Pharmacy placement
Q. While pharmacists may perform similar tasks in many different workplaces, the manner in which this work is completed will be affected by the staffing, workload and organizational structure. Describe the organizational structure of your placement site. Is it a flat structure? Is there a clear hierarchy? Is the organization structured around specific business units, functions, roles or people? Draw diagram illustrating this structure. Include pharmacy support staff role
Q. Discuss the allocation of work between the different roles filled by pharmacists and pharmacy support staff (eg. technicians/retail staff) with your preceptor. Are roles dynamic? Discuss what changes occur in times of heavy workload. Who decides where priorities lie? Contrast that with times of lower workload. Are there some tasks that are classed as non-urgent and may not be performed as regularly as others?
Q. Describe the various communication strategies used internally within this placement site (e.g. formal meetings, emails, hand-over books). The communication may be within or between distinct teams.
Q. Describe the communication strategies used with external parties (e.g. patients, prescribers, suppliers).
Q. Describe the type and level of team work that you have observed between staff and/or experienced within this placement site. Discuss the degree to which staff work independently (self-sufficient) and/or interdependently (relying on each other).
Whether community or hosptial pharmacy, patient demographics will influence the drugs stocked and serices provided.
Q. provide an overview of the demographicsof patients who most commonly visit your placement site. Describe any factors that may influence the demographics of patients. If in hospital, are there any areas of specialisation in this hospital that would influence who is likely to access services? If in a community pharmacy, does the position of the pharmacy (relative to aged care facilities, GPs, specialists, schools) affect the blend of patients seen?
Q. do the patient demographics mean that there are any particular comunication challenges to overcome e.g. cultural or linguistic differences? Ask the staff at this placement site, about the strategies in place to assist in dealing with these challenges?
