Medicines Counter Assistant (MCA) Wednesday Morning (10.00am – 2.00pm)

(8 Half Days – Tutor Directed Online Workshops)

Overview

The Medicines Counter Assistant Course (MCA) has been completely revamped, updated and endorsed by Award for Training & Higher Education (ATHE). This course will run for 8 half days, over eight weeks for pharmacy staff who work on the pharmacy medicines counter. The course is interactive in nature and will provide pharmacy staff with the skills and knowledge to deal effectively and sensitively with customers in the pharmacy. Emphasis is placed on questioning skills, product knowledge and appropriate referral. Case studies are used to illustrate and emphasise key points in each topic.

Course Content

• Medicine Counter Customer Service;
• OTC Medicines PSI Regulations;
• Gastrointestinal Conditions and Treatment (Upper Digestive);
• Gastrointestinal Conditions and Treatment (Lower Digestive);
• Respiratory Conditions and Treatments;
• Pain Types and Treatments;
• Skin Conditions and Treatments;
• General Illness and Treatments;
• Smoking Cessation Products and;
• Vitamins, Minerals and Nutritional Dietary Supplements.

Course Delivery and Methodology

These virtual interactive workshops will include case studies, and group exercises in virtual breakout rooms. It includes tutor-led presentations, discussions and group and individual exercises. Learners will also be required to demonstrate “on the job” competence which is assessed by their pharmacist/team leader and recorded as part of their coursework. Learners will also complete a number of “learner transfer” activities which evaluates their understanding of the topic and is reviewed by their pharmacist/team leader. Learners will need a computer/laptop or a mobile device and a set of earphones/headset to attend.

Course Schedule

Wednesday Morning (10.00am – 2.00pm) 11, 25 February. 4, 11, 25 March. 15, 22, 29 April

Assessment

Each topic is accompanied by post session course study to reinforce learning, culminating in a comprehensive final assessment which will take place at the end of the course. Learners must achieve a minimum score of 80% in the final assessment to successfully complete the course. Upon completion, an ATHE certificate will be awarded.

Course Fee

The cost of this course is €575 for learners working for IPU members; or €775 for learners working for non-members. Up to €1,270 per pharmacy, per year, is reimbursable for training from the PCRS under the Pharmacy Training Grant Scheme. For further information on claiming the grant go to www.ipu.ie> IPU Professional Academy > IPU Training > Training Resources.

How to Enrol and Pay

1. Go to www.ipu.ie.
2. In the top menu, click on “IPU Professional Academy” and then select Training Courses.
3. If you want to browse first, just click View Course to read the details.
4. From the Training Courses page, you can add courses to a shopping cart by hovering over the course you want and clicking Add to Cart. You will be able to increase the quantity at the Checkout point. You can continue adding other courses to the cart, or when you are done, click View basket on the last course you added, or, if you are viewing a course, click on the basket icon in the right-hand corner and click View Basket.
5. From here, you can increase the quantity but make sure to click Update Basket if you do so.
6. Please, make sure you click on the green button ”Members Login” and log on if you are a member, so the system will show the member price.
7. Click Proceed to Checkout when you are happy with your booking (s) and enter your billing and pharmacist details.
8. You can then scroll down to enter the student details. For example, if you are intending on booking one student on one course and then two students on to a different course, you will see three student bookings appear in the Checkout, since you are booking three slots. The name of the course (s) you have selected will appear at the top of each slot so you can enter the details of the appropriate student to the selected course. You would then repeat the same for the next two student slots.
9. After entering all the required information, enter your card details and click Place Order to pay for all of the bookings in one go. This eLearning course is available to purchase 24/7 and is placed on the IPU Professional Academy Learning Management System (LMS).