Elements and Performance Criteria

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.
Customer’s prescriptionsmay include:
a limited approved range of scripts from providers, including:
dentists
doctors
nurse practitioners
optometrists
podiatrists
veterinary surgeons
National Health scripts
private scripts
repatriation scripts or Veteran Affairs scripts.
Legality, validity and completeness may include:
adequate written instructions on the dosage regimen
compliance with timing rules to fill repeat scripts
doctor’s or prescribing practitioner’s full name, current address, telephone number and date
name of medicine, quantity prescribed and clearly indicated dosage directions
currency of prescription
clear prescription with no indication of tampering or forgery
self-treatment instructions that meet legal and regulatory requirements.
Customer details may include:
full name and current address
date of birth where patient is elderly (over 70 years) or young (under 12 years)
entitlement number, if any, under the PBS
Medicare details
private health cover and receipt requirements
allergies or adverse reactions suffered in the past to medications
current use of other medications, including complementary medicines.
Prescription discrepanciesmay include:
incomplete or incorrect prescriber or customer details
out-of-date prescriptions
prescriptions marked ‘cancelled’ or in other ways that indicate they have been dispensed and completed
invalid prescriptions, such as:
forged or altered information
written by prescriber for self-treatment
requests for excessive quantities.
Delaying factors may include:
out-of-stock prescribed medicines
special preparation requirements, e.g.compounded products.
Information provided on medicinesmay include:
pharmacy labels
cautionary or advisory labels
additional information or advice prepared by a pharmacist
information provided by the supplier
self-care and health information
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI).
Appropriate packagingmay include:
packaging that protects customer privacy and medicine handling requirements, such as:
light-sensitive tray-controlled packaging
opaque packaging
paper bags
packaging determined by the pharmacist.

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:
accept and lodge prescriptions for dispensing
identify different types of prescriptions and entitlements
follow verification procedures when providing dispensed medicines to customers
operate as part of a dispensing team and provide relevant information to a pharmacist and other pharmacy staff as required
provide prescription information to customers in ways appropriate to customer needs and demonstrate appropriate techniques to confirm understanding
recognise and act on situations requiring referral to a pharmacist or other pharmacy staff.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure that competency is:
consistently demonstrated over a period of time and observed by the assessor or the technical expert working in partnership with the assessor as described in the assessment
demonstrated in a real pharmacy workplace environment that meets Pharmacy Board of Australia and relevant industry standards for dispensary operations, which may include client interruptions and involvement in other related activities normally expected in the pharmacy.
Assessment must ensure access to:
a range of customers with different prescription requirements and entitlements who are typical of the customer base
dispensed medicines for return to customers
relevant documentation, such as:
PBS information
pharmacy procedures
prescriptions.
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 learner performing a range of tasks in an actual or simulated work environment, over sufficient time to demonstrate handling of a range of contingencies, which may include:
accepting prescriptions and delivering medicine to a range of customers
completing pharmacy documentation relevant to accepting prescriptions
returning dispensed medicines to customers
seeking direction from the dispensing pharmacist
role plays to confirm communication skills that meet diverse customer requirements
written or oral questions appropriate to the language and literacy level of the learner to test relevant underpinning knowledge
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.