Introduction To OTC Consultations And Sales Of Medicines Protocols Flashcards
What are the formats consultations follow
- Requests for a specific named medicine
- Requests for something to help with symptoms
What are pharmacists responsible for ensuring?
The appropriateness of the medicine regardless of the request type
What are things to consider in a sake of medicine
- indication and licensing
- co-morbidities and interactions
- Danger Symptoms
What does responding to symptoms refer to
The counselling that a pharmacist may provide to a patient in response to requests for advice regarding minor ailments
What may a pharmacist do when responding to a patients symptoms
- Treating the patient and recommending an appropriate over the counter (OTC) medicine
OR - Referring the patient to another healthcare professional
Why do we teach the Sale of Medicines Protocols?
- Provide a structure when dealing with signs and symptoms
- They have positive attributes
- They can be used as a tool alongside clinical reasoning and evidence-based knowledge
What does WWHAM mean?
- Who is the patient?
- what are the symptoms
- How long have they had the symptoms
- Action taken
- Medication being taken
What does WWHAM mean?
- Who is the patient?
- what are the symptoms
- How long have they had the symptoms
- Action taken
- Medication being taken
What does ENCORE mean?
- Explore
- No medication
- Care
- Refer
- Explain
What does ASMETHOD?
- Age/Appearance
- Self/Someone else
- Medication
- Extra Medicines
- Time persisting
- History
- Other Symptoms
- Danger symptoms
ASMETHOD - Age
“Would you mind telling me how old you are?”
- In a pharmacy setting you would often do this by sight
- The person in front of you answering may not be the patient
SAMETHOD - Self
“Please may I check if you are requesting advice for yourself or someone else?”
-You can’t assume that the person requesting the help is the patient
- if it is for someone else who is that person?
SAMETHOD - Medication
“Do you currently take any medication”
- It is importantly to establish the patients current medication: this could include prescribe or any other OTC medication
- Why?: Presenting symptom may be caused by one of their medications, Their medication may interact with some OTC medication
SAMETHOD - Extra Medicines?
“Have you tried any other medications?”
- Establish what medication the patient may have taken for the symptom
• you wouldn’t offer the same item again
• if they have taken something an it hasn’t irked this would be classified as failed treatment
- if they have taken medication:
• What medicine have they taken and at what dose?
• How long have they been taking it for?
• What effect has this had on the Problem?
SAMETHOD - Time persisting
“How long have you had your current symptoms?”
- Establish how long the patient has had the symptom
-if a symptom exceeds the recommended time frames that the symptoms should last, this is a danger symptom
