Elements and Performance Criteria

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 in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Assisting in dispensary operations must comply with:
federal and state or territory legislation
industry codes of practice, standards and guidelines
community pharmacy policies, protocols and procedures relating to assisting a pharmacist in dispensary operations.


Scope and boundaries of roles and responsibilities must comply with:
federal and state or territory legislation and regulations
business mode, policies, protocols and procedures of the community pharmacy


Common terms and abbreviations used in prescription writing refers to:
Abbreviations as detailed in the Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary (APF), Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, and in the British Pharmacopoeia (BP), Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.


Dispensarylayout and workflow may include:
sequential positioning along shelves
alphabetical arrangement
controlled substances under specific storage conditions
grouping of pharmacist-only medicine
refrigeration.


Details requiring pharmacist attention may include:
previous medical history
previous experience and reactions to the medication
allergies
possible interactions and contra-indications.


Selection of prescribed medicines may include:
desired form of medication
required quantity
appropriate packaging.


Attach labels requires:
correct labels are used
placement of labels does not obscure expiry date and batch number.


Label information may include:
name of customer
details of pharmacy
date of dispensing
directions for use
prescription number or code
special storage requirements, such as cold chain
expiry date
generic and brand names
strength and form of medication
ancillary cautionary or advisory labels.


Maintain dispensary systems and records may include:
reviewing and updating customer medication records
maintaining prescriber records
maintaining medication and drug records
maintaining dispensing and prescription records
maintaining supply of cautionary and advisory information
dispensing activity summaries
reconciling prescription records with claims documentation
updating system software
carrying out data back-up.

EVIDENCE GUIDE
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Evidence of the following is essential:
applies pharmacy protocols and procedures when assisting with dispensary operations, including:
selecting and assembling medicines to meet prescription requirements
labelling and packaging dispensed items according to procedure and pharmacist direction
maintaining customer and prescription data
identifying situations or requests requiring referral to a pharmacist and referring appropriately
respects and protects customer privacy when communicating with customers and maintaining customer records
locates relevant information, such as common abbreviations and terms used in writing prescriptions
recognises situations requiring referral to a pharmacist or other pharmacy staff according to pharmacy policy
maintains housekeeping standards in the dispensary
plans and carries out work to meet dispensary workflow requirements.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure:
demonstration of dispensing activities over a period of time
performance is observed by the assessor, or the technical expert working in partnership with the assessor.
assessment must be undertaken in a real workplace environment that meets Pharmacy Board and relevant industry standards for dispensary operations
access to relevant pharmacy protocols and procedures.
access to state or territory legislation and guidelines where appropriate
access to dispensary record-keeping systems
access to relevant documentation, such as prescriptions (real or simulated)
access to a range of customers with different requirements (real or simulated).
access to a range of medicines and related equipment.


Methods 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 performing a range of dispensing tasks, over sufficient time to demonstrate handling of a range of contingencies.
written or verbal questioning to assess knowledge and understanding.
evidence that completion of workplace documentation and records relevant to compounding operations is timely and accurate.
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.


Assessing employability skills
Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.
Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically in the context of the job role and with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification.