..Information to Pharmacists
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Your Monthly E-Magazine
MARCH, 2004

KARALYN HUXHAGEN

From a PSA Councilor Perspective
Recognition of Dispensary Technicians/Assistants

I have previously written on the need for pharmacists to reassess their staff dynamics. In the acute workforce shortages that we have at this present time there is a desperate need for owners and managers to ensure that they maximize the workload that certain pharmacy assistants and retail managers can undertake to help ease the burden that often falls to the pharmacist. In return for the effort and skills that these staff members contribute towards a successful business it is always rewarding to be able to offer staff recognition for their efforts.
Recent surveys and focus groups conducted with pharmacy assistants and dispensary technicians identified that these staff members were looking for recognition of the specific roles that they fulfill.
Many employers do not acknowledge that these pharmacy assistants are interested in receiving unbiased professional information and advice.
They are interested in a wide range of issues including those that are affecting pharmacy practice in Australia e.g. New Clicks, Woolworth's, rescheduling of ibuprofen.
I have spoken to many pharmacists who do not see value in allowing these staff members to attend some of the PSA education evenings or courses.
For specific topics I encourage the pharmacy assistants to attend satellite telecast and education events even if the topic is a little beyond them in technical nature.
If the topic is of interest to them then this can only enhance their desire fro life long learning opportunities and make them feel more competent in performing their role of a pharmacy assistant.
This is very important to many of them as they are not general retail assistants -they have enhanced professional knowledge e.g. treatment of cough and colds, wound care- and they wish to have the fact that they acquired these extra skills recognized by their employers.

In recognition of the outcomes from these surveys and focus groups PSA National, in conjunction with several of the state branches, has recently decided to extend an offer of affiliate membership to those staff members who have a qualification that allows them to work in the dispensary sections of the pharmacy.
This membership offer is designed to provide education and support for the dispensary technician as well as providing recognition of the important role that these pharmacy assistants provide in their workplace.

The affiliate membership offer includes a quarterly newsletter designed for dispensary technicians that will be mailed personally to the technician.
The newsletter will serve multiple functions.
It will provide information and advice relating to areas of interest to dispensary technicians.
The newsletter will also contain education modules for the dispensary technician to complete and return to PSA national for marking.
Continuing education (CE) points will be granted for successful completion of these modules and when a minimum number of these points are earned an annual certificate will be issued to the dispensary technician.

The dispensary technicians will be able to access some member benefits from PSA national including special prices on books from the bookshop, access to the PSA-American Express Gold Credit\card and the AMP Affinity Banking Package.
A PSA membership badge will be sent to each affiliate member to recognize the contribution that they have given as a dispensary technician.
Individual states will also extend offers to the affiliate members and these offers will vary between the states.
I hope that pharmacy owners/managers may see affiliate membership of PSA for the dispensary technicians as a reward tool to an employee who has given dedicated and professional service that enables the pharmacist to have an easier workload.

Any dispensary technician or pharmacy owner/manager who is interested in obtaining information on this membership offer can contact PSA on 02 6283 4777 or email dispensary@psa.org.au.