Certificate in Pharmacy (Pharmacy Technician - Advanced) (Level 5) (Blended)

This programme covers the following qualifications and courses:

How will you learn?

Learning hours are asynchronous. This means you complete them in your own time. There is no set class time, and learning takes place at different times for students/ākonga enrolled in the programme. You are encouraged to interact with other students/ākonga through forums and group messaging. Keep in mind that not everyone likes to study when you do, so you may need to wait for a response.

Total learning hours are 1400 hours across 44 weeks. That is approximately 32 hours per week of full-time study, which is made up of 20 hours of learning in the workplace and 12 hours of self-directed learning.

The self-directed learning hours include:

• Reading, watching, and completing the activities on the online campus.
• Completing assessments.
• Participating in forum discussions and live sessions.

Assessments/ Aromatawai

A total of 140 credits are awarded for the programme.

There are 30 assessments to complete in total: 13 at Level 4 and 17 at Level 5. Assessments will be awarded an achieved or not-achieved result. All learning outcomes must be met to obtain an achieved result. All assessments must be completed in full, with all answers correct, for an achieved result.

Assessments are recorded as follows:

• Achieved – all work/units have been achieved to the standards set in the assessment and performance criteria.
• Not Achieved – the student/ākonga has yet to complete the relevant work to be awarded the assessment or unit.

Assessment submission

Level 4

Level 5

Studying at Level 5

Graduates of this qualification will be able to meet the following outcomes: 

• Work ethically and professionally within the Pharmacy Council Code of Ethics as relevant to Pharmacy Technicians 
• Apply appropriate communication techniques to inform customers/ patients on health-related matters 
• Apply all legislation and regulations as appropriate to Pharmacy Technicians 
• Dispense and reconstitute medicines under the supervision of a pharmacist 
• Provide advice and guidance on the use of dispensed medicines 
• Apply knowledge of medicines as they relate to the treatment of a range of common health disorders 
• Manage dispensary stock and inventory using appropriate environmental and storage requirements 
• Perform calculations as appropriate to dispensing.
• Communicate appropriately and interact effectively with other healthcare professionals and their staff. 
• Apply an advanced level of knowledge of human anatomy, physiology and medicines used in the treatment of health issues.
• Apply knowledge of pharmacology and how medicines work and affect body systems to understand their use as dispensed medicines for the treatment of health issues. 
• Apply critical thinking and problem-solving processes to achieve appropriate solutions in advanced dispensing techniques and/or optimising patient outcomes. 
• Manage inventory and facilitate supply.

A graduate of a level 5 certificate can:

• Demonstrate broad operational or technical and theoretical knowledge within a specific field of work or study.
• Select and apply a range of solutions to familiar and sometimes unfamiliar problems.
• Select and apply a range of standard and non-standard processes relevant to the field of work or study.
• Complete self-management of learning and performance within defined contexts.
• Demonstrate some responsibility for the management of learning and performance of others.

We're here to help

If you're ever unsure about something or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact your tutor. You can send them a message via email or via the 💬 messages feature on the top right corner of the online campus.