LA MPJE cheat sheet

Louisiana pharmacist license: must be at least 18, graduate of an ACPE-accredited college of pharmacy, pass NAPLEX and MPJE, and complete internship hours required by the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy (currently 1,000 hours).

Pharmacist license renewal in Louisiana is annual by December 31; 30 hours of ACPE-accredited continuing education per year, including at least 3 hours in pharmacy law and 2 hours in opioid prescribing/management.

Pharmacy technician certification in Louisiana: must register with the Board within 10 days of hire; national certification (PTCB or NHA) required within 12 months of registration unless exempt; annual renewal with 20 hours CE.

Pharmacy license (permit) renewal in Louisiana is annual by June 30; separate permits are required for each physical location and for non-dispensing activities such as repackaging.

Reciprocity/licensure by transfer: pharmacist must hold an active license in another state, meet Louisiana internship/CE requirements, and pass the Louisiana MPJE; no NAPLEX retake required.

Unprofessional conduct includes practicing without a current license, allowing an unlicensed person to perform pharmacist-only duties, and failing to report a change of address within 10 days.

Louisiana requires a separate Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) license for each pharmacy location; renewal is annual by June 30 and requires a current DEA registration.

Preceptor requirements: Louisiana preceptors must have at least 1 year of practice experience, hold an active license, and be approved by the Board; a preceptor may supervise no more than the ratio set by Board rule (currently 2 interns per preceptor).

Prescription label requirements in Louisiana: pharmacy name and address, prescription number, date filled, patient name, drug name/strength/quantity, directions for use, prescriber name, and expiration/ beyond-use date.

A prescription may be refilled only if the prescriber authorized refills; in Louisiana, Schedule III-V prescriptions are valid for 6 months from the date written and may not be refilled more than 5 times unless the prescriber specifies otherwise.

Generic substitution is permitted in Louisiana unless the prescriber writes 'dispense as written' or 'brand medically necessary'; the pharmacist must inform the patient of the substitution and record it.

Patient counseling is required for each new prescription and when a refill is dispensed with a change in dose, strength, or directions; counseling may be declined by the patient and the refusal documented.

Prescription transfers between pharmacies: Louisiana allows one-time transfer of non-controlled prescriptions and up to the number of refills remaining for controlled substances with certain restrictions; the transferring pharmacist must record the transfer.

Emergency oral prescriptions for Schedule II drugs: pharmacist may dispense up to a 5-day supply if the prescriber cannot provide a written prescription; the prescriber must deliver a written prescription within 7 days.

Louisiana requires a prescription to be retained for at least 2 years from the date of last refill; records must be readily retrievable and available for Board inspection.

Pharmacists may administer immunizations to patients aged 3 and older under a statewide protocol; for patients under 9, a prescription is required. Pharmacist must report administered vaccines to LINKS within 30 days.

Louisiana Schedule II prescriptions must be written, electronically prescribed, or oral in an emergency; they are valid for 90 days from the date written and may not be refilled.

PDMP (Louisiana Prescription Monitoring Program) query is required before dispensing any opioid, benzodiazepine, or other controlled substance listed by the Board; pharmacists must check the PDMP for each new controlled substance prescription and at least every 90 days for continuing therapy.

Mandatory PDMP reporting: dispensers must report controlled substance dispensing data to the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy by the next business day after dispensing.

Schedule II inventory: a complete and accurate inventory of all controlled substances must be taken every 2 years (biennial) and maintained for at least 2 years; newly scheduled drugs require an initial inventory.

Theft or significant loss of controlled substances must be reported to the DEA in writing within 1 business day of discovery and to the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy within 24 hours.

Louisiana limits opioid prescriptions for acute pain to a 7-day supply for adults and a 7-day supply for minors (with exceptions for chronic pain, cancer, palliative care, and sickle cell).

DEA Form 222 (or CSOS) is required to order Schedule I and II substances; Schedule III-V substances may be ordered via invoice. Power of attorney allows an agent to sign 222 forms.

Schedule V prescriptions may be refilled as authorized by the prescriber but not beyond 6 months from the date written; Schedule III and IV prescriptions may not be filled or refilled more than 6 months after the date written.

Louisiana requires a pharmacist-in-charge (PIC) for every pharmacy; the PIC is responsible for compliance with all laws, recordkeeping, and personnel supervision, and must notify the Board within 10 days of a change.

Pharmacy technician ratio in Louisiana: a pharmacist may supervise no more than 3 technicians at one time (excluding clerical staff); a certified technician may perform additional duties under direct supervision.

The pharmacy must have a designated prescription department area that is secure, well-lit, and accessible only to authorized personnel; the area must be locked when a pharmacist is not on duty.

Required references: current Louisiana pharmacy law, federal controlled substances law, and a current drug reference (or electronic equivalent) must be available in the pharmacy.

Continuous quality improvement (CQI) program is required; medication errors and near misses must be documented and reviewed, and the program must be described in the policy manual.

Drug storage temperature: room temperature 15-25°C (59-77°F); refrigeration 2-8°C (36-46°F); freezer -25 to -10°C (-13 to 14°F); excursions must be documented and evaluated.

Pharmacy security: alarm system, limited access, and a policy for reporting break-ins to the Board and DEA; theft of controlled substances requires immediate reporting.

Personnel records: proof of current licensure/registration, training, and CE must be maintained for each employee and available for inspection.

Federal Controlled Substances Act: Schedule II drugs have high abuse potential and no accepted medical use for some; Schedule III-V have lower abuse potential and accepted medical use; schedules are updated by DEA rulemaking.

HIPAA Privacy Rule: protected health information may be disclosed for treatment, payment, and operations without authorization; other disclosures require patient authorization unless an exception applies.

Louisiana law requires reporting of suspected child abuse, elder abuse, and dependent adult abuse to the appropriate authorities; pharmacists are mandatory reporters.

Federal law prohibits dispensing a prescription without a valid prescriber-patient relationship; Louisiana requires a valid prescription for all legend drugs and controlled substances.

DEA registration must be renewed every 3 years; a separate registration is required for each principal place of business where controlled substances are dispensed.

Louisiana Board of Pharmacy rule: a pharmacist must report any arrest, charge, or conviction for a drug-related offense to the Board within 10 days.

Federal Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act: scheduled listed chemical products (pseudoephedrine, ephedrine) must be kept behind the counter or in a locked cabinet; sales limited to 3.6 g per day and 9 g per 30 days per purchaser, with logbook and ID verification.

Pharmacists must maintain patient confidentiality; disclosure of prescription information without consent is permitted only for treatment, payment, legal requirements, or to prevent serious harm.

Conflict of interest: pharmacists may not accept gifts or compensation that influence clinical decisions; financial relationships with prescribers or manufacturers must be disclosed.

Medication error reporting: Louisiana requires reporting of serious medication errors to the Board within 24 hours; errors causing death or serious injury must also be reported to the patient and family.

Impaired pharmacist: a pharmacist who is unable to practice with reasonable skill due to alcohol or drug impairment must be reported to the Board and may be referred to the Louisiana Professionals Assistance Program.

Patient safety: pharmacists must verify prescription accuracy, perform drug utilization review, and counsel on high-risk medications; use of error-prone abbreviations (e.g., U for units) is prohibited.

Ethical duty to report: pharmacists must report unethical or illegal conduct of colleagues to the Board; retaliation against a reporter is prohibited.

Informed consent: pharmacists must obtain patient consent for immunizations and for sharing of prescription information with third parties (e.g., family members) unless authorized by law.

Louisiana requires pharmacists to provide a written prescription or transfer information to the patient upon request; refusal to provide is unprofessional conduct.