Week 23

An-nyeong-ha-se-yo, hello and welcome to this session of Professional Practice.

In our previous sessions, we explored different communication techniques that pharmacy technicians can use to effectively communicate with pharmacy patients on health-related matters. Effective communication is a core responsibility of all health professionals. It enables the professional to provide patient-centred care that contributes to the health and well-being of the people they interact with.

Health literacy

When communicating with patients, an important factor to consider is the health literacy demands placed on patients using a health service. In your Level 3 programme, we looked at health literacy and how it impacts a patient's ability to understand health information. In today’s session, we will revisit your knowledge of this topic and look at ways to support pharmacy patients’ health literacy.

What is health literacy?

We will examine two readings to get started with your revision of this topic. Take the time to carefully read and think about the information and ideas discussed in the articles. The following learning activity will build upon the insights gained from these readings and get you reflecting on how health literacy relates to pharmacy.

1. Understanding Health Literacy: This article comes from the Better Practice Journal (BPJ). It discusses health literacy, why it’s important, and what health professionals can do about it.
2. Low Health Literacy: Only one side of the story: This article comes from the New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA. Not to be confused with this tertiary education provider!). It challenges seeing health literacy difficulties as a fault with the patient but rather with the health system and the high demands the system makes on patients and their families. Read pages 14 - 20.

How did you go with that tūmahi (activity)? You will have identified that health literacy is a shared responsibility between health professionals, health organisations and the health care system.

Supporting Health Literacy

With this shared responsibility in mind, let’s look at what pharmacy staff can do to ensure their pharmacy patients are supported and understand the health information that is communicated to them.

In the previous two readings, you will have read the lists of things health professionals can do to support health literacy. In this next reading, you will learn more about methods for supporting health literacy, including a 3-step health literacy model for pharmacies. You may remember this model from your Level 3 learning. 

• Background Information About Health Literacy: Booklet from the Health Quality and Safety Commission (HQSC).

Reflecting

There are many resources available to help you learn more about ways to communicate and support pharmacy patients' understanding of health information. Some of the best learning resources come from our own experiences in the pharmacy workplace. Real-life experiences are powerful ways to learn and improve professional practice.

We know that simply having experiences does not mean we will learn and improve. We must reflect on the experiences to gain insights and learning. Therefore, in this next tūmahi, you will be reflecting to learn. You will also be sharing your reflections with your classmates and reading their reflections. In this way, we can collaborate and ‘supercharge’ the learning by learning from each other’s experience as well as our own.

This quote is from the Understanding Health Literacy resource. In this context, it illustrates how patients can understand and manage their health best when they are empowered. You can support patients in a mana-enhancing way by providing them with the resources, confidence, and knowledge to reduce health literacy demands.

During our exploration of effective communication, we have looked at a variety of different communication techniques, health literacy and health literacy demands. As a pharmacy technician, you play an important role in ensuring health information is not only available but also easily understandable for all pharmacy patients. By communicating effectively, you reduce health literacy demands and empower your patients to understand and make informed decisions about their own health and well-being.

Great work. You have now completed week 23 of Professional Practice. Feel free to continue to add to your health literacy notes as you continue to progress through the pharmacy programme. Keep building your personal resources for future reference – professionals never stop learning!

Kia ora, in the upcoming lessons, we will concentrate on reinforcing and solidifying your understanding of dispensing through a series of knowledge check 'Challenge Activities'.

Challenge Activities

You'll check your knowledge through self-directed quiz-style learning activities. These activities are designed to help you assess your existing knowledge and pinpoint any knowledge gaps that require attention. It will also help prepare you for progression to Level 5 of the programme.

If you are unsure of any answers, revisit prior lessons and refer to your class notes for a refresher. You have access to various resources and the supportive learning community; feel free to use these to enhance your understanding. If you still have unanswered questions or want to discuss any topics further, don't hesitate to bring your questions to class to go over with your tutor.

Week 23 - Challenge Activity 

This active learning strategy promotes active learning and critical thinking and acts as a self-assessment tool so that you can gauge how comfortable you are with your learning. Everyone will share their answer sheets at the start of next week so that you can compare your answers, correct any misunderstandings, and celebrate your growing knowledge.

Hoake tātou! Let’s go!

Instructions

1. Download the quiz document and save it to your device. Week 23 - Introduction to Dispensing: Challenge Activity.
2. The quiz has 29 questions. Take the time to answer every question.
3. Don't let difficult questions discourage you. Seek out the information, and if in doubt, speak to your tutor. Remember, it's a learning opportunity, so make the most of it!

Kāre koe i te kanga, you’re great; you’ve completed Week 23 of Introduction to Dispensing.

Vanakkam, welcome to this session on Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM). Throughout your programme, we have discussed CAM in general, so you will be aware that pharmacies stock many over-the-counter (OTC) remedies, supplements, and other related products that patients buy to support their health and well-being. You are also aware that it is important that you ask patients if they are taking any CAM so that you can provide the appropriate care and advice.

Complementary and alternative medicines

The terms complementary and alternative mean different things:

Complementary medicine

Alternative medicine

This type of medicine is used in addition to standard medicines. Example: For nausea relief in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy (standard treatment), a common complementary medicine approach is the use of ginger. Ginger, often in the form of supplements or tea, is known for its anti-nausea properties and may help alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Other complementary therapies like acupuncture or massage may be used to alleviate treatment-related side effects such as fatigue or pain.

This type of medicine is used instead of standard medicines. Example: Individuals with chronic back pain might use herbal remedies instead of conventional pain medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. They may use valerian root, which is thought to help with muscle relaxation for the muscle tension associated with back pain, or turmeric, which contains a compound that has anti-inflammatory properties. Other alternative therapies for back pain may include yoga or massage.

'Standard medicines'

When we talk about ‘standard medicines’, also known as ‘conventional medicines’, we are referring to the established and widely accepted medications that are approved and meet the standards set out by the regulatory authorities of a specific country to ensure patient safety. It may also be talked about as ‘Western medicine’.

Holistic health

Another term used in healthcare that you will be familiar with is ‘holistic health’. Holistic health refers to an inclusive approach to healthcare that considers the entirety of an individual, encompassing their physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. It acknowledges the interconnectedness of these aspects and emphasises the importance of addressing all dimensions to achieve optimal health and well-being. CAM is a method patients may use to support their holistic health. Many CAM practices align with the principles of holistic health.

Understanding and being aware of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

As a pharmacy technician, why is it important to know what CAM your pharmacy patients are taking and have some knowledge of different types of CAM?

Take a moment to consider your answer before reading on.

Understanding and being aware of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) that pharmacy patients are taking is crucial for pharmacy technicians for several important reasons:

1. Preventing drug interactions
2. Providing informed recommendations
3. Facilitating communication
4. Promoting patient-centred care.

Let’s look at each of these reasons in more detail.

Preventing drug interactions

CAM products, including herbal supplements and alternative therapies, can interact with conventional medications, potentially causing adverse effects or reducing the efficacy of prescribed drugs. Being aware of CAM usage allows pharmacy technicians to flag potential interactions and consult with pharmacists to ensure patient safety.

Providing informed recommendations

Pharmacy technicians can offer informed recommendations to patients regarding the appropriate use of CAM products, ensuring they are compatible with their current medications and health conditions. This guidance supports patients in making well-informed decisions about their healthcare.

Facilitating communication

Knowledge of CAM usage encourages effective communication between the pharmacy team, healthcare providers, and patients. This collaboration promotes a holistic approach to patient care, where all aspects of a patient's health, including CAM usage, are considered and supported.

Promoting patient-centred care

Understanding CAM usage allows pharmacy technicians to tailor their approach to patient care, considering the patient's preferences, beliefs, practices and culture related to CAM. This patient-centred approach fosters trust and satisfaction with the pharmacy's services and ensures pharmacy technicians uphold the patient’s health and disability consumer rights.

Herbal Medicines

Herbal medicine is a form of medicine that exclusively uses plants and is the oldest form of medicine on the planet. Herbal medicine is being increasingly validated as modern science seeks to understand the chemistry of medicinal herbs and to confirm their safety and efficacy in clinical trials. It is the forerunner of modern drug medicine, with many chemical drugs based on compounds found in plants. For example, the idea for aspirin came from the salicylates found in willow bark, and heart medicines are still extracted from the foxglove plant.

Drug-herb interactions

All medical agents have potentially unexpected effects, including toxicity and interactions – and herbs are no different. Drug-herb interactions are based on the same pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics principles as drug-drug interactions. Therefore, herbal medicines need to be thought of as a medicine so that adverse effects and interactions are considered.

Time to research! Use the following activity to conduct your own research and save your findings as a resource.

Other CAM practices

Other examples of CAM practices include:

• Acupuncture
• Acupressure
• Aromatherapy
• Ayurveda
• Bach Flower Remedies
• Homeopathy
• Massage therapy - many different types
• Naturopathy
• Reflexology
• Reiki
• Rongoā Māori
• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
• Yoga

Tino pai, great stuff. You have completed week 23 of this course. We will continue our discussion on CAM practices in the next learning session.