Analysis of the Practice of Nutrition Support Pharmacy Specialists

Abstract

In 1988 the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BPS) recognized nutrition support pharmacy practice (NSPP) as one of four specialty areas in pharmacy. The BPS appointed a specialty council to develop and manage the process for board certification of qualified specialists. One step was to identify and validate activities performed by the specialists. This was accomplished by conducting a study that delineated the role of these practitioners and also provided information for developing a blueprint for a certification examination. The results revealed the types of practice settings, education, and training for specialists, and the distribution of professional time devoted to nutrition support activities.