Unit of competency details

Release 

Comments 

First Release

New unit

SIRCDIS406

Assist in preparing dose administration aids

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

1. Maintain close contact with residential care providers.

1.1.Confirm relevant contact personnel for each residential care provider.

1.2.Act as a contact person to coordinate overall pharmacy service to residential care facility customer.

1.3.Initiate regular contact to improve service efficiency.

2. Identify and respond to residential provider service requirements.

2.1.Consult relevant customer contacts to review specific residential care provider ordering needs.

2.2.Outline and confirm trading terms for residential care customer.

2.3.Confirm pricing policy and procedures.

3. Maintain services to residential care facilities.

3.1.Receive pharmacy notifications when residents are admitted or re-admitted to the care facility.

3.2.Negotiate and coordinate arrangements for receiving and filling regular residential facility orders.

3.3.Follow pharmacy procedures to assist pharmacist to regularly review patients’ medicines and ensure reconciliation with each patients’ medication chart.

3.4.Follow pharmacy procedures for supply of stock medicines to residential care facilities and to maintain a stock control system.

3.5.Assist pharmacist to monitor adverse drug reactions (ADR), adverse drug events (ADE) and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) where requested.

3.6.Coordinate delivery schedule, including emergency deliveries and persons authorised to receive the delivery.

3.7.Negotiate a system to notify the pharmacy of all changes in individual patient medication regimens in a timely manner.

3.8.Liaise with the director of nursing in the residential care facility or other nominated person to identify information and education needs.

4. Perform relevant administrative tasks.

4.1.Maintain an accurate, complete and comprehensive record of medicines for each resident.

4.2.Maintain and follow the pharmacy system for recording and reporting medication-related incidents .

4.3.Ensure pharmacy maintains a current contract with appropriate references  for each facility serviced.

4.4.Follow pharmacy timelines and procedures to input data, raise and forward invoices, and reconcile payments received.

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication skills to:

• confirm trading terms, pricing policies and other relevant procedures with customers
• consult with and build relationships with key contacts in residential care providers
• provide information to and seek direction from the pharmacist in charge
• explain residential care customer requirements to relevant pharmacy staff

• learning skills to maintain currency of knowledge of:

• the pharmacy range of Pharmacy Medicines and unscheduled medicines
• pharmacy systems and procedures

• literacy skills to:

• check contracts
• check orders
• follow pharmacy procedures
• maintain records
• reconcile patient medication charts

• numeracy skills to:

• check invoices
• reconcile quantities of medicines ordered with quantities supplied

• planning and organising skills to:

• coordinate timely service to residential care customers
• coordinate deliveries

• problem-solving skills to respond to emergency orders
• self-management skills to prioritise own work schedule to meet the service timelines of pharmacy residential care customers
• teamwork skills to:

• work effectively under the direction of a pharmacist
• work with other staff

• technology skills to use pharmacy systems to:

• maintain relevant online records
• prepare invoices for residential care customers

Required knowledge 

• pharmacy policy and procedures for and services to residential care facilities
• pharmacy list of residential care facilities and contractual arrangements with each facility
• nominated contact person for each residential care facility
• pharmacy systems for:

• scheduling regular and emergency medicine deliveries
• maintaining patient records
• recording and reporting medication-related incidents
• invoicing patients in residential care facilities

• trading terms

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:

• act as a contact person to coordinate quality pharmacy  services to residential care facility customers
• negotiate with the pharmacist and relevant pharmacy staff and coordinate the receipt of orders and timely supply of medicines to residential care customers
• perform administrative tasks to maintain dispensary information relating to residential care facility services
• prepare invoices and reconcile payments received from residential care customers
• coordinate and schedule regular and emergency deliveries to residential care facilities.

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 workplace environment that meets Pharmacy Board of Australia and relevant industry standards for dispensary operations, which may include interruptions and involvement in other related activities normally expected in the pharmacy dispensary area.

Assessment must ensure access to:

• a range of residential care facilities with contractual arrangements for the supply of medicines to patients
• dispensary technology and software
• relevant pharmacy systems and procedures.

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 coordination tasks over sufficient time to demonstrate handling of a range of contingencies
• using the dispensary technology to service residential care facilities

• 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.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector and job role is recommended.

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.

Pharmacy system for recording and reporting medication-related incidents  may include:

• incident register with:

• the following mandated fields:

• date
• incident
• recorded by
• action needed
• actioned by
• date resolved

• the following optional fields:

• incident report number
• additional information

• incident report, including:

• pharmacy name
• report number
• date and time of report
• date and time of incident
• individual’s details, if required for follow-up
• nature of incident
• specific action taken
• follow-up required
• report distribution information.

Appropriate references  may include:

• arrangements for change of contract to another service provider
• provision of:

• education
• services
• stock control
• storage

• requirements for improving medication-related services
• roles and responsibilities of the residential care facility and the pharmacy.