Educational Poster Session, so we are able to
get to know each other better in this relaxed
environment, further solidifying our Board.
I have been blessed to be a member of the
Board for nine years and have worked with
many talented individuals along the way.
Having an executive director like Mark J.
Hardy, PharmD, and an incredible Board staff
makes all of our positions just a little easier.
Innovations-Magazine-NovDec-2023

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