NVQ 3 Pharmacy Services

[Tony Schofield]

You go to work to work. The qualification is a valuable asset that you take with you once it is achieved. Obviously support should be available at work but I don't accept you should study at work. If you aren't able to put the work in at home for a qualification that improves your employment prospects then don't do it.

[Annie G]

But the NPA actually states that this qualification should (mostly) be done at work, having study periods at least once a week at work.

[Tony Schofield]

Study periods of........?

As I said there should be support at work but it is incomprehensible that the qualification in it's entirety should be achieved during paid work time.

The NPA qualification in my view is not fit for purpose. The competencies are to be achieved in isolation. Should an employer be unhappy with a candidate's ability to demonstrate the competency at the same time as the others required, ie not in isolation, there is no facility to do so.

[razorbladekisses]

Hi Annie, the NVQ is very time consuming. Life is basically going to work and doing the NVQ but I keep reminding myself that it isn't going to be like that forever. My manager doesn't have a lot of faith in me and to be honest that has made me even more determined to complete the NVQ.

I am allowed an hour each day to do some of the NVQ i.e photocopying Rx's, asking the pharmacist any questions and identifying what evidence I require. The majority of it I do in my own time at home. Personally I find it easier to do it at home as I can write the reports on the computer rather than writing it by hand and then typing it up. Also if I do it at home I've got a desk, at work I'm stuck in a corner with it on my lap!

I am quite lucky as it's just me that I have to look after. I appreciate that if people have children, it can be quite difficult to study at home.

If you ever need any help, feel free to ask and I'll do my best to help.

[Annie G]

Yes, I find the evidence collection easier to do at home. The workbooks however I think doing parts of them at work would be easier as a lot of the time it says 'ask your pharmacist' Obviously I don't have one of those at home I started the course this year and the NPA have decided to do the evidence collection and workbooks at the same time, so while I'm doing drugs and their uses I'm also doing health and safety! We'll get there in the end though I'm sure of it

[razorbladekisses]

I'm doing City and Guilds but because I was sick last year I fell behind so now I'm having to do both the modules and units together.

You seem determined so I'm sure you'll complete it

[SPIDER]

Originally Posted by Tony Schofield

Study periods of........?

As I said there should be support at work but it is incomprehensible that the qualification in it's entirety should be achieved during paid work time.

The NPA qualification in my view is not fit for purpose. The competencies are to be achieved in isolation. Should an employer be unhappy with a candidate's ability to demonstrate the competency at the same time as the others required, ie not in isolation, there is no facility to do so.

How can you say that the qualification is not fit for its purpose. Please explain not fit for what????!!!!!

[JDG]

Originally Posted by razorbladekisses

Yeah, it's practical evidence that I'm short of. I need 3 different types of products from this list:

Topical preparations-I've chosen menthol 1% in aqueous cream. Never made it up but I'm sure I can describe it.
Oral liquid preparations I guess I can just pick any antibiotic for this one.
Suppositories No idea, never made any up
Powders ?
Capsules No idea, never made any up
Dilutions ?

It seems like I just need one more. Any ideas would be appreciated.

For the powder example - You could use Zineryt.

[johnep]

I used to prepare powders. They were the forerunner of tablets. Most famous ones were Beechams, Steedmans and Aston&Parsons.

Modern variation is the sachet.
johnep

[Sir_Dispensalot]

from memory of old the buttercups lot used to let you count a eumovate in wsp as a dilution too because technically you're diluting the eumovate in wsp. Not sure of the npa view of this though. You could mock up a script for galpseud linctus 50:50 simple linctus paed sf (or syrup bp) and probably get away with it as a dilution...