The Role of the Pharmacy Assistant
It is not your role to provide customers with information on
their medical condition or attempt to diagnose their
symptoms. Your important role is to ask the customer
questions, listen closely for their responses and then
decide if you should refer them your pharmacist.
Meet and Greet Pharmacy Customers
Time the approach to greet the customer.
Identify customers’ needs through appropriate questioning
and active listening skills.
Communication skills
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Speaking
Listening
Asking questions
Use the right language
Using Protocols
Protocols are designed to act as standard operating
procedures or rules to guide you when dealing with
customers and selling Pharmacist Only and Pharmacy
medicines.
The two most commonly used protocols are the CARE
and WHAT, STOP, GO protocols. Both are designed to
ensure you have asked the right questions and have all
the information you need to either:
 Refer to the pharmacist; or
 Recommend a product, and provide written or
verbal information
Communication skills
Speaking
 Use a pleasant voice and sound friendly
 Speak slowly and clearly
 Be polite and respectful and use
appropriate language
 Vary your tone
 Pause between phrases or sentences to
ensure that the listener can absorb what
you have said
 Don’t use jargon
 Be honest – it’s okay to say “I don’t
know”
 Avoid talking to loudly, speaking to fast,
mumbling or talking down to the
customer
The Pharmacy
Assistant
Is an important link between the
customer and the pharmacist.
Provides general product knowledge
and advice to the customer.
Refers customers with symptoms or
medical conditions or queries about
the medications to the pharmacist.
Remember;
The Pharmacist
Is an important source of expert
advice.
Assesses customers’ clinical status
and needs.
Provides medication and health care
advice.
Assesses customers for product
satisfaction and appropriate use.
Refers customers as appropriate to a
doctor.
Records and follow up advice as
appropriate.
Listening
 Show interest
 Maintain appropriate eye contact
 Concentrate on feelings as well as facts
 Take notice of body language
 Listen carefully to what is being said
 Don’t interrupt
 Be patient
 Listen carefully to what the customer is
saying and check you have understood
the message
 Don’t pretend to understand if you don’t
C
A
R
E
Check
Assess
Refer or recommend
Explain
Check - means asking your customer open and closed
questions to find out:
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Who the patient is
What other health conditions do they have
What other medications do they use or have tried
What symptoms they have and how long they have
had them
 Has a medication worked on previous occasions
Assess – deciding if the customer should be referred to
the pharmacist or if you should recommend a product or
supply the product requested. Customers should be
referred to the pharmacist if:
 A request is made for a Pharmacist Only medicine
 The patient is a child under two years of age
 The customer appears to be under the influence of
drugs or alcohol
 They request quantities of a particular medicine eg.
Pseudoephedrine
 The customer is an aged person
 The customer is pregnant or breastfeeding
 The request is for treatment of specific symptoms
 The customer has used the product before and was
not satisfied with the result
 The customer is taking other medications
 The customer has had the complaint for some time
 The customer has other health conditions (eg.
asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure)
 The customer looks sick
 You are unsure
Refer or Recommend
The prompts for referral, listed above, are designed to
make your role as a pharmacy assistant much clearer.
You should be listening for them as soon as the customer
begins to talk to you. That means listening actively and
referring to the pharmacist as soon as you become aware
of one of these prompts. This is as simple as saying
“Many thanks; I will need to refer you to the pharmacist
who will help you.” All you need to do then is let your
pharmacist know that you are referring a customer to
them.
Explain – explain how to use the product if one is
recommended. You should explain:
 The dosage and frequency
 Any side effects, hazards or precautions
 What to do if the condition does not improve or
worsens
 Supply written health information such as Pharmacy
Self Care fact cards to back up what you have told
the customer
WHAT, STOP, GO Protocol
This protocol is also used to gather information to make
sure the “right” medicine is provided.
WHAT is the information you need from your customer
W
H
A
T
Who is the patient?
How long have they had the symptoms?
Actual symptoms?
Treatment
STOP – when you have the information needed to decide
the best course of action (provide a product or refer to the
pharmacist), the following is needed:
S
T
O
P
Symptoms?
Totally sure?
Overuse or abuse?
Pharmacy only or Pharmacist referral?
GO – once you have made your decision, you
need to provide advice with the product or
explain why you are referring to the pharmacist.