This unit applies to community pharmacy employees working as pharmacy assistants. It restricts pharmacy assistants to suggesting unscheduled vitamins, mineral and supplements and unscheduled medicines to customers, in situations not requiring referral to a pharmacist for therapeutic advice. In situations where customers seeking vitamins, minerals or supplements require referral to a pharmacist for therapeutic advice, or where the supply of Pharmacist Only Medicines 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.
SIRCHCS201 | Support the supply of Pharmacy Medicines and Pharmacist Only Medicines |
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide. |
1. Collect information on customer vitamin or supplement needs. | 1.1.Approach and question customer to establish who will be using the product. 1.2.Confirm relevant symptoms, their duration and their severity. 1.3.Determine customer satisfaction with vitamins, minerals and supplements that have been tried to relieve symptoms or address needs. 1.4.Identify any other health conditions and medicines the customer is taking. 1.5.Follow pharmacy protocols and procedures to respect and protect customer privacy. |
2. Identify and respond to customer needs and requirements. | 2.1.Assess customer information and determine response. 2.2.Act on triggers for referral to a pharmacist. 2.3.Select and suggest vitamins, minerals and supplements where suited to customer symptoms and needs. 2.4.Follow pharmacy procedures relating to conditions of supply for vitamins, minerals and supplements. |
3. Provide relevant product, self-care and lifestyle information. | 3.1.Explain manufacturer’s product information and confirm customer understanding of directions for product use. 3.2.Suggest companion products relevant to desired health outcomes. 3.3.Provide customers with information on lifestyle, self-care practices and specialist services relating to nutrition and the treatment of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. 3.4.Access and provide relevant sources of self-care information to customers. |
4. Maintain and build own knowledge of commonly requested vitamins, minerals and supplements. | 4.1.Locate the pharmacy range of vitamins, minerals and supplements. 4.2.Check regularly for new additions or changes to the range. |
Required skills |
communication skills to: interact with the customer to: ask questions to identify and confirm requirements provide information confirm understanding suggest and supply vitamin, mineral or supplement products refer customers to a pharmacist or other pharmacy staff use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences use and interpret non-verbal communication learning skills to maintain currency of knowledge about the use of commonly requested vitamins, minerals and supplements literacy skills to: follow pharmacy procedures interpret product and self-care information use specialist information and services to support the management of nutrition planning and organising skills to meet customer service requirements problem-solving skills to assess and respond to customer information teamwork skills to operate as part of a team and provide relevant information to a pharmacist and other pharmacy staff as required technology skills to access and use information systems required by the role |
Required knowledge |
common diet and nutrition-related conditions and contributing factors common causes of vitamin and mineral deficiency, including: inadequate or fad diets excessive alcohol consumption excessive use of laxatives regular consumption of overcooked food lack of sunlight poor food storage overuse of convenience foods food allergies resulting in the omission of important food groups pregnancy and lactation accidents and illness regular athletic performance commonly requested vitamins, minerals and supplements common interactions of vitamins, minerals and supplements that may contraindicate their use along with other medicines groups most commonly at risk of vitamin deficiency health claims versus evidence-based assessment of the efficacy of vitamins, minerals and supplements 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 vitamins, minerals and supplements, 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 and aids to meet customer needs respecting and protecting customer privacy pharmacy range and locations of pharmacy vitamin, mineral and supplements and products product and health condition terminology relevant Pharmacist Only Medicines in the pharmacy range sources of information, advice and specialist services relating to diet and nutrition |
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 knowledge of commonly requested vitamins minerals and supplements and their applications, to suggest and supply products to customers collect information from and inform customers in ways appropriate to their needs demonstrate appropriate techniques to confirm customer understanding of contraindications and directions for product use follow pharmacy protocols and procedures for identifying and acting on triggers for referral to a pharmacist apply pharmacy protocols and procedures relating to conditions of supply when supplying vitamins, minerals and supplements. |
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 workplace 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 presenting with different requirements a range of vitamins, minerals and supplements pharmacy protocols and procedures relevant documentation, such as: product information relating to vitamins, minerals and supplements 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 interacting with a range of customers in the workplace: seeking information to establish customer requirements recommending and selling vitamins, minerals and supplements suggesting companion products and lifestyle management strategies 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. |
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. | |
Customer | 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. |
Vitamins, minerals and supplements may include commonly requested: | vitamins, including: A (Retinol-Carotene) B-complex group: B1 (Thiamine) B2 (Riboflavin) B3 (Niacin amide) B5 (Pantothenic acid) B6 (Pyridoxine) B12 (Cobalamin-Cyanocobalamin) B9 (Folic Acid) C (Ascorbic Acid) D (Calciferol-Viosterol-Ergosterol) E (Tocopherol) K (Menadione) minerals, including: calcium chromium iodine iron magnesium potassium phosphorous selenium sodium zinc supplements, including: fish oil glucosamine. |
Protocols and procedures may include: | interacting with the customer to establish: who the product or service is for symptoms duration of symptoms other existing health conditions 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. |
Response | referral to: a more experienced team member a pharmacist recommending vitamins, minerals or supplements. |
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 angry confused dissatisfied uncertain under the influence of drugs or alcohol pharmacy assistant is unsure and needs confirmation of the vitamin, mineral or supplement selected, even if the product has been requested by name request for Pharmacist Only Medicine. |
Directions for product use may include: | how to use the vitamin, mineral or supplement correctly how often to use the vitamin, mineral or supplement correct dose and maximum dose not to be exceeded most common and important adverse effects other lifestyle or management tips for the condition to contact the pharmacy if the product does not help or the symptoms persist. |
Companion products | analgesics and anti-inflammatory medicines and products complementary medicines dosage measures. |
Sources of self-care information | customer self-care cards health-care fact sheets pharmacy or supplier product leaflets, brochures and manuals product support material reputable internet resources. |
Community Pharmacy
Pharmacy Product Knowledge
This unit contains employability skills.
All relevant federal, state or territory legislation, Pharmacy Board of Australia Guidelines, and established practice and quality assurance standards are to be met relating to the promotion and supply of Pharmacy Medicines (S2) and Pharmacist Only Medicines (S3).