MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING BASICS AND INTRODUCTION TO POLAR*S

This training is designed to utilize POLAR*S which will to guide you through a brief intervention.  The POLAR*S steps help support a collaborative conversation and should not be used as a linear checklist.  The POLAR*S steps are:

Permission - Open-ended Questions - Listening Reflectively - Affirmation - Roll with Ambivalence - Summary

Target Audience

Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians.

Suggested Additional Reading:

  1. Babor, T. F., McRee, B. G., Kassebaum, P. A., Grimaldi, P. L., Ahmed, K., & Bray, J. (2007). Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT): toward a public health approach to the management of substance abuse. Substance abuse, 28(3), 7–30. https://doi.org/10.1300/J465v28n03_03
  2. Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2013). Applications of motivational interviewing. Motivational interviewing: Helping people change (3rd edition). New York, NY, US: Guilford Press.
  3. Pringle JL, Aldridge A, Boyer A, Conklin M, McCullough J. The Pennsylvania Project: Pharmacist Intervention Improved Medication Adherence and Reduced Health Care Costs. Health Affairs. 2014;33(8), 1444-1452.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the role of brief intervention in supporting patients.
  • List the elements of the spirit of motivational interviewing (MI).
  • Identify effective communication strategies for conducting brief interventions.
  • Apply the POLAR*S model to patient scenarios.
  • Use the POLAR*S model to conduct a brief intervention.

Disclaimer Statement

The information presented at this CME program represents the views and opinions of the individual presenters, and does not constitute the opinion or endorsement of, or promotion by, the UPMC Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences, UPMC / University of Pittsburgh Medical Center or Affiliates and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.  Reasonable efforts have been taken intending for educational subject matter to be presented in a balanced, unbiased fashion and in compliance with regulatory requirements. However, each program attendee must always use his/her own personal and professional judgment when considering further application of this information, particularly as it may relate to patient diagnostic or treatment decisions including, without limitation, FDA-approved uses and any off-label uses.

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 ACPE Pharmacy
    The UPMC Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a Provider of continuing pharmacy education.
    • 1.00 Opioid Education
  • 1.00 ACPE Technician
    The UPMC Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a Provider of continuing pharmacy education.
  • 1.00 Attendance
    • 1.00 Opioid Education
Course opens: 
09/01/2023
Course expires: 
09/01/2026
University of Pittsburgh Program Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU)
United States
University of Pittsburgh Program Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU)

Course Directors

Jessica Northcott, MSW, LCSW - Program Manager at University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy PERU

Shannon Miller, MSW, MPPM - Senior Program Implementation Specialist, IHSI

Planning Committee

Jessica Northcott, MSW, LCSW - Program Manager, IHSI

Caitlin Walsh, CPhT, MA, PhD - Associate Program Implementation Specialist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy Program Evaluation Research Unit (PERU)

Shannon Miller, MSW, MPPM - Senior Program Implementation Specialist, IHSI

Kathleen (Kate) Cridlebaugh, BS - Associate Instructional Designer, T&C

Kaitlyn Sullivan, PharmD, RPh - Owner of Palmer Pharmacy LLC.

Brianna McDonough, MPH, CPH - Manager of Training and Instructional Design, T&C


Faculty Disclosure: 

All individuals in a position to control the content of this education activity including members of the planning committee, speakers, presenters, authors, and/or content reviewers have disclosed all relevant financial relationships with any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services, used on, or consumed by, patients.

No planners, members of the planning committee, speakers, presenters, authors, content reviewers and/or anyone else in a position to control the content of this education activity have relevant financial relationships to disclose.

In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Pharmacy (CPE)
This knowledge-based activity provides 1.0 contact hours of continuing pharmacy education credit.  

JA4008223-0000-23-215-H04-P

Other Healthcare Professionals Other health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 ACPE Pharmacy
    The UPMC Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a Provider of continuing pharmacy education.
    • 1.00 Opioid Education
  • 1.00 ACPE Technician
    The UPMC Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a Provider of continuing pharmacy education.
  • 1.00 Attendance
    • 1.00 Opioid Education
Please login or register to take this course.

This educational training for this site is hosted on this PERU Home - PERU (pitt.edu) website. The direct link to this training is https://projectlifeline.pharmacy.pitt.edu/training/.

Please only log in or register on this site in order to complete the course evaluation and obtain your credits and certificate.