NZQA Expiring unit standard
25261 version 2
Page 1 of 5
Title
Demonstrate knowledge of human nervous and endocrine systems
and medicines used in their treatment
Level
5
Credits
Purpose
10
This unit standard is intended for pharmacy technicians or
people working towards a pharmacy technician qualification.
People credited with this unit standard are able to demonstrate
knowledge of: the structure and function of the human nervous
system; the structure and function of the endocrine system;
nervous system disorders and medicines used in their
treatment; and endocrine disorders and medicines used in their
treatment.
Classification
Pharmacy > Pharmacy Services
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and
safety prerequisites
Open.
This unit standard is
expiring
Explanatory notes
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.
2
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;
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 (Needles and Syringes) Regulations 1998;
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;
Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995;
Medicines Act 1981;
Pharmacy Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 102150
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
25261 version 2
Page 2 of 5
Medicines Regulations 1984;
Misuse of Drugs Act 1975;
Privacy Act 1993;
Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977; and any subsequent amendments.
New Zealand Code of Good Manufacturing Practice for Manufacture and Distribution of
Therapeutic Goods, Part 3 Compounding and Dispensing (1993), 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.
3
Access to appropriate reference resources in accordance with Medsafe audit
requirements is required for completion of assessment against this unit standard.
Evidence presented by the candidate must be in accordance with reference
resources.
4
This unit standard is designed to cover knowledge sufficient to provide, under direct
personal supervision of a pharmacist, client counselling when dispensed medicine is
handed out.
The Pharmacy Council advises the public that before leaving the pharmacy they will
receive counselling that confirms and explains:
who the medicine is for
what the medicine is for
the directions for proper use and what special precautions to take
foods or medicines to avoid
common side effects or interactions, what to expect and how to treat, if needed
how soon to expect the medicine to work
what to do if you miss a dose
how to store your medicine and dispose of unused medicines safely
if there are repeats or a balance owing and how and when to collect them.
This unit standard is
Nervous system disorders include
but are not limited to – Attention Deficit
expiring
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, epilepsy, migraine, nausea,
This information is available on the Pharmacy Council website:
www.pharmacycouncil.org.nz.
5
pain, sleep disturbance, Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, psychoses.
Endocrine disorders include but are not limited to – diabetes, thyroid disorders.
Pharmacy Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 102150
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
25261 version 2
Page 3 of 5
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of the structure and function of the human nervous system.
Range
includes but is not limited to – central, autonomic, peripheral.
Evidence requirements
1.1
The location and structure of parts of the human nervous system are identified
and explained in terms of their function.
Range
1.2
includes but is not limited to – brain (cerebrum, corpus callosum,
brain stem, cerebellum), spinal cord, cerebrospinal fluid, bloodbrain barrier, neurons, synapse(s) (neurotransmitters),
sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.
The functions of the human nervous system are explained in terms of the
physiological processes.
Range
includes but is not limited to – sensory, communication,
association, motor.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate knowledge of the structure and function of the endocrine system.
Evidence requirements
2.1
The structure and parts of the endocrine system are identified and explained in
terms of their function.
2.2
The names and actions of principal hormones produced by each gland in the
endocrine system are identified and described.
This unit standard is
expiring
Range
includes but is not limited to – pituitary gland, hypothalamus,
thyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal medulla, adrenal cortex, gonads.
2.3
The functions of the endocrine system and hormones are explained in terms of
the physiological control mechanisms.
Range
includes but is not limited to – glucose metabolism.
Pharmacy Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 102150
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
25261 version 2
Page 4 of 5
Outcome 3
Demonstrate knowledge of nervous system disorders and medicines used in their
treatment.
Range
medicines include but are not limited to – anaesthetics, analgesics,
antidepressants, anti-epilepsy drugs, anti-migraine drugs, anti-nausea and
vertigo drugs, anti-Parkinson drugs, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, hypnotics,
stimulants.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Nervous system disorders and their signs and symptoms are identified and
explained in terms of the effects on body functions.
3.2
Medicines are identified according to their use for treatment of nervous system
disorders.
3.3
Actions and limitations of the medicines are identified and explained in terms of
their effect on body functions.
Range
3.4
may include but is not limited to – cautions, contra-indications,
clinically significant adverse effects, drug interactions.
Type of advice required by the Pharmacy Council for pharmacy clients is
identified.
Range
evidence is required for a minimum of one treatment for a nervous
system disorder.
Outcome 4
This unit standard is
medicines include but are not limited to – anti-thyroid drugs, corticosteroids,
glucagon, insulin, oral hypoglycaemics,
replacement therapy, thyroid hormones.
expiring
Demonstrate knowledge of endocrine disorders and medicines used in their treatment.
Range
Evidence requirements
4.1
Endocrine disorders and their signs and symptoms are identified and explained
in terms of the effects on body functions.
4.2
Medicines are identified according to their use for treatment of endocrine
disorders.
4.3
Actions and limitations of the medicines are identified and explained in terms of
their effects on body functions.
Range
may include but is not limited to – cautions, contra-indications,
clinically significant adverse effects, drug interactions.
Pharmacy Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 102150
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
4.4
25261 version 2
Page 5 of 5
Type of advice required by the Pharmacy Council for pharmacy clients is
identified
Range
evidence is required for a minimum of one treatment for an
endocrine disorder.
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
21 November 2008
31 December 2017
Review
2
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.
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.
This unit standard is
expiring
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.
Pharmacy Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 102150
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016