Course description
During the day at work, you start to feel that something isn’t quite right. You feel a slight headache coming on as well as a somewhat sore throat. Before you go home, you decide to stop by your doctor’s office to get checked out and then on to your pharmacy to buy the prescribed medicine. This scenario is a common fixture of our busy lives. However, a key point to remember is that a treatment recommended by a doctor will not be effective if the medications are not given to the patient correctly, along with clear instructions and useful advice from the pharmacist. Pharmacy assistants (or pharmacy technicians) play an active role in the dispensing of drugs. In this course, you will learn how pharmacy initiatives contribute to improving healthcare in communities, and you will understand how to use pharmaceutical resources efficiently.
Working in the pharmacy field can be a challenging profession but it can also be a very rewarding career choice. Did you know that the roots of pharmacy or the treatment of disease can be traced back nearly 4 000 years? In this course, you begin by studying the brief history and importance of pharmacy throughout history, as well as its current impact today. Pharmaceutical care involves exercising extreme vigilance while dispensing any type of medication. This makes it vital for each team member to be well aware of specific medications, dosages, and allergies a patient might require or have. You will take a closer look at the different responsibilities these workers have that usually depend on their work area. This course will also teach you sets of rules, regulations and principles of code that must be followed as a pharmacy worker, which have been designed to help you to make the right decisions.
Perhaps the next skill set required for a successful career in the pharmacy sector is communication. It is very important to develop valued and mutually respectful relations between a pharmacy assistant and a patient. You will take a deep dive into analysing positive and negative examples of typical conversations at the counter. Then you will consider desirable communication traits and a guide on how to give effective patient counselling. Finally, you will study a list of standard prescription abbreviations and proper dispensation practices. Understanding these details is fundamental to a patient’s health and failure to convey the correct instructions or dosage can result in severe negative results. Anyone with an interest in learning about becoming a pharmacy assistant will gain a lot from this course. Enrolling will help first-time assistants, pharmacy students and anyone thinking about entering the pharmaceutical field. It provides techniques and strategies for developing effective communication skills, practising good dispensing practices and giving efficient patient advice.
Upcoming start dates
Training content
Introduction to Pharmacy Assistant
Description: In this module, you are introduced to the role of a pharmacy assistant. We will begin by studying the responsibilities this crucial role has in the public health sector. Then we will look at some of the vital skills you need to learn to help you guide patients and clients on self-medication.
- Learning Outcomes
- Introduction to the Pharmacy Sector
- Pharmacy Team and Practices Part One
- Pharmacy Teams and Practices Part Two
- Lesson Summary
Communication Skills and Responsibilities
Description: This module will teach you essential skills to conduct excellent communication with health professionals and patients. In addition, you will learn how to overcome barriers when communicating with patients. We will also view other roles and responsibilities as a pharmacist assistant.
- Learning Outcomes
- Communication Skills
- Overcoming Communication Challenges
- Responsibilities and Patient Record Maintenance
- Lesson Summary
Essential Methods and Techniques
Description: In this module, you will learn the many common names of medications. This will minimise errors when handling drugs. Analyse how to efficiently order inventory within the shelves which provides a clean and efficient workplace. We will also study health and safety standards that are crucial for everyday practice.
- Learning Outcomes
- Fundamentals of Prescription and Drug Dispensation
- Dispensing Methods and Electronic Service
- Stock Management in Pharmacies
- Health and Safety Risks Assessment
- Lesson Summary
Course assessment
- Assessment: Course Assessment
Certification / Credits
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- List the roles and responsibilities of a pharmacist assistant
- Explain the seven vital principles of the Code of Ethics
- Recognize the necessary skills needed to be a pharmacy assistant
- Explain how to overcome communication barriers
- Outline the importance of developing self-awareness
- Recall various dispensing methods
- Indicate how to dispose of expired and outdated drugs
- Solve and minimize dispensing errors
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