CHAPTER 1 CHART GUIDE

INTRODUCTION TO DISPENSING
09/08/2022
_________________________________________
● It refers to the pharmacist’s function of taking an
order or prescription, preparing the drug/s
according to the instructions of the physician
and delivering it to the patient with proper
instructions.
● Process of preparing and giving medicine to a
named person on the basis of a prescription.
● It involves the correct interpretation, accurate
preparation, and labeling of medicine for use by
the patient.
● This process may take place in a public or
private clinic, health center, hospital, or in a
shop, or community pharmacy setting.

DISPENSING CYCLE

1. Receive and validate prescription

2. Understand and interpret prescription
3. Prepare and label items for issue
4. Make a final check
5. Record action taken
6. Issue medicine to patient with clear instructions
and advice

PHARMACIST’S RESPONSIBILITIES IN DISPENSING

PROCESS

● Provide the medication need of the patient

● Fill prescription in a precise manner
● Provide the patient with information and
guidance to ensure patient’s compliance to the
medication prescribed
● Advise the prescriber of drug substitutes the
patients may have, or other medications taken
by the patient
● Maintain trust of the prescriber and the
patient
Chapter 2 ● The nature of the service task being performed
PRINCIPLES OF GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE and what it involves
IN PHARMACY ● The service standards expected, both by the
customer and provider
08/15/2022 ● The service delivery system for the task at hand
_________________________________________
HEALTH CARE DELIVERY Operational Standards & Competence Standards
1. Operational Standards
● What is to be said or done
2. Competence Standards
● How a particular service should be done

FOUR (4) Basic Principles

1. Excellent Standard Care
● One of the most important elements in
the standard of care is the ability to
understand patients or customers from
their point of view
● In today’s standard, the patient
involvement is seen as equally
important as having the right diagnosis
or the right pharmacological intervention
KEY DIMENSIONS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE ● Many patients have their own view of
● Reliability health and illness. Although some of
● Responsiveness these beliefs may not be correct,
● Assurance pharmacists should pay attention to
● Empathy these details.
● Tangibility 2. Good attitude and Empathy
● Keeping the business afloat is as
Exercise 1: Understanding the key dimensions of challenging as one can imagine given
service the high costs of operating a pharmacy.
a. Come up with an experience where you This is where the fine line of separating
witnessed a service failure the action of caring for patients versus
b. Discuss what did the person providing the turning a profit from the venture has to
service do that was so offensive be drawn
c. Discuss what might be the effect of these ● It is very common to find customers
experiences on you. visiting the pharmacy for health
supplements and beauty products.
Examples of Poor Customer Service While there is significantly less evidence
● Not getting Information on these products, it's easy to fall prey
● Customer Cancellations/Not returning to green and push more products to
● Unhappy workforce customers than they need. It is
● Lack of customer loyalty important to understand that while there
● Poor public image are no hard limits on what should be
recommended, one's conscience
Zones of Customer Experience demands that those products that are
● Zone of Outrage needed should be suggested.
● Zone of Dissatisfaction 3. Quality of Healthcare
● Zone of Satisfaction ● In fact, all customers and patients
● Zone of Delight expect the highest standard of care from
pharmacists, and this bottom line cannot
Three aspects of service encounter be compromised.
 ● Evidence-based advice and care should Ex: retail outlets at an
be the priority in any treatment regimen, airport
whether the patient suffers from minor 2. External Customers
illnesses such as fever or gastric a. An organization's visitors or
discomfort, or if they are patients with users
chronic diseases which require long- i. Individuals
term medications. ii. Groups (different afe,
● Pharmacists should bear in mind that cultural groups, special
“doing no harm” should take precedence. interest groups)
The referral of patients to doctors when iii. Foreign visitors
it is necessary should always be iv. People with specific
observed by all pharmacists. needs
4. Attention to details v. Members/non-members
● Excellent service can sometimes be of pharmacy clients
understood as paying close attention to
details. This is a crucial factor to not DIFFERENT GENERATIONS
only gain complete information, but also 1. Baby boomers (1946 - 1964)
to win the heart of customers. Customer ● Getting older, thinking younger. They
service giants such as Nordstorm in the were not born into technology and are
U.S. or Ritz-Carlton put much effort into more amenable to face-to-face
making sure their customer service is interaction
top notch. 2. Generation X (1965 - 1980
● For example, when a customer asks ● Independent, and well educated
about where something is located, the individuals. They are very comfortable
pharmacy staff can walk him or her to with technology like computers and
the location instead of just pointing it out. smartphones, along with learning new
The idea is that each staff should be software or programs.
trained to help customers or patients to 3. Millennials/ Generation Y (1981 - 1996)
optimize their experiences in a ● A collaborative and impact-oriented
pharmacy. generation. They have an intuitive
● As community pharmacies become knowledge of technology.
more integrated into healthcare and the 4. Generation Z/Gen Z/ Zoomers (1997 - 2015)
role of pharmacists expand, maintaining ● An optimistic yet risk-averse group.
excellent customer service would help to Inclined to take a non-traditional
keep patients coming and sustain the approach.
pharmacy in an increasingly competitive
market. EMPLOYEES
CUSTOMERS ● Employee satisfaction affects customer
● Anyone who has the right to ask or expect an satisfaction
employee to provide a service as part of their ● Employee that interacts with customers develop
job/role awareness of goals/needs
● Most employee’s deal with 2 types of customers ● Satisfied employees are:
at work ○ Motivated employees
1. Internal Customers ○ Empowered Employees
a. Members of staff of organization ○ Have high energy/willingness to give
who contribute towards the good service
service provided towards ○ Provide customers with adequate
external customers explanations for undesirable outcomes
i. Colleagues (empathy, understanding, respect,
ii. Management/Superviso concern)
rs
iii. Employees of other DELIVERY OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
organizations
 ● Understanding types of staff role work within an
organization and how each delivers quality
service (better familiarize with roles/tasks).
● Example
○ Pharmacists
○ Pharmacy Assistant
○ Maintenance/Security
○ Manager

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
● Each performance standard states 3 things
about each aspect of the job
○ What do the employees do?
○ How is it to be done?
○ To what extent it is to be done (how
much, how well, how soon?)
CUSTOMER SERVICE: ASSESSMENT
● Commonly used strategies include:
1. Monitoring customer feedback
2. Maintaining staffing levels together with
training programs and the monitoring of
individual performances.
BENCHMARKING
● Is the process if identifying the best practice in
relation to customer service delivery
FOUR (4) KEY STEPS
1. Understanding all existing customers
2. Analyzing customer service process of others
3. Comparing own customer service performance
w/ others
4. Implementing the necessary steps to close the
performance gap.
CUSTOMER SERVICE FEATURE
● Some features of successful service are:
○ Pleasant environment
○ Friendly and well-groomed staff
○ Informed staff with helpful supervisors
○ Speed of delivery
○ Willing assistance and politeness
CREATE CUSTOMER VALUE
● Ask your customers what they value by using
surveys, listening to their comments and asking
questions
● Set customer service goals
● Decide what strategies is ended to give the
customer value
● Decide what you will do differently
● Set key performance indicators against critical
success factors
● Decide how you will inform about any
improvements to the customer value package
Levels of customer value

COLLECTING CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

1. Customer comment cards, places around
building for visitors
2. Feedback option through website
3. Evaluation forms given out after specific events
4. Responding to assessments by special external
bodies & special interest groups

THREE (3) ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF SERVICE

CULTURE
1. A strategy for the product or service
2. Customer-oriented staff
3. Customer-friendly systems
Chapter 3
PRINCIPLES OF INTERPERSONAL AND
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
08/23/2022
_________________________________________
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
● Common but complex practice that is essential
in dealing with patients and other healthcare
providers
● Process of exchanging messages between
people whose lives mutually influence one
another in unique ways in relation to social and
cultural norm
● These standards cover the aspects of
performance and behaviour that involve any
interaction with others. You must demonstrate
your ability to communicate at all levels and to
work with others in the pharmacy and healthcare
team. In doing this, you will show that you
possess the core characteristics of an
empathetic healthcare professional:
○ seeing and understanding things from
the perspective of others, especially
patients
○ Communication effectively
○ Working with people from other
disciplines
*understand the patient, put yourself in the patient's
shoes*
SETTING THE STAGE: CASE STUDY 1
● GR, a 59 year-old man, with moderate
hypertension, enters your pharmacy holding a
unlit cigar
● You know him, a high school principal, has a
wife and has 4 children
● He has been told to quit smoking and go on a
diet. He also has a long history of not taking his
medications correctly
● He comes to pick up a new prescription, an
antibiotic for a UTI
● Although he knows you personally, he is
somewhat hesitant as he approached the
counselling area
● He looks down at the ground and mumbles,
“The doctor called in a new prescription for me,
and can I also have a refill of my heart
medication”
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION MODEL
1. Sender
2. Message
3. Receiver
4. Feedback
5. Barriers
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION MODEL
1. Sender transmits the message
2. Encoding is the selection of words, signs,
symbols, etc.
3. Message is the element that is transmitted
4. Channel is the method/mode of communication
(email, phone, face to face)
5. Receiver receives the message
6. Decoding is the interpretation of what we just
heard
7. Feedback to the sender
8. Barriers interference that affects the accuracy of
the message
9. Context is the setting in which communication
occurs
REPRESENTATION MODEL OF COMMUNICATION
The Sender
● The initial sender of a message was Mr. GR:
○ “The doctor called in a new prescription
for me, and can I also have a refill of my
heart medication”
● In most situations, senders formulate (encode)
messages before transmitting them.
● However, in some cases, messages are
transmitted spontaneously without the sender
thinking about them, such as a glaring stare or a
burst laughter
The Message
● Messages can be thoughts, ideas, emotions,
information or other factors and can be
transmitted both verbally (by talking) and
 nonverbally (by using facial expressions, hand
gestures, etc.)
● Mr. GR’s verbal message was
● At the same time, he also communicated
nonverbal messages. Did you recognize any of
these nonverbal messages?
The Receiver
● As the receiver, you “decode” the message and
assign a particular meaning to it, which may or
may not be Mr. GR’s intended meaning.
● In receiving and translating the message, you
probably considered both the verbal and
nonverbal components of the messages sent by
Mr. GR.
The Feedback
● Feedback is the process whereby receivers
communicate back to senders their
understanding of the sender’s message
● In the feedback loop, the initial receiver
becomes the sender of feedback, and the initial
sender becomes the receivers of feedback
● Feedback allows communication to be a two-
way interaction than a one- way monologue
● Feedback can be simple, such as merely
nodding your head, or more complex, such as
repeating a set of complicated instructions to
make sure that you interpret them correctly
● During the communication process, most of us
tend to focus on the message and frequently
miss the opportunity for feedback.
● As receivers of messages, we fail to provide
appropriate feedback to the sender about our
understanding of the message.
● On the other hand, as with messages, we fail to
ask for feedback from the receiver, or in some
cases ignore feedback provided by others.
● How will you respond to Mr, GR? You can say,
○ “I’m sorry Mr. GR, I’m not sure what you
are asking. WHich medication do you
need?” Or
● This is an example, feedback would be your
verbal and nonverbal response to mr. GR
The Barriers
● These barriers affect the accuracy of the
communication exchange
○ For example, if a loud vacuum cleaner
was running in your pharmacy when you
were trying to talk to Mr. GR.
○ Other barriers might include a safety
glass partition between you and Mr. GR.
○ Telephone’s ringing in the background
○ Mr. GR’s inability to hear you due to his
defective hearing aid
Barriers to Effective Communication
1. Environmental barriers
● These are physical barriers that inhibit
effective communication between the
pharmacist and patient.
2. Personal barriers
● These are personal characteristics that
may hinder effective communication and
may have been influenced by negative
experiences.
3. Administrative barriers
● This may include non-payment of
service, thus, placing this service in the
bottom of the priority list of pharmacists.
4. Timer barriers
● Initiating a conversation with a patient at
the wrong time will only lead to failure.
● Inappropriate timing, lack of time and
other work-related interruptions can
come into play.
OVERCOMING THE BARRIERS OF EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
● Effective questions
○ Ask questions related to the condition of
the patient
● Seeking participation
○ Patient interaction/active participation
will reduce…
● Checking for understanding
○ Ensure the patient understands
everything the medical personnel said.
● Cultural sensitivity
○ Be careful with the way we act or speak
● Body language (smile, eye contact, gestures,
tone)
○ nonverbal communication may deliver
the message to the patient and shows
how friendly the medical personnel is
● Simple words
○ Explain medical jargon in simple terms
for the patient to understand
● Connecting with the audience
○ For effective communication
● Summarising what has been said
○ Pinpoint the important and crucial
instructions.
CASE STUDY 2
● A 2 year old boy was admitted to the hospital
with a severe infection.
● You, the pharmacist on duty, spoke with the
mother. Upon investigation, you learned that the
boy was previously prescribed with an antibiotic
(1 week 2x a day) for a minor infection.
● She bought the medicine but stopped giving it to
her child after 5 days.
● When you asked her about this, you the
discovered that the reason behind this was
because of the instruction written by the doctor
"Take 5ml 2x a day for one week or until gone
(70ml)"
● Unfortunately, the intended message was that
the antibiotic should have been given until the
liquid was all gone.
● In this example, the mother understood the
words on the label, but she put them into a
different context and this derived a different
meaning from the one intended.
● Apparently, the original pharmacist did not have
the opportunity to talk with the mother when she
picked up the antibiotic prescription to ask her
how she was going to give the medication to her
son.
● In other words, the pharmacist did not ask for
feedback from the mother on how she
interpreted the message on the label.
CASE STUDY 3
● A patient being seen in an anticoagulation clinic,
he had developed several bruises on his hands
and legs.
● You immediately check the patient's records and
find a recent INR value of 6 which is well above
his targeted 2 to 3 range.
● You ask if the patient has changed his diet,
lifestyle, or medication regimen.
● The patient says no, but that he was given
another medication during his last clinic visit
● You then go back to the profile and notice that
the patient has been receiving 4mg daily
Coumadin for some time, but his dose was
reduced to 3mg during the last visit to adjust his
INR.
● You suspect what the issue might be and ask
the patient, "Did you stop taking the 4mg
tablet?"
● The patient replies, "No, nobody told me to, so I
have been following instructions and taking both
tablets!" Thus, he was taking 7mg per day rather
than the intended 3mg.
STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS THAT ELICIT
FEEDBACK
● I want to be sure I have explained things clearly.
Can you please summarize and repeat some of
the important things?
● How do you intend to take the medication?
● Can you please describe in your own words how
you take the medicine?
● What will you do once you feel better?
CASE STUDY 4
● Patient Francis returns to your pharmacy
complaining about the side effects of his new
medication
● The patient previously went to the pharmacy
asking for a refill of 30 Nitroglycerin patches
about a month ago
○ Nitroglycerin - for episodes of angina
(chest pain)
● Both your co-pharmacist and physician told him
to "apply one daily", which is the typical and
instructed dose.
● You asked him “what is the problem?” He states
that “I don't feel good and I'm running out of
room”
● You were confused with that and then he
showed you his chest. You then saw 27 patches
firmly adhered to his chest.
PERCEPTION OF MEANINGS WITHIN A MESSAGE
● Patient Francis perceived the phrase “apply
once daily” differently, so he applied one daily
and didn’t remove one.
● He followed the instructions. Unfortunately, no
one bothered to ask him how he was going to
use it.
CASE STUDY 5
● A young woman suffering from vaginal
candidiasis was given seven vaginal tablets and
was told by the pharmacist to “use one tablet
daily for 1 week”.
○ Vaginal Candidiasis - yeast infection
(caused by the fungus Candida) and
love to stay in dark, moist, and smelly
areas.
● She returned to the pharmacy after 3 days in
severe discomfort with a complaint that “Those
tablets taste terrible!”
● In this example, the patient assigned the wrong
meaning to the word "use" and used the
 medication the way she typically uses
medications—by taking them orally.
● She acted based on her perceptions that were
influenced by her past experiences and
background
○ Noncompliance - patient intentionally
not following the prescribed instructions.
○ Nonadherence - unintentional behavior
of a patient in not following the
instructions.

PERCEPTION OF MEANINGS (WITHIN A MESSAGE) COMMUNICATING WITH DIFFERENT

● One skill that minimizes perceptual differences BACKGROUNDS
is to use terms and concepts that are familiar to ● Learn as much as you can about the patient's
the patient. background, including beliefs about medication.
● It is very easy for patients to misunderstand ● View diversity as an opportunity. With a little
when you use abstract terms, such as "Drink a patience and the right attitude, you will be
lot of fluid." What does "a lot" mean to a patient? amazed at the opportunities that crop up to help
● Another example might be, instead of asking one another.
patients if they "hurt a lot," you should ask them, ● Do not condescend. Patronizing behavior is not
"Describe your pain on a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 appreciated and is recognized as such in any
being no pain and 10 being the worst pain culture.
imaginable." ● Talk about your differences. Misunderstandings
● You should also avoid using professional jargon. will often take root when people from differing
PERCEPTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS - STEREOTYPING backgrounds do not talk to one another.
a. People who are mentally ill do not comply with ● Be willing to talk openly and with constructive
their medication regimen. attitudes.
b. Healthcare providers do not need counselling.
c. Elderly people would talk too much and never
listens
d. People who cannot understand English are slow
people
● We do not see the person as a unique
individual but as a representative of a
particular group (e.g., elderly, mentally ill,
etc.)
● We erect “perceptual barriers” to the
communication process not based on
fact but on our inferences based on
stereotypes.

SHARING SAME PERCEPTIONS

● One key in preventing misunderstanding is to try
to understand and share the perceptions of
other individuals.
● Using the "layman's language", which is familiar
to patients, rather than medical terminology,
which is familiar only to healthcare professionals,
can enhance understanding.
● Determining the patient’s past experience with
the medication prescribed will also be helpful.
● Patients who have had positive experiences
previously may be more willing to take the
medication.
● However, if their past experiences have been
bad, they may be reluctant to even begin taking
the medication
Chapter 4
PATIENT - CENTERED COMMUNICATION IN KEY COMMUNICATION SKILLS
PHARMACY PRACTICE 1. Body Language
● One of the elements in nonverbal
08/23/2022 communication.
_________________________________________ ● Involves feelings, attitudes and moods
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION of a person that can be consciously and
● Foundation of patient-centered care unconsciously transmitted through their
● Essential do that the needs and expectations of posture, movements, facial expressions
the patients are brought into focus. and eye movements.
● Ensures the adverse effects from medications Examples:
are avoided and optimum therapeutic outcomes ● Smiling and displaying empathy
are reached and curiosity when appropriate
● Establishes the ongoing relationship between ● Maintaining good eye contact
the pharmacist and patient with the patient
● Provides the exchange of information necessary ● Arms and legs are uncrossed
to assess the patient's health conditions, reach ● Relaxed shoulders and upright
decision on treatment plan and evaluate the posture
effects of treatment on the patient's quality of life Elements of non verbal
communication
FIVE DIMENSIONS OF PATIENT - CENTERED ● Kinesis or body movement
MEDICAL CARE ● Proxemics or distance between
1. Understand the illness experience of a persons trying to communicate
patient ● Environment
● Involves various social, psychological ● Distracting factors
and biomedical factors that the patient
has experienced in relation to their 2. Verbal Language
illness. ● Avoid using medical terminology to
2. Perceive each patient’s experience as unique. avoid misunderstandings and ensure
● Each experience is unique and is that information are received by the
something that has a 'personal patient
meaning" to the patient. ● The pharmacist should also be aware of
3. Foster a more egalitarian relationship with the verbal tone in which they deliver
patients their information.
● The patient has an active role in the
dialogue and decisions made regarding
treatment. 3. Listening
4. Build a “therapeutic alliance” with patients ● Patient’s feelings and thoughts can be
● Meet mutually understood goals of seen in their facial expression, body
therapy. language, and verbal tone.
● It is essential that patients are
encouraged to share their experiences Useful skills in effective listening
with therapy because they "may have ● Summarizing
misunderstandings, problems related to ● Paraphrasing
therapy, "monitor" their own response to ● Empathic responding
treatment, make their own decision
regarding therapy and may not reveal
information unless the pharmacist
initiates dialogue with the patient.
5. Develop an awareness that their responses
have unintended personal effects on patients.
● Unintended personal effects can be
either negative or positive.
Chapter 5
Reliance of Non-judgmental
PRINCIPLES OF DEALING WITH CHALLENGING
history from
PATIENTS
relatives
09/06/2022
_________________________________________ Lots of social
DEMANDING AND UNREASONABLE PATIENTS (or problems, inc.
patients with a high IQ) alcohol and
drugs
Challenges What to do What not to do
Medico-legal
Lack of Nothing /Safe Don’t give in to issues
experience environment unreasonable
demands

Emotional Document Don’t argue PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE OR COMPLEX

patients everything PROBLEMS

Intimidating Senior support, Don’t lie, or blag

patients second opinion it
Challenges What to do What not to do
Lack of Avoid ‘maybes’ Don’t offer
background to temporary Time limitations Give wiggle- Do not
patient’s measures room ignore/disregard
demands
Spotting the red Reassure Do not get
Money Explain why for Don’t put flag frustrated
and not for yourself in
danger Satisfying the Clinical Do not argue
patient judgement
Resources Avoid Don’t ignore
personalising physical health Lack of Prioritize
conversation experience

Conflicting Bring back

messages from
other healthcare Safety net
professionals
Documentation
PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA OR PSYCHOSIS Double
Appointments

Challenges What to do What not to do RELATIVES OF PATIENTS

Lack of Safe Don’t ignore

experience environment physical health Challenges What to do What not to do

Different Preparation No
Lack of insight Chaperone Don’t rush the
agendas transference/co
consultation
untertransferenc
Aggression – Low stimulus e
paranoid environment Multiple people Ask the patient Don’t break
present what they want patient
Multiple medical Excellent confidentiality
problems communication
skills and Family feuds Try to identify a Don’t make
patience point to contact unrealistic
promises
Emotional state Suggest a Don’t take sides Challenges What to do What not to do
formal
appointment They say the Make team Don’t confront
right things to members aware them
Unrealistic Document get what they
expectations conversations want

Keep them They have Involve other Don’t pander

informed knowledge of healthcare
the system professionals
Nurse present
Negotiate
Keep patient
main focus of
care SUICIDAL PATIENTS

Be honest and
realistic Challenges What to do What not to do

Defensive D/w another Don’t give tips

PATIENT WITH PERSONALITY DISORDER medicine medical
professional

Challenges What to do What not to do Risk Risk Don’t dismiss

assessment concerns
Communication Stay very calm Don’t confront scoring
issues patient
Sustaining Advice from Don’t be
Consent/capacit Involve empathy Crisis Team judgemental
y Psychiatry
Prejudice Check previous Care with
Unpredictable notes prescribing

Staff safety Establishing Ask about

Trust protective
factors

Let them talk

PREJUDICED PATIENTS
Good
documentation
Challenges What to do What not to do
Keep an open
Might not agree Educate them React to mind
with treatment prejudices

May Time to think Take it AGGRESSIVE (ESPECIALLY DRUNK) PATIENTS

compromise personally
their care
Challenges What to do What not to do
May think they Offer alternative
know better care Low Inhibitions Protocol Don’t rise to the
habit
Remain
unbiased Low Levels of Don’t miss
Consciousness potential injuries

Difficult to Don’t judge

treat/refusals them
MANIPULATIVE PATIENTS CHILD PATIENTS/PATIENTS WITH LOW IQ

What to do
Non-verbal
communication
Charts, pictures, toys
Examples or on teddy
Use mother/guardian
TO HELP YOU THINK ABOUT ADHERENCE?
What not to do
● Self efficacy: Does the patient believe in her
Don't patronize ability to carry out the required action? How can
you encourage this?
● Locus of control: Does the patient believe that
Don't speak really slowly his health is his responsibility or down to others/
This affects what he would be willing to do for
Don’t use complicated
language/jargon himself, and what he expects of you
● Is the experience of psychological/pill distress
impacting upon a patient's ability to self-manage

PATIENTS WHO SPEAK A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE

What to do What not to do

Use qualified interpreters Don’t use children to

translate

Ask patient to summarize Don’t speak only to

interpreter

Non-verbal Don’t use too many

communication closed questions

PATIENTS WHO HAVE DIFFICULTIES IN

EXPRESSION (e.g. dysphasia, deafness)

What to do What not to do

Check understanding Don’t rush

Non-verbal Don’t presume the patient

communication (e.g. is dumb
blinking, writing

Collateral history

PATIENTS WITH COMMUNICATION BARRIERS

CHALLENGES

Misunderstandings

Frustration

Harder to build rapport

Time-takes longer

Interpreters (dilution of communication, confidentiality)

Cultural issues
CHAPTER 6 ● The store inventory clerk is responsible of
DIFFERENT PHARMACY SUPPORTIVE receiving, monitoring, and complete
PERSONNEL documentation deliveries and proper inventory
09/06/2022 management to control damages and losses
● Provides timely and complete transfer of
_________________________________________
products from storage to selling area
PHARMACY ASSISTANT
● Regularly monitors stock availability
● Assist pharmacists by performing all clerical
● Check completeness and quality of delivers
duties necessary to ensure that a pharmacy is
products and follows proper procedure in
running efficiently
receiving products
● They answer telephone calls, manage the cash
● Strict;y monitors shelf life and expiration of
register, and restock shelves with medication
stocks
and other pharmaceutical supplies
● Complies with all set customer service
● Develop prescribed product , attain product from
standards
shelf, count specified quantity, palace drug in
● Prepares and submits list of “out of stock” and
apt container and label on items to be checked
“critical stocks”
by pharmacist
● Completely accounts all stocks before
● Ensure to package product after it is checked by
transferred to the selling area
pharmacist
● Conducts regular gap checks
● Perform drug scan, place it in bag having printed
● Assist in the store’s physical count activity
paper work as well as receipt
● Documents and safe keeps delivery and
● Receive prescriptions from patients plus verify
inventory documents
needed information is written in form.
● Print prescription labels having information like
name of patients, clinic, medication and dosage
instructions.
● Provide prescription labels pharmacist for review.
● Ensure to receive and put incoming supplies on
shelves along with tag and price as per given
directions
● Rotate stock move older medication to front
shelf used prior to expiration date
● Support pharmacists to prepare and dispense
prescriptions
● Ensure pharmacy is always well arranged and
clean
● Compile everyday stats like number of patients
asking for prescriptions, new received
prescriptions, and refill orders number
● Maintain and update records of prescription,
SCD and PWD

PHARMACY ASSISTANT VS. PHARMACY

TECHNICIAN
● Pharmacy technician have more advanced
clinical responsibilities than pharmacy assistants,
who perform clerical duties like:
○ Handing transactions
○ Stocking shelves
○ Answering phone calls
● Pharmacy technicians measure medications and
process orders for patients
STOCK ANALYST/STOCK INVENTORY CLERK
Chapter 7
COLLABORATION BETWEEN HEALTHCARE
PROFESSIONALS
09/06/2022
_________________________________________
PHARMACIST
● Pharmacists have particular skills and expertise
about medicines and their use that they bring to
the multidisciplinary team and to the patient.
● Pharmacists can improve patients’ health and
the health care delivery system if they are part of
the patient’s health care team.
● Patient care services provided by pharmacists
can reduce fragmentation of care, lower health
care costs, and improve health outcomes.
COLLABORATION
● The degree to which pharmacists collaborate
with other members of the healthcare team
varies both across healthcare systems, but also
within the same healthcare system.
● The level of collaboration between pharmacists
and other healthcare professionals goes from
minimal contact through to pharmacists who are
seen as a core part of the multidisciplinary team
with the authority to initiate and modify medicine
therapy.
● Collaboration between healthcare professionals
is at the heart of good clinical practice.
● Multi-skilling and task-shifting are increasingly
being viewed as important ways in which to
manage the critical shortages of healthcare
workers in many parts of the world.
● A 2010 study found that patient health improves
significantly when pharmacists work with doctors
and other providers to manage
PHYSICIAN
● Pharmacist-physician collaborative practices
have grown in primary care, helping implement
comprehensive, team-based healthcare models.
● And, much evidence suggests that the
multidisciplinary team approach to healthcare,
one in which pharmacists take on the
responsibility for tasks such as adjusting
medication regimes, obtaining and reviewing
medication histories, and identifying challenges
and barriers to adherence, is highly effective
● Improved communication, specifically between
the pharmacist and physician, allows
pharmacists to improve medication management
and an improved system of information
exchange prioritizes patient safety.
● A strong working relationship between
pharmacists and doctors is necessary to
optimize healthcare for each patient.
Understanding any barriers to this collaboration
can improve the delivery of healthcare services.
In a busy hospital environment, good
communication can be difficult to achieve.
● Additionally, lack of access to information, time
constraints, misconceptions regarding roles and
responsibilities of other team members can all
make open collaboration difficult for both the
pharmacist and physician.
Example 1:
For patients with chronic diseases, like diabetes and
hypertension, pharmacists play a key advocacy role
by providing direct input to optimize pharmacotherapy
and medication therapy management (MTM). Within
the collaborative care model, pharmacist
responsibilities also often include making sure the
patient is well educated regarding the physician’s
diagnosis and prescribed medications.
NURSES
● Nurses play an important role in developing a
collaborative relationship with pharmacists as a
nurse is the most communicating person with
the patient.
● A nurse can give valuable information to
pharmacists regarding patient condition which
would aid a pharmacist in optimizing therapeutic
plans as per patient needs.
● Moreover the relationship between pharmacists
and nurses is also of great importance as many
hospital pharmacies use floor stock system to
distribute medications to the nursing stations in
all patient care areas
COLLABORATIVE PHARMACY PRACTICE
● The advanced clinical practice where
pharmacists collaborate with other healthcare
professionals in order to care for patients, carers
and the public.
● Collaborative pharmacy practice may include,
but is not limited to:
○ Initiation, modification and monitoring of
prescription medicine therapy.
○ Ordering and performing laboratory and
related tests
○ Assessing patient response to therapy
 ○ Counseling, educating, partnering with a
patient regarding their medications
○ Administering medications
● An important aspect of collaborative practice
that differentiates it from other aspects of
pharmacy practice is that the pharmacist works
in close collaboration with other healthcare
professionals (primarily physicians and nurses).
● This is in contrast to the well-established
practice of over-the-counter provision of non-
prescription medicines by pharmacists.
● Although collaboration with and referral to other
healthcare practitioners may occur in that
process, these practices are not the norm.

COLLABORATIVE PHARMACY PRACTICE (4 AREAS

OF COOPERATION)
1. Patient Care
● Due to the complexity of treating
patients' health issues, it is necessary
for all healthcare professionals involved
in their care to work together, each in
their respective areas of competence.
Even though each profession takes a
distinct approach, everyone's
cooperation is seen as being crucial to
achieving the end goal, which is the
patients and improving their health.
2. Process Efficacy
● Collaborative processes enhance the
healthcare system and patient care.
This leads to greater efficiency and to
increase the quality of healthcare for
patients.
3. Knowledge Promotion
● Due to efficient communication and
professional relationships, knowledge
from different fields can be shared and
improve patient care.
4. Effective Communication
● The role of communication greatly
affects how the healthcare system and
patient care functions.