Assessor Resource

SIRCHCS412
Provide Australian Needle and Syringe Program services

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


This unit applies to community pharmacy employees working as pharmacy assistants or dispensary assistants. It limits them to the provision of free ready-made equipment kits and receiving used sharps. All requests for therapeutic advice must be referred to a pharmacist.

Persons providing NSP services are required to work under the supervision of a pharmacist.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to provide service to customers of the Australian Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) offered by some pharmacies.

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

Prerequisites

Not applicable.


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 pharmacy procedures to supply ready-made equipment packs and collect used sharps containers

follow pharmacy procedures to protect customer privacy

refer to relevant sources of information regarding support agencies to inform customers when requested

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

plan and carry out work to meet efficient customer service workflow requirements.

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:

pharmacy protocols and procedures

NSP operational guidelines

a range of real or simulated customers with NSP requirements

ready-made equipment kits, including sharps containers

a large pharmacy sharps disposal container

relevant documentation, such as:

NSP statistical forms

list of relevant local and online support services and agencies.

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:

assessing customer requirements

providing ready-made equipment packs

accepting and disposing of used sharps containers containing used injecting equipment

collecting statistical data if required

providing information regarding relevant support services on request

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 NSP services

refer to a pharmacist or other pharmacy staff where relevant

use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences

use and interpret non-verbal communication

accept and dispose of used equipment to minimise environmental damage

literacy skills to:

apply NSP operational guidelines

follow pharmacy protocols and procedures

record NSP statistical information

planning and organising skills to meet customer service requirements

teamwork skills to operate as part of a pharmacy team and provide relevant information to a pharmacist or other pharmacy staff as required

Required knowledge

pharmacy protocols and procedures relating to NSP policies regarding:

accepting and disposing of used sharps containers

collecting information from customers

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

identifying and acting on situations and responses requiring referral to a pharmacist

protecting customer privacy and anonymity

providing ready-made equipment

NSP operational guidelines

sources of information on self-referral alcohol and drug support agencies

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.

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

if they have seen a doctor

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 requirements may include:

ready-made equipment packs

disposal of used injecting equipment.

Customer may include:

people acting as agents for a customer

the elderly and infirm

people who are:

illicit and injecting drug users

alcohol affected

emotionally unstable

mentally unstable

physically unwell.

Ready-madeequipment packs may include packs containing:

a specified number of syringes

swabs

filters

a sharps container.

NSP statistics may include:

information voluntarily provided by the customer, including:

gender

postcode

age

drug

number of needles and syringes supplied.

Support agencies may include:

community drug and alcohol information services

HIV and hepatitis support groups

outreach programs

men and women’s peer programs.

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 pharmacy protocols and procedures to determine customer requirements. 
Follow pharmacy procedures to respect and protect customer privacy. 
Identify and act on situations or requests requiring referral to a pharmacist. 
Supply ready-made equipment packs to customers. 
Collect NSP statistics if required. 
Accept sealed sharps disposal containers of used injecting equipment and lodge in pharmacy yellow sharps bin. 
Respond to customer requests for information on relevant support agencies. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

SIRCHCS412 - Provide Australian Needle and Syringe Program 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

SIRCHCS412 - Provide Australian Needle and Syringe Program 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: