Some important elements that contribute to safe and effective vaccine injections.
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The Fall 2026-27 Influenza and COVID-19 Immunization Programs are in full swing across Alberta and community pharmacy teams are being counted on to administer vaccines to Albertans.
At this busy time of year, it’s important to remember key elements that contribute to safe and effective vaccine injections:
- Authorization – All pharmacists administering drugs by injection must be authorized by ACP to do so and maintain current certificates in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid. Prior to administering injections, pharmacists are encouraged to confirm their authorization is current by checking their practice permit in myACP. Pharmacists may only administer drugs by injection if their practice permit includes this authorization.
- Private environment – All injections must be administered in a private environment, such as a patient consultation room.
- Informed consent – Just as with any professional service, pharmacists are required to gain the informed consent of the patient prior to administering an injection. This means providing the patient with enough information for the patient to make a voluntary informed decision about their care. The pharmacist must be confident that the patient both understands and agrees to the services which are about to be provided.
- Assess and document – Before administering injections, the pharmacist must assess the patient as described in Domain 7 of the Standards of Practice for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians. Following an injection, the pharmacist must monitor the patient and document details of the assessment, the injection, and the patient outcome.
- Routine precautions, hand hygiene, and infection control – Prior to administering injections, pharmacists must properly perform hand hygiene and use personal protective equipment such as gloves. From the patient perspective, employing infection control measures protects them. Ensure your patient is aware of these measures so they are confident the injection is being safely administered.
Details about these important points and others are covered in ACP’s Advice to the Professions: Administering injections to patients.
Additional information and links to other helpful resources can be found on ACP’s Provincial Immunization Programs webpage, including
- what’s new for 2026-27;
- policy and immunization program guidance;
- pharmacy program updates from Alberta Blue Cross;
- immunization reporting, and
- program-specific information about influenza, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap), and Pneumococcal-C20.
