02.B Common Competencies

• 1. Maintain an effective relationship with clients/customers

  Elements: • Maintain a professional image • Meet client/customer requirements • Build credibility with customers/clients
• 1. Maintain an effective relationship with clients/customers


  Understanding principles on: • Maintaining personal presence and professional image based on employer standards and client/customer requirements • Achieving client expectations and addressing potential dissatisfaction through appropriate actions • Informing clients with all relevant security matters in a timely manner and according to agreed reporting procedures
• 2. Update industry knowledge and practice through continuing education


  Elements: • Seek information on the industry • Update industry knowledge
• 2. Update industry knowledge and practice through continuing education

  Understanding principles on: • Identifying credible/reputable and up-to-date sources of information (e.g., journals) • Gaining access to such sources of information • Ensuring that the sources should provide an update on industry knowledge and facilitate effective work performance
• professional


  Professionals have a body of knowledge, scope of practice, agreed upon values, oath or code, and accountability to our society for our profession and our professional behavior.
• professionalism


  Describes a certain type of behavior in the workplace • Based on our values and understanding of our professional roles • Evidenced in our behavior
• How is “professionalism” judged?

  • Against a set of expectations or standards • From our own personal values set and understanding of what “professionalism” means • May be situational in nature • Strongly influenced by culture
• Professionalism is in the eye of the beholder…
• Professionalism is Determined By:

  Our Image, Communication, Competence, Demeanor
• professionalism From the Client’s Perspective

  Trustworthy • Competent • Empathetic • Respectful • Caring
• Unprofessional Behavior - Clients

  Non-therapeutic relationships • Inappropriate communication • Inappropriate self-disclosure • Exploitation – money, gifts • Breaches of confidentiality
• Professionalism From the Co-Worker’s Perspective

  Trustworthy • Competent • Supportive • Respectful • Accountable
• Unprofessional Behavior - Coworkers

  • Inappropriate relationships • Disengagement – inappropriate use of internet and phone (e.g., messaging, calling, browsing social media) • Provision of misleading information • Disrespect
• 3. Perform workplace security and safety practices


  • Elements: • Follow workplace procedures for health, safety and security practices • Deal with emergency situations • Maintain safe personal presentation standards
• 3. Perform workplace security and safety practices

  Understanding principles of: • Complying with health, safety and security procedures and practices • Breaches of procedure • Emergencies
• Personal safety


  • Safety from physical harm: Substances • Supplies (chemicals, poisons, etc.) • Equipment • Improper body mechanics
• Personal safety


  Employee responsibilities • Maintain a safe workplace • Apply principles of proper body mechanics • Wear appropriate PPE (Personal Protection Equipment), when indicated • Follow proper procedures in handling pharmaceutical agents that may pose a hazard to the practitioner • Know and apply the policies and procedures in case of emergency
• Environmental Safety


  Clean workplace • Proper ventilation • Proper lighting • Adequate set-up and layout of workplace • Proper functioning equipment
• Safety Practices


  Patients trust pharmacy personnel to: • Provide accurate and competent service • Safe and effective medications • Dispense according to prescriber’s directions
• Safety Practices


  Must ensure: • Right drug • Right patient • Right dosage • Right route • Right time • Right attitude
• Health practitioner must be familiar with:

  Common side effects • Dose/dosage strength • Precautions • Contraindications • Adverse drug reactions • Drug or food interactions with medications • Administration • Pregnancy category • Generic drugs that may be substituted
• Health practitioner must be familiar with:

  Beware of Dispensing Errors. Ensure medication safety.
• 4. Perform computer operations


  Elements: • Plan and prepare for task to be taken undertaken • Input data into computer • Access information using computer • Produce output/ data using computer system • Use basic functions of a www-browser to locate information • Maintain computer equipment and systems
• 4. Perform computer operations

  Understanding principles of: computer, hardware, software, occupational health and safety guidelines, ergonomic
• 5. Use pharmaceutical calculation techniques and terminologies


  Elements: • Use dimensional analysis to convert one unit to another • Understand pharmaceutical terminologies and medical terms • Use of equipment, glassware, and tools
• 5. Use pharmaceutical calculation techniques and terminologies

  Understanding principles of: • Pharmaceutical calculations and dimensional analysis • Pharmaceutical and medical terminologies • Use of common glassware, tools and equipment