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EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES DEVELOPMENT

Educational program development requires thorough advance planning.  Means of determining educational needs of the participants should be developed and used.  Input from stakeholders shall be included in this process.  Training goals and learning objectives shall be appropriate for the intended program.

Training programs shall address topics and subject areas that are pertinent to pharmacy, and shall be well balanced in presentation

COURSE OUTLINE AND MODULES
MODULE 1:  INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACEUTICAL CARE
  1. PHARMACY APPRECIATION
    1. Definition of Pharmacy
    2. History of Pharmacy
    3. Modern Concepts of Pharmacy
    4. The place of the Medicine Counter Assistant in Pharmaceutical Care
  2. LAWS AND ETHICS
    1. Law affecting Pharmacy Practice
    2. Code of Ethics for Pharmacists
    3. Practice Standards for Licensed Chemical Sellers
  3. PHARMACY AS A HEALTH CARE SERVICE
    1. Place of Pharmacy in the Health care system
    2. Chain of referral in the Pharmacy setting
    3. Role of the various players in the Pharmaceutical care (skill mix)
  4. PHARMACY AS A BUSINESS
    1. Identification of products and services
    2. Some methods of improving profitability
  5. HEALTH SERVICE ENVIRONMENT
    1. Scope of the health service environment
    2. Listing Health providing institutions
    3. List members of the health care team
    4. Roles members of the health care team in patient care
    5. List Bodies in charge of the different teams in the Health Service
    6. Coordination and roles of the Bodies in charge of the different teams in the Health service
  6. PHARMACY LAYOUT
    1. Minimum space size of Pharmacy and Licensed Chemical Shop
    2. Patient counseling unit
    3. Store
    4. Drugs/Cosmetics disposition for display
    5. Arrangement of drugs by formulations/dosage forms
    6. Arrangement of drugs by therapeutic activity
    7. Counter disposition
  1. DISPENSING I
    1. Definition of a drug
    2. Laws governing the manufacture, distribution, sale and consumption of drugs
    3. Basic precautions in drug use
    4. Commonly misused and abused drugs
    5. Introduction to the Rational Use Drug
    6. Consequences of over dosing and under dosing
    7. Handling of unwholesome, deteriorated or expired drugs
    8. Common dosage forms, their applications and uses
    9. Proprietary and generic preparations
    10. Prescription appreciation
    11. Overview/general features of a prescription
  2. DISPENSING II
    1. Supply of Over The Counter (OTC)/Class C drugs
    2. Labeling Appreciation
    3. General labeling requirements in Ghana
    4. Minimum information requirement of labels (e.g. name of medicine, dosage, storage, expiry date, user’s name)
    5. Clarity, neatness, legibility and indelibility of ink for labeling
    6. Appreciation of the ability to read the labels (literacy and illiteracy)
    7. Suitability of containers for the medications
    8. Appropriate use of plastic and paper envelopes
    9. Appreciation of feedback from patients
  3. DRUG MEASUREMENT
    1. Basic Concept in Drug measurement
    2. Appreciation of basic Dispensing Equipments
    3. Weight measurements
    4. Volume measurements
  1. BOOKING KEEPING
    1. Recording of daily sales
    2. Reconciliation of physical cash and recorded sales
    3. Filing of vouchers, invoices and receipts books
    4. Preparation of drug orders
    5. Shelving of drugs
    6. Some aspects of inventory control
    7. Storage temperatures
    8. Tally cards
    9. Stock taking process
    10. Checking of the expiration of drugs
    11. Minimization of the expiration of drugs
    12. Role of the computer
  2. SOME ASPECTS OF PURCHASING
    1. Appreciation of working tools
    2. Determination of drug needs
    3. Identification of suppliers
    4. Placing of orders
    5. Appropriate transportation of drugs (cold chamber, frangibility, etc.)
    6. Introduction to telephones, facsimiles, calculators, cash registers, etc.
    7. Computer Applications (Elective)
  3. HUMAN RELATIONS
    1. Personal grooming
    2. Front desk
    3. Comportment
    4. Outfit
    5. Customer care (with scenario demonstrations)
    6. Relating to colleagues
    7. Conflicts and conflict resolution
  4. COMMUNICATION SKILLS
    1. Communication in the Health Care System
    2. Language barriers
    3. Good communication skills
    4. Dangers of poor communication
    5. Dangers of poor information/lack of information
  5. PSYCHE OF THE ILL PERSON
    1. Assessment of the state of mind of a client (e.g. Is patient so ill he or she cannot understand instructions covering prescriptions?)
  1. BASIC CONCEPTS IN HYGIENE
    1. General neatness (e.g. keeping measuring spoons/cups clean)
    2. Handling OF drugs
    3. Use of dispensing trays
    4. Dangers of dispensing with fingers
  2. AWARENESS OF DISEASES OF PUBLIC HEALTH IMPORTANCE
    1. Diarrhoea
    2. Malaria
    3. Common cold
    4. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's and HIV/AIDS)
  3. FIRST AID AND EMERGENCIES
    1. Fire, Flood, Earthquakes
    2. Defensive driving (elective)
  4. CAREER BUILDING
    1. Polytechnics (e.g. Dispensing Technologists/Technicians courses)
    2. Universities (Faculty of Pharmacy)
  5. PRACTICAL TRAINING
    1. Attachment in relevant pharmaceutical facilities
TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT
  1. The Pharmacy Council shall be responsible for the training needs assessment of the programs.
  2. A balanced strategy for assessing training needs should be used. Strategies shall include the following:
    1. Periodic surveys of the targeted participants,
    2. Establishment and use of an Advisory Committee which should include representative of the targeted stakeholders,
    3. Inclusion of an item or items in the provider’s program evaluation instrument(s) which solicit(s) participant’s suggestions for future program topics, and
    4. Analysis of literature and trends in the practice, audits of pharmacy practice to identify areas in need of strengthening.

Training programs should provide for an in-depth presentation of materials with fair, full disclosure and equitable balance of information. Appropriate topics and learning activities shall be distinguished from topics and learning activities which are promotional or appear to be intended for the purpose of endorsing either a specific commercial drug or other commercial product.

Training programmes may be supported by funds received from external sources. Approved Training Institutions shall be held responsible for the administration, content, quality, and integrity of all training activities.

Approved providers are responsible for the quality, content, and utilization of instructional materials or post-program documents that are prepared with the support of outside organisations.

The Pharmacy Council shall draw Guidelines for the promotional activities of the training of Medicine Counter Assistants.

Training Institutions shall be rigorous in their efforts to ensure that all training programmes and associated materials are free from promotional influence and/or content. Issues to be addressed include the following:

  1. The disclosure of written agreements to the Pharmacy Council when external support is obtained,
  2. Appropriate disclosure to the Pharmacy Council of any significant relationship between funding organisation(s) and the resource persons,
  3. The avoidance of promotional activities or materials as an integral part of the programme or programme materials or in any manner which interferes with or interrupts the training activity, and
  4. The disclosure to the Pharmacy Council of limitations on information, including data that represent ongoing research, interim analysis, preliminary data, and unsupported opinion. Also included are opinions or approaches to care that, while supported by some research studies, do not represent the only opinion or approach to care supported by research.

Training programs shall involve planning, which includes written training goals, and specific learning objectives that are measurable, and which may serve as a basis for an evaluation of the program’s effectiveness.

Educational goals and specific learning objectives should reflect the relationship of the program topic(s) or content to contemporary trends in pharmacy.

Training goals shall be developed early in the programme planning process so as to enable them to provide guidance and direction for all subsequent developmental aspects including content, supplementary instructional materials, learning assessment activities, and program evaluation.

Goals and objectives should be appropriate for the amount of time allocated to the program.

Each training activity shall be designed to explore one subject or a group of closely related subjects. If the activity involves multiple components, such as in a lecture series, all segments shall be devoted to integrally related subjects.

Providers should seek to develop topics related and logically sequenced programs in an effort to provide opportunities for well-coordinated training.

All supporting and supplementary instructional materials shall be suitable and appropriate, and shall be periodically reviewed to ensure technical quality, timeliness and currency of content.

A syllabus or other handout material providing a general outline of the training should be developed and made available to participants at each program offered.

All supporting and supplementary instructional materials used (e.g., handouts, outlines, background materials, selected bibliographies, audiovisual aids, etc.) should be developed to enhance the participants’ understanding of the topic(s) being treated .

The following general issues shall be considered to motivate all stakeholders:
  1. Certificates shall be issued to successful participants.
  2. Pharmacy facilities shall be encouraged to train their assistants.
  3. Qualification for training shall be standardized.
  4. Course fees shall be within an agreed range.
  5. The Pharmacy Council before implementation shall approve course fee increments.
The methods employed in delivery play an important role in the effectiveness of the training programme. Innovation and experimentation with delivery methods are encouraged.

The method(s) of delivery utilized in a program shall be determined giving appropriate consideration to such factors as the content and learning objectives, and the size and the composition of the target participants.

The learning format preference(s) of the target participants should be taken into consideration when selecting the delivery method(s) to be used.

The method of delivery shall allow for and encourage active participation and involvement of the participants.

Every Training Institution shall design and implement active and/or interactive learning activities for the program

An appropriate facility or environment conducive to teaching and learning is essential to the training programme. The facilities utilized shall be appropriate and adequate for the content and method of delivery of the program and shall be appropriately equipped.

In order to effectively support the training program(s), the facilities shall be suitably equipped. Appropriate systems for ventilation and lighting, adequate sound systems for public address, and any other equipment necessary for the effective delivery of any audiovisual materials and support for instructional activities shall be used.

The facilities shall be adequate to the size of the audience and promote the attainment of the objectives of the programme. The Training Institutions shall make space arrangements on the basis of anticipated attendance and selected delivery methods.

An evaluation mechanism shall be provided at each program for the purpose of allowing all participants to assess their achievements in accordance with the programme’s learning objectives.

The evaluation mechanism should assess participant learning by ascertaining the level of fulfilment of the stated educational goals and specific learning objectives established for the program. Learning assessment activities should be considered integral components of the program, and should be taken into consideration when determining the number of credits to be awarded.

The results of this evaluation should be provided to the participants in an appropriate and constructive manner. This feedback should be provided with an indication of correct answers or solutions. Supplementary information, explanations, or discussions of answers and solutions are considered important and would be most useful if provided to participants immediately after completion of learning assessment exercises.

Each participant shall undergo a final assessment in the form of written and oral examination at the end of the program. This shall form the basis of award of certificate by the Pharmacy Council.

Training Institutions should be encouraged to experiment with a variety of self-assessment mechanisms such as pre and post-testing, post-testing alone with group discussions and critique of answers, and problem solving exercises.

Test items or other learning documentation activities should be designed to go beyond the simple recall of facts and seek to demonstrate learning with an emphasis on integration and utilisation of knowledge in their places of work.

Evaluation of the training programs and the assessment of participants are crucial for the maintenance and improvement of quality. Participants should therefore view the evaluation as an essential element of the training offered by the provider.

The Pharmacy Council shall organize periodic monitoring and evaluation sections with stakeholders. The Training Institutions shall develop and implement systems of monitoring and evaluation for each training program.

Educationally sound methods and/or techniques should be used. Evaluative data should be analysed, summarized, interpreted and utilized for future decision making towards the continuing improvement of the provider’s training programmes.

All participants should be afforded an opportunity to evaluate the quality of each programme in which they have participated.

Key components of programme quality, which should be monitored and evaluated, shall include:

  1. The participants (e.g. qualification, experiences, overall programme satisfaction, achievement of personal goals and objectives, etc.),
  2. The Instructors (e.g. qualification, continuing education/training, experiences, suitability of instructional materials, pacing of presentation, knowledge of subject matter, clarity of presentation, responsiveness to participant questions, etc.),
  3. The Topic (e.g. appropriateness, the level and scope, relevance to practice, currency of information and materials, overall balance, etc., and
  4. The general context (e.g. the facilities, the administration of the programme, convenience of location, etc.).
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