NHS EDUCATION FOR SCOTLAND
The Pharmacy Vocational Training Scheme
Stage 2
ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES
GUIDANCE NOTES FOR TRAINEES AND TRAINERS
These notes have been prepared for several reasons:
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To provide trainees will full information relating to the assessment process.
To provide examples of the individual types of assessment.
To provide trainers/tutors with these examples and thus act as a reference
source for any queries arising in discussion with trainees.
There are three forms of assessment (formative assessment):
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Review of the trainee’s portfolio by a pair of assessors. If this is deemed to
be adequate then the trainee may progress to assessment.
Two further assessments will take place:
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Presentation of a topic from trainee’s portfolio. Generally a clinical case or a
topic suggested from portfolio assessment panel. This part of the assessment
assesses the trainee’s
o assessment of organisational skills
o communication skills
o response to questioning
o systematic approach to practice
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Problem-solving scenarios.
The remainder of this paper details the latter two forms of assessment.
Presentation
The presentation will be assessed by a panel that generally comprises of 3 assessors.
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The topic for presentation is selected in advance by the trainee. In some cases,
trainees present an aspect of work from their portfolio if this has been indicated
from the feedback of their portfolio assessment.
Each trainee will be given 10 minutes to present, followed by 5- 10 minutes for
questions.
The following checklist will be used for assessment.
Rating
Use of visual
aids, quality of
visual aids
Clarity,
manner of
presentation.
Flow of
material.
Use of notes.
Very Good
Good
Adequate
Poor
Response to
questioning.
Scenario Assessment
During training, experience will have been gained experience in the following areas of
practice:
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Clinical services
Medicines Information
Aseptic services
Dispensing services
Medical gases
Clinical Governance
Cost effective use of medicines
Medical gases
The aim of these scenario type assessments is to ensure that the trainee has developed a
systematic approach to practice. They are not expected to be an expert or specialist in any
area, rather that they know the correct questions to ask, sources to check and that they are
aware of their own limitations.
During these assessments, they will be given four short scenarios verbally (one from each
section) and asked how they would respond. There is not necessarily a correct answer for
these and as outlined above, they will be tested on their approach to the problem.
Example 1 – Technical
You are currently involved in managing the CIVA service in your hospital. You have a
request to provide an IV medicine in double the concentration you usually provide it.
How do you deal with the request?
An acceptable answer would
a)
Research the clinical need
Is it a reasonable request, who is asking, why?, liase with clinical pharmacist
Is it for one specific patient
Is this a new development
Will it replace another product
b)
Research the stability of the product
Is it stable
Data from manufacturer
Data from other centres
Expiry date
c)
Assess the risk management – make or not
d)
If not? Alternatives
e)
If yes? New worksheets, staff awareness.
Example 2 – Clinical
You are the clinical pharmacist responsible for a care of the elderly unit. A new branch of
junior house officers have recently taken up post and you notice an increase in the number of
in-patients prescribed temazepam.
Outline your action.
An acceptable answer would
a)
Research the situation
Who is prescribing temazepam
Clinical need – has this been commenced in hospital or taken prior to admission if
recently commenced? Indication, are these patients atypical in any way if taken
prior to admission? Duration of use, doses, reason for admission related? Discuss
with nursing staff.
b)
Consider courses of action
If taken prior to admission, should this be continued
If new prescriptions is this appropriate?, are doses given continuously
c)
Check hospital guidelines.
d)
Discuss possible courses of action
Meeting with prescribers once have full information
Issue hospital policies
Multidisciplinary education session
Liase with pharmacy staff – dispensary etc
Example 3 – Medicines Information
A registrar calls medicines information to ask if there is any risk when administering
gentamicin 0.3% ear drops to a patient in the 29th week of pregnancy.
Outline your response
An acceptable answer would
a)
Research the enquiry
When is a response required by, name of enquirer, contact details etc
What is the indication
Why choose this preparation? Sensitivity data, hospital policy etc
Liase with others – clinical pharmacist
b)
Identify a search strategy
Manufacturer’s data
BNF
Pregnancy tests
Hospital policy
c)
Critically appraise information
d)
Response to enquirer
Information on this product and others
Which is most suitable
Document response
Liase with others – clinical pharmacists
Scenario 4 – Quality Assurance
During a review of clinical pharmacy, it emerges that the performance standard of 100% of
patients on warfarin being counselled by a pharmacist was well below that of the expected
level. Some pharmacists have figures approaching the required level, but two were well
below.
As the quality assurance pharmacist monitoring this service, how do you proceed with this
information.
An acceptable answer would
a)
Research the situation
Are the pharmacists atypical
Ward types and numbers of patients being discharged, workloads
Training level, attendance at training events, experience
New to unit? Documentation systems
b)
Obtain further information
Knowledge of standard from all
Knowledge of documentation systems
Knowledge of procedures
c)
Identify courses of action
Further training required – procedures, documentation etc
d)
Plans for re-audit