NZQA Expiring unit standard
23681 version 3
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Title
Demonstrate professionalism as a pharmacy assistant or pharmacy
technician
Level
3
Credits
Purpose
5
This unit standard is intended for pharmacy assistants and
pharmacy technicians or people working towards a pharmacy
assistant or pharmacy technician qualification.
People credited with this unit standard are able, as a pharmacy
assistant or pharmacy technician, to: demonstrate knowledge
of self-management techniques; demonstrate knowledge of
working within cultural diversity; and work professionally in
practice.
Classification
Pharmacy > Pharmacy Services
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and
safety prerequisites
Open.
This unit standard is
expiring
Explanatory notes
1
Candidates must demonstrate effective oral, written, and non-verbal communication
skills according to the requirements of the recipient, and taking into account any
language barriers or special needs requirements.
2
Credit for this unit standard may not be awarded unless assessment is supported by
evidence of a minimum of 30 working days practice in a non-simulated pharmacy
workplace environment. This evidence is to be supplied in a pharmacist verifier’s
statement.
3
Pharmacy technicians must act within the legislative limits of their role as specified by
the Medicines Regulations 1984 and must always act under the supervision of a
pharmacist and under the direct personal supervision of a pharmacist when
dispensing or compounding. They must know when to refer to a pharmacist in
accordance with these limits.
4
Legislation, codes, and standards relevant to this unit standard include:
Consumer Guarantees Act 1993;
Fair Trading Act 1986;
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996;
Pharmacy Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code102150
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
23681 version 3
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Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’
Rights), Regulations 1996;
Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights, available from the Health and
Disability Commissioner’s office;
Health Information Privacy Code 1994, available from the Privacy Commissioner’s office;
Health (Retention of Health Information) Regulations 1996;
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003;
Health (Needles and Syringes) Regulations 1998;
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;
Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995;
Medicines Act 1981;
Medicines Regulations 1984;
Misuse of Drugs Act 1975;
Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977;
New Zealand Code of Good Manufacturing Practice for Manufacture and Distribution of
Therapeutic Goods, Part 3 (Compounding and Dispensing), available from Medsafe;
The New Zealand Pharmaceutical Schedule, available from http://www.pharmac.govt.nz;
Pharmacy Council of New Zealand Code of Ethics 2004, available at
http://www.pharmacycouncil.org.nz;
Privacy Act 1993;
Article 3 of the Treaty of Waitangi and/or related explanatory material.
Other requirements applicable to this unit standard may include but are not limited to:
Pharmacy Practice Handbook and Quality Standards for Pharmacy in New Zealand, both
available from the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand Inc.
Any legislation or other requirement superseding any of the above will apply, pending
review of this unit standard.
5
Definition
Standard operating procedures – written documentation of the specified way to perform an
activity.
This unit standard is
expiring
6
Candidates must be aware of, and comply with, standard operating procedures and
Organisational Quality Specifications listed in the District Health Board Pharmacy
Services Agreement in their workplace.
7
Access to the reference resources specified by the Pharmaceutical Society of
New Zealand Inc. to be held in every pharmacy is required for completion of
assessment against this unit standard.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of self-management techniques as a pharmacy assistant or
pharmacy technician.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Strategies for time management are described which facilitate efficient use of
time in dealing with priorities.
Pharmacy Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code102150
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
Range
23681 version 3
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planning activities, ensuring important and/or urgent matters are
given priority, dealing with diversions, minimising time spent on
non-urgent and/or unimportant matters.
1.2
Strategies for managing unwanted stress are described according to practical
steps and internal strategies.
1.3
Strategies for managing anger without abuse occurring are described according
to practical steps and internal strategies.
1.4
Strategies for managing conflict are described according to a process for
working towards a solution where everyone’s needs are respected.
Range
1.5
may include but is not limited to – clarification, communication,
negotiation, identification of options, selection of solution, followthrough, mediation.
Strategies for managing personal response to change are described according
to maximising positive factors and minimising negative factors to promote
personal well-being.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate knowledge of working within cultural diversity as a pharmacy assistant or
pharmacy technician.
Evidence requirements
2.1
The cultural diversity of New Zealand is described according to major ethnic,
religious and/or socioeconomic groups in the geographical location of
employment.
2.2
Strategies for minimising and overcoming possible barriers to communication
with, and/or access by, healthcare with people from different cultures are
described according to the role of the pharmacy assistant or pharmacy
technician.
This unit standard is
expiring
Range
2.3
two cultural groups other than one’s own.
The intention of partnership, as set out in Article 3 of the Treaty of Waitangi, is
described according to the role of the pharmacy assistant or pharmacy
technician.
Outcome 3
Work professionally in practice as a pharmacy assistant or pharmacy technician.
Evidence requirements
Pharmacy Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code102150
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
3.1
23681 version 3
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Pharmacy assistant or pharmacy technician roles are performed in a consistent
and professional manner according to ethical, legislative, and workplace
requirements.
may include but is not limited to – behavioural style, personal
presentation, service technique and protocols, working within limits
of the role of pharmacy assistant or pharmacy technician.
Range
3.2
Communication is clear, polite, and professional and takes account of the
situation, personal style of the client, relationship between the participants, and
method of communication.
3.3
Responsibility is taken for own tasks and performance within the legislative and
workplace limits of the role of pharmacy assistant or pharmacy technician.
Range
3.4
identification, completion, and ownership of tasks for which one is
personally responsible.
Procedures to minimise and rectify errors are followed.
may include but is not limited to – following protocols and standard
operating procedures to minimise mistakes, acting immediately to
rectify errors, reporting and/or documenting errors.
Range
3.5
Effective self-management techniques are consistently employed.
Range
3.6
includes but is not limited to management of time, conflict, change,
and stress.
Effective strategies to minimise impact of personal factors adversely affecting
professional performance are consistently employed.
factors adversely affecting professional performance may include
This
but are unit
not limited tostandard
– tiredness, health, fitness,is
injury, family,
relationships.
expiring
Range
This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by
the last date for assessment set out below.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
23 April 2007
31 December 2017
Revision
2
24 August 2007
31 December 2017
Review
3
16 April 2015
31 December 2017
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0128
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Pharmacy Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code102150
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
23681 version 3
Page 5 of 5
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
This unit standard is
expiring
Pharmacy Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code102150
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016