Assessor Resource

SIRCHCS409
Advise on diet, nutrition and weight-management products and services

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


This unit applies to community pharmacy employees working as pharmacy assistants or dispensary assistants. Pharmacy assistants work directly with customers and may suggest Pharmacy Medicines or unscheduled medicines for weight management. In situations where customers require referral to a pharmacist for therapeutic advice, or where the supply of Pharmacist Only Medicines or products is required, the pharmacy assistant gathers information, refers the customer on, and then supports the pharmacist by finalising the supply of medicines and products.

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

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to advise customers on products, services and customer self-care practices relating to diet, nutrition and weight management.

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

Prerequisites

SIRCHCS201

Support the supply of Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines


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:

access specialist sources of information to assist the customer and maintain personal currency of knowledge

advise customers on the role of a healthy diet in maintaining an ideal body weight

apply knowledge of medicine and products for nutrition and weight management when recommending and selling products

follow pharmacy procedures when supplying diet, nutrition and weight-management medicines and products

provide information to customers in ways appropriate to customer needs and demonstrate appropriate techniques to confirm understanding

recognise and act on situations or requests requiring referral to a pharmacist.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure that competency is:

observed by the assessor or the technical expert working in partnership with the assessor as described in the assessment guidelines

demonstrated across a range of customers over sufficient time to include handling of a range of contingencies

demonstrated in a real or simulated pharmacy environment, which may include customer interruptions and involvement in other related activities normally expected in the pharmacy.

Assessment must ensure access to:

a range of real or simulated customers with different diet, nutrition or weight-management requirements

a range of diet, nutrition and weight-management products

pharmacy protocols and procedures

relevant documentation, such as:

diet, nutrition and weight-management medicines, products and service information

self-care and lifestyle advice.

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 candidate in the workplace:

seeking information to establish customer requirements

recommending and selling diet, nutrition and weight-management medicines and products to a range of customers

identifying and acting on triggers for referral to a pharmacist

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

role plays to confirm communication skills to meet diverse customer requirements

review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace 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:

interact with the customer to:

ask questions to identify and confirm requirements

provide information

confirm understanding

explain pharmacy nutrition and weight-management services

recommend and supply nutrition and weight-management medicines, products, aids and equipment

provide advice on lifestyle, self-care practices, specialist services and practitioners

refer to a pharmacist or other pharmacy staff where relevant

use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences

use and interpret non-verbal communication

learning skills to maintain currency of knowledge about diet, nutrition and weight-management medicines and products

literacy skills to:

interpret product and self-care information

use specialist information and services to support the management of diet, nutrition and weight-related conditions

follow pharmacy procedures

planning and organising skills to organise own work to meet customer service requirements

teamwork skills to operate as part of a pharmacy team, providing relevant information and seeking advice from a pharmacist and other pharmacy staff as required

technology skills to access and use information systems required by the role

Required knowledge

common diet, nutrition and weight-related conditions and contributing factors

common interactions of diet, nutrition and weight-management products with other medicines

health claims versus evidence-based assessment of the efficacy of diet, nutrition and weight-management related medicines and products

indicators of weight-related conditions, e.g.body mass index parameters

impact of diet on health conditions, including:

principles of a balanced diet

relationship between diet-related disease and the excessive consumption of saturated fat, sodium and sugar

role of hydration

lifestyle factors affecting weight management

personal role boundaries and responsibilities, and circumstances under which referral to a pharmacist or other pharmacy staff is required

pharmacy protocols and procedures relating to the supply of diet, nutrition and weight-management products, including:

collecting required information from customers

collecting and supplying information to an agent acting on behalf of a customer

identifying and acting on triggers for referral to a pharmacist

identifying and supplying the relevant medicines, information, aids and equipment to meet customer needs

respecting and protecting customer privacy

principles of nutrition and the healthy diet pyramid, including nutritional composition of the five food groups

pharmacy range of diet, nutrition and weight-management medicines and products

relevant product and health condition terminology

sources of information, advice and specialist services relating to diet, nutrition and weight management

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.

Common diet, nutrition and weight-management related conditions may include:

anorexia

bulimia

obesity

overeating

post-surgery weight loss

under eating

weight loss due to illness.

Diet, nutrition and weight-management products may include:

complementary medicine meal replacement programs

nutritional supplements

pharmacy medication

vitamins and supplements.

Evidence-based assessment may include:

objective technical methods

clinical testing

sensory analysis by trained panels or by consumers

consumer or market research

published and peer reviewed outcomes.

Sources of information, specialist services and practitioners may include:

dieticians

doctors

health-care information

industry and professional publication

pharmacists

pharmacy or manufacturer product leaflets, brochures and manuals

support organisations

relevant websites.

Protocols and procedures may include:

interacting with the customer to establish:

who the product is for

symptoms

duration of symptoms

other existing health conditions

other medications being used by the customer

assessing:

customer responses to questions

own confidence that the product or service requested by the customer or envisaged by the pharmacy assistant is right for the customer’s symptoms.

Customer may include people:

from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying mental and physical abilities

visiting the pharmacy, contacting the pharmacy by phone, or in their own home

with special needs, such as:

the elderly

infants

who are:

drug or alcohol affected

emotionally unstable

mentally unstable

physically unwell.

Triggers for referral to a pharmacist must include:

customer who is:

a child under 2

an aged person

pregnant or breastfeeding

taking other medicines

customer who has:

had the complaint for some time

other health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure

used the product before but is not satisfied with its efficacy

customer appears to be:

sick

confused

uncertain

dissatisfied

angry

under the influence of drugs or alcohol

pharmacy assistant is unsure and needs confirmation of the product selected, even if the product has been requested by name

request for Pharmacist Only Medicine.

Scheduled medicines may include:

Pharmacy Medicines (S2)

Pharmacist Only Medicines(S3)

Prescription Only Medicines (S4).

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
Identify the role of food, nutrients and other important food substances in relation to the body’s function and maintaining a healthy weight. 
Recognise signs and symptoms of common diet, nutrition and weight-management related conditions. 
Identify and locate the pharmacy range of diet, nutrition and weight-management products. 
Ensure that supplier claims and published advertising or research are supported by evidence-based assessment outcomes. 
Identify and access sources of information, specialist services and practitioners. 
Follow pharmacy protocols and procedures to determine the customer and their needs and symptoms, including duration and severity. 
Establish what medicines and products have been tried to assist weight management. 
Identify and act on triggers for referral to a pharmacist. 
Follow pharmacy procedures to respect and protect customer privacy. 
Finalise supply of scheduled medicines and products to customers, or after pharmacist provision of therapeutic advice where required. 
Provide customers with information on lifestyle, self-care practices and specialist services relating to diet, nutrition and weight management. 
Recommend nutrition and weight-management products appropriate to customer’s symptoms and needs. 
Provide the customer with information and directions for product use. 
Identify and act on opportunities to suggest companion products relevant to desired health-care outcomes. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

SIRCHCS409 - Advise on diet, nutrition and weight-management products and services
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

SIRCHCS409 - Advise on diet, nutrition and weight-management products and services

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: