DISPENSING 1 (LEC)

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

INTRODUCTION TO DISPENSING

Objective:
✓ With full focus and attention
The students should be able to… ✓ With the freedom to ask questions and receive
➢ Identify invaluable skills for interacting with appropriate feedback
customers ✓ With the right to file a complaint if the
➢ Identify appropriate face-to-face customer service company/employee has made an error
practices ✓ With respect, fairness, and courtesy
➢ Explain standards for telephone customer service Skills for interacting with customers
practices
1. HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE
According to Orvel Ray Wilson (1996) in “A Crash Course in o Positive attitude
Customer Recourse” o Customer service – 80%
▪ If someone has a good experience at your place of o Attitude – 20%
work, they will tell at least three people, while a o Technique, total of 100% service
disgruntled customer will tell twelve people about 2. MAKE A LASTING FIRST IMPRESSION
an experience with a company. o Customers will form an initial impression
and make judgement on you
INTRODUCTION 3. GO FOR THE QUICK FIX
o Customers don’t like to wait especially
CUSTOMER → a person or group with whom a business has
when they have a problem they need you to
dealings with i.e. paying customers, insurance
solve
companies/agents, doctors, pharmacists,
4. ALWAYS FOLLOW UP
distributors(vendors)
o If you promise to look into something, “do it
In some work settings promptly”
5. TALK THE TALK
➢ Customer service only becomes an issue when a o Choose words that reflect a service attitude
complaint is received o Ex: "May I help you? (does not sound
➢ These customer service functions are implemented friendly)
to resolve the problem; only after it has already o “How may I help you?” (sounds friendly)
occurred. The best approach to avoid any o I apologize for the inconvenience”
discontentment invoked by the initial problem is to o “Thank you for taking time to let me know”
practice good customer from the start. 6. SHOW SOME EMPATHY
CUSTOMER SERVICE o Sympathy(understand)→ Empathy(feel)→
Compassion(act)
➔ Assistance and advice provided by a company to o No one likes having their questions met
those people who buy or use its products or services. with an apathetic or rude response
➔ Meeting the needs and desires of any customer 7. HEED CUSTOMER CRITICISM
o Make sure this feedback gets in the hands
Therefore;
of the proper policy makers
➔ Helping people spend their time, effort and/or 8. LET THEM DOWN EASILY
money efficiently is what good customer service o If you have to decline a customer request to
➔ is all about and what business is, and has always uphold company policy, do so in a gentle
been, about” way (not giving discounts)
9. ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
GENERAL CUSTOMER SERVICE MISSION STATEMENT: o Last impressions are just as important as
first ones
All customers are entitled to be treated in the following
o Remember to say “Thank you”
manner…

✓ With quality products and services

QUALITY Face to face Customer Service
➢ Customers will remember the way you treated them
for a long time. Their first impression of you and the
business for which you work will determine whether
they will bring their business to you again.
When a customer comes in person to
➢ Drop off prescription, pick up a prescription, or for
any other reason, you must be aware of the
customer’s expectations of his/her visit to your work
setting. Employee should make a special effort to
take note of people who enter their place of work. It
is important to immediately make the customer feel
welcome.
Hated by the customers during their visits
Let’s consider the ff:
➢ Being forced to wait in a long line
➢ Being ignored
➢ Being waited on by a poorly informed staff member
➢ Being treated in a casual manner or as if you are
unimportant customer
Standards to be followed during face-to-face customer
service
1. Never ignore a customer -
These should be practiced at all times:
o Acknowledge the customer
o Thank the customer who have waited, no
matter how long the wait
2. Greet customers with a smile and eye contact
o Even if you don’t feel like smiling, get it a
habit in doing it anyway
3.
4. It’s all in the name
o Customers feel important when show that
you remember them from a previous visit to
your work environment
5. Actions speaks louder than words
o When customer ask for a direction, do not
just point toward the appropriate area, take
an initiative to bring him/her where she/he
needs to go
6. People first, paper second
o Take a time to personally help the customer
o Take a time to foster a relationship with the
customer
SERVICE → SUPPORT, QUALITY, HELP, FRIENDLY, RELIABLE,
AND CARE
Standards for telephone customer service
➢ Telephone customer service is just as important as
any other activity that you might be engaging in on a
day-to-day basis.
The ff are telephone service problems the caller wishes to
avoid:
• Waiting while the phone rings continuously
• Being greeted in a cursory or rude fashion
• Being transferred to someone who is not available as
to someone who cannot help them
• Being placed on “hold” for a long period of time
• Getting the call transferred several times
Good telephone customer service consist of the ff:
1. Answer the phone promptly
o Answering the phone quickly
2. Identify yourself and the pharmacy name
immediately
o Polite and professional way to answer the
phone
3. Be friendly
o Sounds simple, but this is forgotten
4. Have all your resources available
o Be prepared for all your source when
answering the customer
5. Indicate your regret when applicable
o It is important to recognize when you
should express regret, and do so in a
genuine manner
6. Use caller’s name
o When possible, use the customer’s name on
the phone
o By calling his/her name signifies respect
7. Don’t interrupt
8. Get as much information as quickly as possible
9. Speak clearly to make yourself understood
10. Transfer a call when absolutely necessary
11. Hang up gently
o Don’t slammed the phone
PHARMACISTS CARE, NO MATTER WHERE
 DISPENSING 1 (LEC)

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

PRINCIPLES OF INTERCULTURAL AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

(PRELIM)

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
• Willing to be wrong, or at least to have
➢ Requires both knowledge and skills one’s perspective altered or widened
➢ Also requires understanding and empathy 2. YOU ARE NOT THE CENTER OF EVERYONE’S
UNIVERSE:
Relationship cultures • Realize that one’s own culture is specific,
➢ Cultural and social norms and study how it has affected one’s own
➢ With expectations based on the schemata world view – also how odd or foreign it may
seem to others, and how it may impact
PERSONAL IDIOMS upon them
3. CULTURE, POWER, STATUS:
➢ Create a sense of belonging due to the inside
• Understand that cultures are often in a
meaning shared by the relational partners
relationship of status, power and
➢ In romantic relationships, for example, it is common
domination
for individuals to create nicknames for each other
• SUBORDINATION – those who feel
that may not directly translate for someone who
dominated often feel ignored
overhears them.
• Marginalized, and those who dominate
RELATIONSHIP SCHEMATA often do not recognize their privilege or
power
➢ Inner workings of a relationship • When these power or status relationships
➢ Just like a schematic or diagram for assembling a change, there is often upheaval, fear, anger,
new computer desk helps you put it together, and anxiety.
➢ How we believe our interpersonal relationships 4. LEARN FROM THE OTHER:
should work and how to create them
• Willing to learn as much as possible about
RELATIONSHIP RITUALS other’s culture, as far as possible without
judgement, but with respectful curiosity
➢ Personalize their traditions by eating mussels and • This will often throw a new light on one’s
playing Yahtzee on Christmas Eve or going hiking on own culture
their anniversary. 5. DEVELOP CORE SKILLS:
➢ Other rituals may be more unique to the • Intercultural communication requires self-
relationship, such as celebrating a dog’s birthday or mastery, as we develop our willingness and
going to opening day at the amusement park. ability to observe, listen, evaluate, analyze,
RELATIONSHIP ROUTINES interpret, and relate with less judgement
and more openness
➢ Are communicative acts that create a sense of 6. REAP THE INNER DIVIDENDS:
predictability in a relationship that is comforting. • Will enrich you personally and
➢ Some communicative routines may develop around professionally, as you gain in flexibility,
occasions or conversational topics. adaptability, empathy, and the ability to
really ‘get what others experience and
perceive, whether or not you ‘agree’ with
7 PRINCIPLES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
them
Main goal: TO HELP PROMOTE HEALTHIER OUTCOMES IN THE 7. REAP THE OUTER DIVIDENDS:
WORKPLACE • “THE EFFCETIVE AND APPROPRIATE
BEHAVIOR AND COMMUNICATION IN
1. RESPECT, OPENNESS, CURIOUSITY: INTERCULTURAL SITUATIONS”
• Willing to take a risk and to move beyond • EFFECTIVENESS (can be determined by the
one’s comfort zone individual)
 • APPROPRIATENESS (determined by other C. SITUATIONAL CONTEXT – deals with the
person) psycho-social “WHERE” you are
• DOMINANT OR NON-DOMINANT (culture in communicating. An interaction that takes
situation) place in a classroom will be very different
from one that takes place in a bar.
“KNOWLEDGE IS POWER” - Refers to the engagement
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION where the communication is
happening (office, local pub or
➢ The process of exchanging messages between coffee shop, in private/public)
people whose lives mutually influence one another D. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT – deals with the
in unique ways in relation to social and cultural physical “WHERE” you are communicating.
norms Furniture, location, noise level,
temperature, season, time of day, all are
FOUR PRINCIPLES
examples of these
1. INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION IS E. CULTURAL CONTEXT – learned behaviors
INESCAPABLE and norms of a particular culture
2. INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION IS - Different cultures
IRREVERSIBLE communicate differently and
o A Russian Proverb says, “ONCE A WORD have different ways of
GOES OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, YOU CAN interacting
NEVER SWALLOW IT AGAIN”
o “TASTE YOUR WORDS BEFORE YOU SPIT
THEM OUT” “WISE MEN SPEAK BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY;
3. INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION IS FOOLS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING”
COMPLICATED
• Theorists note that whenever we - PLATO
communicate, there are really at least 6
“people” involved:
1) Who do you think you are;
2) Who do you think the other person is;
3) Who do you think the other person thinks
you are;
4) Who the other person thinks he/she is;
5) Who the other person thinks you are;
6) Who the other person thinks you think
he/she is we don’t
• Actually swap ideas, we swap symbols that
stand for ideas.
4. INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION IS
CONTEXTUAL

• In other words, communication does not

happen in isolation. There is:
A. PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTEXT – which is who
you are and what you bring to the
interaction. Your needs, desires, values,
personally, etc. “YOU” here refers to both
participants in the interaction.
B. RELATIONAL CONTEXT – degree of depth
you have with other person
- Which concerns your
reactions to the other
person—the “MIX”
 DISPENSING 1 (LEC)

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

HANDLING DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS (PRELIM)

TYPES ON HOW TO HANDLE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF POTENTIALLY CHALLENGING CUSTOMERS

1. THE HOSTILE AND AGGRESSIVE TYPES

2. REMAIN CALM AND PROFESSIONAL
3. LET THEM VENT THEIR EMOTIONS
4. FIND THE RIGHT MOMENT TO GET YOUR VOICE IN
5. SIT THEM DOWN
6. BE FRIENDLY
7. KEEP EYE CONTACT
8. DO NOT ARGUE
9. COMPLAINERS
10. LISTEN
11. DO NOT PASS JUDGEMENT
12. MAINTAIN SERVICE ATTITUDE
13. DO NOT RUSH TO AGREE OR APOLOGIZE
14. SOLVE THE PROBLEM

Techniques from Dr. Patricia Patton

 DISPENSING 1 (LEC)

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

COMMUNICATION SKILLS Body language

➔ The ability to communicate clearly and effectively Gesture or Posture Implication

with patients, family members, physicians, nurses, Steepling of the hands Confidence
pharmacists, and other health care professionals is Raising the hand Desire to interrupt
an important skill. Shifting body position Desire to interrupt
➔ Some pharmacists are skilled communicators, Crossed arms Shutting out the other
comfortable with all types of people; other person
pharmacists find it difficult to communicate with Leaning toward the Receptiveness
health care providers or with patients from different speaker
socioeconomic or ethnic backgrounds. Raising the hands and then Hopelessness
letting them fall limply
➔ Fortunately, communication skills can be learned.
Frequent throat clearing Disagreement

Benefits to good communication

For the patient:

1. Reduce medication misuse

2. Reduce noncompliance
3. Reduce adverse drug reactions
4. Reassuring the patient that the drug is safe and
effective
5. Referring non drug related situations for assistance
6. Assistance with self-care
7. Improve patient satisfaction

For the pharmacists:

1. Legal protection from lack of information to patients

2. Increase job satisfaction
3. Attracts customers and aid in market competition
4. Reduce job stress by gaining trust from people
surrounding them
5. Increase profit by paying for counseling and reduce
loss from unfilled or unrifled prescriptions.
6. Maintain professional status in the health care team

Factors Influencing Communication

❖ Internal Factors – previous experiences, attitudes

and values
❖ Sensory and Emotional Factors – fear, stress, pain
and anxiety
❖ Environmental Factors – lighting, noise and privacy
❖ Verbal Expression – body movement and facial
expression
 DISPENSING 1 (LEC)
COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
Communication and Safe Care
• 60% of medication errors are caused by mistakes in
interpersonal communication
• Poor coordination of care is the most common cause
of adverse events triggering root cause analyses.
Steps to Excellent Healthcare Communication
4 – Assert concerns if needed
3 – Actively listen to response
2 – Concisely describe the problem
1 – Clarify the problem & gather data
Communication with Other Healthcare Workers
• Step 1 – Gather and clarify all of the
information you need to provide to the
physician:
- Nature of the problem
- Supporting the information or
data
- Clarify your mind what you
would like for the patient to
do
• Step 2 – State concisely to the physician the
problems that the patient is experiencing.
- Nature of the problem
- Supporting information or data
- Question or issue on which you
need his/her input
• Step 3 – Actively listen to information
communicated by the physician/healthcare
worker
- Listen to the plan of care
- Clarify areas which are unclear by
asking appropriate questions
• Step 4 – Know how to tactfully use assertive
communication when necessary
- State your concern
- State information that supports
your concerns
- Suggest a course of action
- Recap why you feel this action is
best option
Assertive Communication in Patient Care
• Is not:
- Yelling or bullying
- Accusatory
- Being disrespectful of authority
• Is:
- Focused on patient
- Noting your perceptions
- Persistently raising concerns,
intended to move toward desired
action
When Assertiveness Doesn’t Work
• Restate your concerns in another way
• Engage another healthcare worker (i.e. Respiratory
Therapy)
• Engage your supervisor
• Engage another physician on the team
Effective Communication
• Essential for real teamwork
• Essential for long term career satisfaction
• Essential for patient safety and quality care
Value of Good Communication:
➢ More Effective Caregiver
➢ Better Care for Loved One
➢ Compliance with Treatment Plans
➢ Creates Teamwork
➢ Reduces Isolation
➢ Shared Decision-Making
➢ Eases Time Limitations
➢ Clears Misunderstandings and Confusion
➢ Encourages Professionals to be More Responsive
Barriers to Communication:
▪ Patient Focus
▪ Time Limitations
▪ Lack of Team Approach
▪ Mechanistic Approach
▪ Lack of Conflict Resolution Skills
▪ Stressful Work Habits
 Suggestions From Health Care Professionals
Enhance Communication
Support Treatment Plans
Please Respect Our Limits
Key Principles of Effective Communications
Establish Presence
• Breathe Deeply
• Make Eye Contact
• Stay in the Moment
• Establish Rapport
• Maintain a Strong Sense of Self
Participate Actively
• Be Prepared
• Clearly State Your Presence
• Offer Relevant Information
• Ask Questions
• Be Assertive
Levels of Assertiveness
Build Mutual Understanding
• Use Active Listening
• Ask for Clarification
• Demonstrate Understanding
• Avoid Assumptions
• State Difficulties and Concerns
Encourage Collaboration
• Focus on Common Goals
• Clarify Responsibilities
• Speak Openly and Honestly
• Help with Problem Solving
• Express Appreciation for Help
PHARMACIST ROLE IN THE HEALTHCARE SETTING
Pharmacy industry
➔ The most familiar and visible people working in the
pharmacy industry are the individuals who fill or
assist in filling prescriptions. They also educate the
clients on how to use their medications safely and
correctly.
Role of Pharmacist
➢ Community Pharmacy
➢ Clinical Pharmacy
➢ Hospital Pharmacy
➢ Industrial Pharmacy
➢ Academic Pharmacy
➢ Regulatory Pharmacy
➢ Research and Development
➢ Herbal Pharmacy
And many more
The pharmacist…
➔ Usually starts in a pre-pharmacy program of study,
followed by application to and completion of a
pharmacy school. This takes 5-7 years, followed by
an internship under a licensed pharmacist. They
must then pass board tests, becoming a registered
pharmacist…and expert on medications.
➔ Advises physicians and other health practitioners on
the selection, dosages, interactions (the effect of
using one substance on another), and side effects of
medications.
➔ Counsels clients and answers questions about
prescription drugs, those that can only be dispensed
via a written order of a physician. This includes
possible adverse reactions and interactions. They
give advice about medical equipment and home
health care supplies.
➔ Provides information and recommendations for
over-the-counter (OTC) drugs…those that can be
purchased without a prescription.
Where the pharmacist works…
➔ The pharmacist may work in an independently
owned, chain, or franchise ‘drug store’ or pharmacy.
They may also work in a hospital. In a hospital
setting, the pharmacist may prepare IV medications,
stock the nursing stations, or deliver medications to
hospital rooms. They may instruct the patients in
continuing drug therapies after they leave the
hospital.
Related careers: Pharmaceutical researchers…
➔ A pharmaceutical researcher works as a part of a
team in developing new medications. They also
refine or improve existing medications.
Related careers: Pharmaceutical representatives…
➔ A pharmaceutical representative combines science
with business. They travel to pharmacies, clinics, and
hospitals to meet with doctors, nurses, and
pharmacists. They promote the use of new drugs
and drug therapies available through the company
they represent. They may provide trial samples.
Pharmacy aide…
The pharmacy aide usually receives informal, on-the-
job training. They assist the pharmacist with clerical
duties such as answering the phone, billing, stocking
shelves, cashier, maintaining inventory, preparing
insurance claim forms, etc.
Pharmacy technician…
➔ The pharmacy technician usually has a certificate or
associate degree They must read, fill, and dispense
prescriptions under the direction of the licensed
pharmacist. They may fulfill all the duties of the
pharmacy aide, and also retrieve, count, pour,
weigh, measure, measure, and sometimes mix the
medications.
➔ Prepares prescription labels, selects the type of
containers, and affixes the labels to the containers,
and affixes the labels to the containers. They must
be able to communicate with doctors and clients.
➔ Provide technical support for a health system’s
medication, preparation and distribution systems.
➔ Allows the pharmacist to focus to enhancing patient
outcomes through appropriate medication
management.
➔ Boards of pharmacy regulate and often specify the
functions that technicians can perform under
supervision of a pharmacist, their roles vary among
states
➔ PTCB-PHARMACY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION
BOARD
➔ Drug purchasing, preparation (compounding), and
distribution with the pharmacist being responsible
for direct oversight
Guiding Principles
• Allied health professionals have responsibilities and
obligations to their clients and to the broader
community to provide safe, beneficial, responsible
and competent health care which is responsive to
individual, group and community needs, and the
professional situation, within a context of justice and
respect for people’s rights and dignity.
• Allied health professional have responsibilities and
obligations to their colleagues and to their
profession, but these will always be secondary to
their responsibilities and obligations to the public.
What makes a health professional different from other
workers in the health care setting?
The characteristics of any professional include:
o A primary responsibility to the client (duty of care)
o A requirement to act in accordance with the client’s
wishes (client autonomy);
o A requirement to act in the best interests of the
client (principles of ben… non-maleficence)
o Practice is based on a body of knowledge and
defined skills
o A commitment to maintaining competence and
continuing professional development
o Reflective practice
o Decision-making based on available information and
likely consequences.
Standards pertaining to interaction with the client
• Duration and frequency of care
A health professional must ensure they provide
services that are appropriate for the assessed needs
of the patient/client and do not provide services of a
kind that are excessive, unnecessary or not
reasonably required.
Professional boundaries
• A health professional shall behave responsibly at all
times and maintain professional boundaries with
patients’ clients
 • A health professional must avoid dual relationships
that may exploit patients/clients or other parties.
• A health professional must not issue or sign a
certificate that misinterprets a fact.
“Only a relationship bonded by understanding and respect
can deepen into a true healing partnership.”
Bernard Lown, M.D.
The Lost Art of Healing

Supply of medicines/use of drugs

• Only health professionals who are appropriately

qualified and licensed/registered can prescribe,
supply, recommend or use drugs and medicines that
are included in the schedule in the course of their
profession

Responsibilities of the health professional

A health professional has a responsibility to:

o Display respect, integrity and responsibility with

colleagues, supervisors, students, research
participants, community members, employers and
all other parties whom they encounter in the line of
duty;
o Work toward achieving justice in the provision of
health care for all people;
o Ensure they maintain relevant knowledge and
competence to provide safe and effective services;
o Ensure they practice in accordance with, and
maintain current knowledge of, their statutory
obligations;

Scope of Practice

• A health professional shall restrict his or her practice

to the scope of his or her profession according to
current knowledge and competency standards
unless he or she has completed appropriate training,
or is undertaking supervised practice, in an area of
extended scope.

Teaching/Supervision

• Health professionals who are educators practice in

accordance with accepted professional standards, as
they relate to the context of education, including
clinical teaching and supervision.

Acting as a consultant

• A health professional shall not criticize a colleague’s

opinion, treatment or fees in a manner that is of a
personal nature.