Application
This unit applies to community pharmacy employees working as pharmacy assistants. It restricts pharmacy assistants to suggesting medical devices to customers, in situations not requiring referral to a pharmacist for therapeutic advice.
A person undertaking this role is required to work under the supervision of a pharmacist.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
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 regarding customer needs. | 1.1.Approach and question customer to establish who will be using medical devices. 1.2.Confirm relevant symptoms, their duration and their severity. 1.3.Determine customer satisfaction with other products or devices that have been tried to relieve symptoms. 1.4.Identify any other health conditions and medicines that the customer is taking. 1.5.Follow pharmacy 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.Refer to a pharmacist or a more experienced staff member where product-specific guidance is required. 2.4.Select and suggest medical devices where suited to customer symptoms and requirements. |
3. Provide relevant product and lifestyle information. | 3.1.Explain manufacturer’s product information and confirm customer understanding of directions for product use. 3.2.Offer lifestyle and self-care advice where relevant to desired health-care outcomes. 3.3.Access and provide relevant sources of self-care information to customers. |
4. Maintain and build own knowledge of medical devices. | 4.1.Locate the pharmacy range of medical devices. 4.2.Check regularly for new additions or changes to the range. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to: interact with the customer to: ask questions to identify and confirm requirements provide information confirm understanding suggest and supply medical devices 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 on the pharmacy range of medical devices literacy skills to: interpret product and self-care information follow pharmacy procedures planning and organising skills to meet customer service timelines problem-solving skills to assess and respond to customer information teamwork skills to operate as part of a team and provide and seek relevant information from a pharmacist and other pharmacy staff as required technology skills to: demonstrate procedures for using medical devices to customers access and use information systems required by the role |
Required knowledge |
common conditions for which pharmacy medical devices may be of assistance personal role boundaries and responsibilities, and circumstances under which referral to a pharmacist or a more experienced pharmacy staff member is required pharmacy procedures relating to the supply of medical devices, 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 or a more experienced staff member identifying and supplying relevant information, medical devices and their parts or attachments to meet customer needs respecting and protecting customer privacy types, locations and method of application for medical devices in the pharmacy range |
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: collect information from and inform customers, in ways appropriate to their needs follow pharmacy procedures for identifying and acting on triggers for referral to a pharmacist or to a more experienced staff member apply knowledge of symptoms or indicators of common conditions, and the pharmacy medical devices range, to suggest and supply suitable products to customers demonstrate appropriate techniques to confirm customer understanding of directions for product use. |
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: pharmacy protocols and procedures relevant documentation, such as: product information self-care advice a range of medical devices used to manage common conditions. |
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: applying pharmacy protocols and procedures seeking information to establish customer requirements recommending and supplying medical devices 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, for example: SIRXSLS201 Sell products and services. |
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. | |
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. |
Medical devices | asthma spacers blood glucose monitors, disposable lancets and test strips blood pressure monitors continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) equipment other equipment from the pharmacy range. |
Response | referral to: a more experienced team member a pharmacist recommending medicine or products. |
Triggers for referral to a pharmacist | 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 device 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 medical device selected, even if the product has been requested by name request for Pharmacist Only Medicine. |
Directions for product use | how to use product correctly how often to use the product most common and important adverse effects other lifestyle or management tips for the condition how to contact the pharmacy if the medicine or product does not help or the symptoms persist. |
Sources of self-care information may include: | customer self-care cards health-care fact sheets pharmacy or supplier product leaflets, brochures and manuals product support material, such as: booklets reliable internet resources. |
Sectors
Community Pharmacy
Competency Field
Pharmacy Product Knowledge
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.