Assessor Resource

SIRCDIS406
Assist in preparing dose administration aids

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


This unit applies to dispensary assistants working in the dispensary area of a community pharmacy. The pharmacist in charge of the community pharmacy business is responsible for ensuring that dispensary assistants are limited to those functions that do not require them to exercise professional judgement or discretion.

A person undertaking this role is required to work under the supervision and direction of a pharmacist.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to package or pre-pack pharmaceutical products in dose administration aids (DAAs) under the direction of a pharmacist. It includes setting up pre-packaged doses of prescribed medicines to be administered over set periods. This may be for new and ongoing individual customers or for multiple customers in residential care settings.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

SIRCDIS303

Assist in dispensing prescriptions


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.




Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

apply personal hygiene practices and maintain housekeeping and waste disposal standards in the dispensary packing area

follow pharmacy procedures relating to filling DAAs

pack medicines into DAAs, prepare and attach labels, and reconcile dispensed medicines with DAA packed medicines

locate DAAs and ensure that dispensed medicines for filling meet DAA packing workflow requirements

maintain dispensary DAA record system.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure that competency is:

consistently demonstrated over a period of time and observed by the assessor or the technical expert working in partnership with the assessor as described in the assessment

demonstrated in a real workplace environment that meets Pharmacy Board of Australia and relevant industry standards for the preparation of DAAs.

Assessment must ensure access to:

relevant pharmacy procedures

relevant industry guidelines

dispensary stock control recordkeeping systems

relevant documentation, such as:

drug charts

industry guidelines for packing DAAs

patient or customer medication profiles

prescriptions

service contracts

a range of dispensed medicines

DAAs and related packaging equipment.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

observation of the learner working as part of a dispensary team to:

set up and maintain DAA preparation area

prepare and check filled DAAs

perform DAA-related dispensary tasks

written or oral questions appropriate to the language and literacy level of the learner to test relevant underpinning knowledge

review of portfolios of evidence and third-party reports of on-the-job performance.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

communication skills to:

seek and respond to direction from a pharmacist

request that a pharmacist checks off filled dose aids

initiative and enterprise skills to follow environmental protection practices, such as the identification and handling of products, including:

handling and storage requirements of dispensed items

medicine storage and handling requirements

safe disposal of waste according to pharmacy waste management procedures

literacy skills to:

confirm packing requirements

record information and prepare labels in plain English

follow procedures for preparing packaging containers and related equipment

follow procedures to respect and maintain privacy and confidentiality of patient information

apply prescription or medication record chart requirements

planning and organising skills to:

meet packing workflow requirements

pack and label DAAs

maintain dispensary packing area to meet housekeeping requirements

teamwork skills to:

work effectively under the direction of a pharmacist

work with other staff

technology skills to use dispensary software to record packing details

Required knowledge

protocols of the dispensary area:

checklist and responsibilities for DAA preparation, cleaning and maintenance

system for recording the filling of DAAs

workflow and layout

features and operating requirements of DAA equipment

information to be displayed on DAAs

industry guidelines for packing DAAs

pharmacy procedures relating to:

accessing and maintaining security of the dispensary

disposing of rejected dispensary items according to dispensary procedures, with particular attention to:

minimising waste

maintaining confidentiality of patient information on waste containers

environmental protection practices

safety requirements and personal hygiene requirements

properties, characteristics and applications of different DAAs

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Pharmacy processmay include:

confirming that contents of items to be packed are suitable for placing in a DAA

creating packing records

providing:

information about the service

advice about how to use the DAA.

Safety requirements and personal hygiene procedures may include:

hand washing

tying back long hair or using hairnets

using antibacterial wipes

using tweezers

wearing gloves and other protective clothing.

Dose administration and packaging documentation may include:

drug charts

industry guidelines for packing DAAs

patient or patient medication profiles

service contracts

orders.

Packaging containersmay include:

tamper-proof DAAs and containers

blister packs

re-usable dosette boxes.

Equipmentmay be operated manually or automatically and may include:

automated filling equipment

counter trays

heat or press sealing equipment

irons

pill splitters

tweezers.

Labels may include:

ancillary cautionary and advisory labels for the particular substance, where appropriate

required DAA label information, including:

pharmacy name and address

phone number

consumer name

active ingredients

brand name

strength

directions for use

packing date

date of commencement

typical characteristics of the medicine, such as shape or colour

signature of packer and checker.

Pharmacy proceduresfor cleaning andmaintainingmay include:

disinfecting equipment

cleaning work surfaces and equipment

checking that work surfaces and equipment are undamaged

checking equipment calibration

storing packaging equipment.

Dispensary systemmay include:

a record for each patient that includes:

current medications and their doses

items not supplied in the DAA

details of any significant communications with the prescriber

a log of all DAAs packed, and then checked by the pharmacist.

Wastemay include:

packaging materials

unused medications in returned DAAs

unused hard copy DAA packing records

unwanted:

used DAA header cards

packing records.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Follow the pharmacy process for dealing with a new DAA patient where relevant. 
Follow safety requirements and personal hygiene procedures prior to and during packing. 
Check dose administration and packaging documentation, instructions and procedures. 
Set up packaging containers, other consumables and equipment. 
Confirm that all dispensed patient medicines are available and identify requested medications that are not suitable for packing in a DAA. 
Prepare and attach labels to header cards. 
Fill DAAs according to the record of medications to be packed for each patient and pharmacist instructions. 
Include Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) with patient DAAs where relevant. 
Ensure all medications requested by the patient but not packed in the DAA are provided with the DAA. 
Present filled containers, any additional medications, CMI and each patient’s record of medications for evidence checking by a pharmacist to ensure all requested medications are assembled. 
Sign off on document and pack filled containers. 
Store filled DAA orders in designated area awaiting collection or delivery. 
Follow pharmacy procedures to clean and maintain the dose administration area. 
Maintain and follow dispensary system for recording the filling of DAAs. 
Make changes to DAAs already provided to patients as directed by pharmacist. 
Dispose of waste according to environmental requirements, patient privacy protocols and pharmacy waste management procedures. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

SIRCDIS406 - Assist in preparing dose administration aids
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

SIRCDIS406 - Assist in preparing dose administration aids

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: