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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Develop knowledge of pregnancy and maternal health conditions and products.
  2. Identify customer needs.
  3. Provide information and advice to customers.

Required Skills

Required skills

communication skills to

interact with the customer to

ask questions to identify and confirm requirements

provide information

confirm understanding

explain pharmacy pregnancy and maternal health services

recommend and supply pregnancy and maternal health medicines aids and equipment

provide advice on lifestyle selfcare 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 nonverbal communication

learning skills to maintain currency of knowledge about pregnancy and maternal health medicines and products

literacy skills to

interpret product and selfcare information

use specialist information and services to support pregnancy and maternal health conditions

follow pharmacy procedures

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

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

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

Required knowledge

common factors that can contribute to maternal health needs and related lifestyle and selfcare information

common symptoms of pregnancy and maternal health conditions

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 pregnancy and maternal health medicines aids kits and equipment 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

physical and physiological changes that occur during and following pregnancy

pregnancy and maternal health aids and equipment

pregnancy and related health conditions

principles of evidencebased assessment as they apply to assessing the efficacy of medicines used to treat pregnancy and maternal health conditions and awareness of credible sources of information on product range

relevant product and health condition terminology

sources of information advice and specialist services relating to pregnancy and maternal health

use care and storage requirements for aids and equipment

Evidence Required

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 relevant sources of information to assist the customer and maintain currency of knowledge

apply knowledge of medicines aids and equipment when recommending and selling products for pregnancy and maternal health conditions

follow pharmacy protocols and procedures when selling pregnancy and maternal health medicines aids and equipment

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

recognise personal role boundaries 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 pregnancy or maternal health requirements

a range of products and equipment for pregnancy and maternal health conditions

relevant pharmacy protocols and procedures

relevant documentation such as

pregnancy and maternal health products and service information

selfcare 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 supplying pregnancy and maternal health medicines aids and equipment to a range of customers

identifying and acting on triggers for referral to a pharmacist

selling pregnancy and maternal health medicines aids and equipment to a range of customers

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 thirdparty workplace reports of onthejob performance

Guidance information for assessment

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


Range Statement

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.

Pregnancy and maternal health conditions may include:

backache

breast and nipple changes

changes in hair condition

constipation

headache

haemorrhoids

indigestion or heartburn

gestational diabetes

fatigue

postnatal depression

preeclampsia

morning sickness

swelling of hands and feet

varicose veins

weakened nails.

Pregnancy and maternal health products may include:

breast expressing kits

complementary medicines

dietary supplements

maternity pads

morning sickness treatments

nipple care products, including:

nipple shields

nursing pads

nursing accessories, such as pillows

unscheduled medicines

pharmacy medication

pregnancy testing kits

stretch mark and related skincare products.

Sources of information, specialist services and practitioners include:

doctors

health-care information

manufacturer information

medicines databases

industry and professional publications

other health-care specialists

pharmacist

pharmacy or supplier product leaflets, brochures and manuals

support organisations

relevant websites.

Pharmacy protocols and procedures must 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

requested a large quantity of one or more medicines or products

customer appears to be:

sick

angry

confused

dissatisfied

uncertain

under the influence of drugs or alcohol

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

request for Pharmacist Only Medicine.

Scheduled medicinesmay include:

Pharmacy Medicines (S2)

Pharmacist Only Medicines(S3)

Prescription Only Medicines (S4).