Transcript professionalism_game_cards_updatedx

The Code of Conduct for pharmacy
students applies during term-time
from day 1 of MPharm
False
The Code of conduct for pharmacy
students applies until graduation
True
The Code of Conduct for pharmacy
students applies only on campus
False
The Principles of Code of Conduct
for pharmacy students are based on
the principles in Standards of
conduct, ethics and performance for
pharmacists
True
The Code of Conduct for pharmacy
students has 7 principles
True
The first four principles in the Code
of Conduct for pharmacy students
are more important than the last
three
False
There is no link between the Code of
Conduct for pharmacy students and the
Standards of conduct, ethics and
performance for pharmacists
False
The Code of Conduct for pharmacy
students indicates how the principles
in the Standards of conduct, ethics
and performance for pharmacists
apply to students during their studies
True
If you do not comply with the Code of
Conduct for pharmacy students you
may be subject to fitness to practice
procedures
True
Principle 3 of the Code of Conduct
states “Show respect to others”. This
applies only to patients when in
direct contact with them
False
Principle 5 of the Code of Conduct
involves reflecting on your
experiences. This applies only to
experiences that went wrong
False
Social media has no implication on
your professional life
False
Social media has no place in
undergraduate healthcare education
False
E-professionalism is another
dimension of the Code of Conduct
for pharmacy students
True
The standards of conduct, ethics and
performance apply to registered
pharmacists
True
The standards of conduct, ethics and
performance apply to pre-registration
pharmacists
True
The standards of conduct, ethics and
performance apply to registered
pharmacy technicians
True
The standards of conduct, ethics and
performance apply to pharmacy
students
False
The standards of conduct, ethics and
performance apply to healthcare
assistants
False
The current code of ethics underpins
the standards of conduct, ethics and
performance
True
The standards of conduct, ethics and
performance are issued by RPSGB
False
The standards of conduct, ethics and
performance are issued by RPS
False
The standards of conduct, ethics and
performance are issued by GPhC
True
GPhC is the current pharmacy
regulator for England, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland
False
GPhC is the current pharmacy
regulator for England, Scotland and
Wales
True
The standards of conduct, ethics and
performance are intended to protect
patient safety
True
The standards of conduct, ethics and
performance are intended to protect
patients against financial fraud
False
When there is conflict between the
standards of conduct, ethics and
performance the pharmacist should
always decide what is best as they
have more knowledge
False
Pharmacy professionals have a code
of ethics
True
The code of ethics for pharmacy
professionals regulates their actions
True
The code of ethics for pharmacy
professionals is set by the state
False
During your placement you observe some items
being stored in the fridge. How is this relevant to
principle 1 of the Code of Conduct?
o Keeps patient safe from harmful effects that might result from
incorrectly stored medicine. If a fridge item is not stored
correctly, patients may be harmed.
o Some items need to be stored in the fridge to make sure they
are effective. Ensures the medicine the patient receives is
effective.
o The things you learn in formulations lectures and workshops are
relevant to patient safety. Even though you are not directly in
contact with patients, you should keep in mind that you are
learning the theory that underpins practices that are important to
keep patients safe.
During your placement you hear the pharmacist
giving advice to a patient about taking their
medication before food. How is this relevant to
principle 1 of the Code of Conduct?
o Taking medication before, with or after food can influence
absorption. Pharmacists need to give patients all the information
they need to take their medications correctly to maximise
benefit and prevent harm.
o In pharmacokinetics lectures and workshops you should keep in
mind that the theory you learn here is relevant to the advice you
give in practice and has an impact on patients’ health and
wellbeing.
During your placement you notice a patient buying from the
health counter a pack of some analgesic. Then the patient
brings in a prescription for a new item to the dispensing
counter where you happen to hear the dispenser asking
them if they take any medication OTC and they say no. How
is this relevant to principle 2 of the Code of Conduct?
o The new item prescribed may interact with the OTC analgesic or the
patient could need advice about how to use the two together safely - here
it would be in the interests of the patient to remind them that OTC
analgesics count as OTC medication and find out what they just bought.
o You should use your professional judgement to work out the best way of
finding out this information from the patient - it would not be in the
interests of patients and the public to loudly accuse the patient of lying.
The patient might not be deliberately dishonest, they may have just
thought it is irrelevant.
During your placement you notice a patient buying 2 packs of
paracetamol and paying in the till. Then you notice the same
patient going back to the shop area and getting another 2
packs, but this time they are paying in the self-check out
counter. How is this relevant to principle 2 of the Code of
Conduct?
o The patient may come to serious harm if they take an overdose of
paracetamol - it is in their interests to prevent this happening.
o You need to use professional judgement to navigate the situation and
ensure patient comes to no harm in any case. They might have a valid
reason for buying this much paracetamol and just didn’t want to arouse
suspicion by buying them at the same till. They might have no reason and
are being dishonest. Do you refuse sale? If so, you don’t want to
embarrass customer in the middle of the shop, be discreet.
o Legality - can buy up to 100 paracetamol in packs of 16 GSL and 32 P. If
this patient bought 2 packs of 32 from pharmacy area and 2 packs of 16
from shop area this is 96, below the legal limit.
You are asked by a relative your opinion on whether they
should buy Nurofen® tablets or capsules. You believe that
tablets work equally fine as the capsules, so it is not worth
paying extra for the capsules. How is this relevant to principle
2 of the Code of Conduct?
o Need to use your professional judgement in the interests of the
patient, in this case your relative. You might believe that the
tablets work just as well as the capsules and it is not worth
paying extra for the capsules, but is this in the best interests of
your relative? If your relative is old and struggles to swallow
tablets, for them the best option might be capsules.
o You must put your own beliefs aside and think about what is
best for the patient.
You have a group assignment for one of the modules, and you
need to meet as a group to discuss it. You suggest meeting at
10pm so you can go back after your lectures, have a nap and a
shower. One of your colleagues is responsible for childcare of
their younger sibling. How is this relevant to principle 3 of the
Code of Conduct?
o Respect for others includes other students.
o It is important to recognise and respect that people have
different commitments outside of University.
o Meeting straight after lectures might be inconvenient for you,
but meeting at 10pm would be an even greater inconvenience
for someone responsible for childcare of a younger sibling.
o When deciding something in a group, everyone should be
consulted and listened to.
You have a group assignment for one of the modules, and you
need to meet as a group to discuss it. You suggest meeting at
10pm in the local pub. One of your colleagues is Muslim. How
is this relevant to principle 3 of the Code of Conduct?
o Respect for others includes other students.
o Respecting people includes respecting their religious beliefs
and cultural differences. Meeting in a pub might not be an
appropriate venue for somebody with different religious beliefs
to you.
o When deciding something in a group, everyone should be
consulted and listened to.
During your placement in a central Cardiff pharmacy you notice
that a 19-year old patient, who brought in a prescription for
antidepressants, is actually one of your neighbours. How is this
relevant to principle 3 of the Code of Conduct?
o Respect other people's dignity and privacy.
o You may see this person again, if you do and you are with other
people (housemates, other friends) remember you are bound by
confidentiality agreements and cannot tell them how you know
this person, only that you met them in a pharmacy.
o You are bound by the Code of Conduct and if you do not
respect its principles may be subject to University fitness to
practice procedures.
During your placement in a central Cardiff pharmacy you meet
Alex, one of your partner’s housemates, who brought in a
prescription for diabetic drugs. On Saturday night you all go out
together; Alex has a lot of alcohol and ends up with a
hypoglycaemic episode. An ambulance with paramedics
arrives. How is this relevant to principle 3 of the Code of
Conduct?
o There are two conflicting principles in this scenario - you need
to weigh up confidentiality vs. disclosing information.
o You cannot disclose information as that would break
confidentiality.
o If you don’t disclose that Alex is diabetic, though, could patient
harm occur? Best treatment/course of action might not occur in
a timely manner.
o How do you deal with this conflict? It might be worth prompting
the paramedics to get in touch with Alex’s GP?
You are asked by a relative your opinion on whether they
should buy Nurofen® tablets or capsules. You believe that
tablets work equally fine as the capsules, so it is not worth
paying extra for the capsules. How is this relevant to principle 4
of the Code of Conduct?
o By giving your relative impartial, up to date and relevant
information you are enabling them to make informed decisions
about their care.
o You need to tailor your explanation to the person you are
communicating with - don’t use pharmacokinetic terms like
absorption through membranes and time to reach desired
plasma concentration, instead use phrases like “fast acting”.
o You should develop your communication skills so you can give
patients all the information they need in a way they understand
and involve them in decisions.
o You need to listen to and respect your relatives choices - they
may want to pay extra to feel like they’re getting the best
product or they might prefer capsules.
You have sat at a final year assessment, for which you have
prepared really well. You passed, but got really stressed during
the assessment and didn’t achieve as high a mark as you were
hoping. How is this relevant to principle 5 of the Code of
Conduct?
o Professional development means always trying to improve, this
doesn’t necessarily mean the mark, but your preparation for it.
o Things might go wrong, these things might be unpredictable what is important is that you reflect on the experience, try and
do better and engage constructively with assessments rather
than just aiming for a good mark “by chance”.
o Reflect on your competencies - if stress during assessments is
something that affects you often, is there anything you can do
about it before the next assessment?
During your placement the pharmacist has left you in the
consultation area with a patient. You are discussing with them
about their holidays, and how they think they will struggle to keep
on with their medication routine. During the conversation, the
patients asks you if they should change the timing of when they
take insulin, as they are supposed to have it every morning and
they are going to New Zealand, which has a time difference. How is
this relevant to principle 5 of the Code of Conduct?
o You must recognise the limits of your knowledge and not offer
advice to this patient if you’re not sure - ask the pharmacist.
o You might have encountered a gap in your knowledge - you can
then ask the pharmacist for more information about this
question or watch them give advice to the patient - developing
your knowledge.
You have sat at a final year assessment, for which you have
not prepared really well. You revised some “hot topics” and got
lucky with the questions that came up in the exam. You
passed, and were very pleased as that saved you a lot of
effort. How is this relevant to principle 5 of the Code of
Conduct?
o You should try and engage constructively with assessments, not
just aim for a good mark “by chance” but try and explore your
learning.
o You may have passed the exam but in practice you will not be able
to get away with knowing only the “hot topics”.
o You should try and prepare more thoroughly next time, not just to
pass the exam but to make sure you are a competent pharmacist in
the future.
o You should go back over the content in the module that you didn’t
revise for the exam, to make sure you know it when you are
practising.
Three of your housemates are in the same course as you. For
one of your assignments, you all sit together in the kitchen
table and discuss ideas. You then proceed to writing the
report, still discussing and exchanging “good” and “not so
good” phrases to use. How is this relevant to principle 6 of the
Code of Conduct?
o Discussing assignments with your peers contributes to your
professional development and is beneficial. You can all benefit
from getting a different point of view, and your peers can help
you in the areas where you are week.
o However, when it comes to writing down reports, this has to be
in your own wording and using your own procedure. In this
case, even if not intentional, what happened is still plagiarism.
o This will affect the level of trust university staff have in you. You
will be called in a meeting and concern forms will be submitted.
You have been asked to complete a report after a workshop in a
laboratory. You didn’t really have the time to finish the
experiments during the lab, and your data is incomplete, but you
understood the trend and are able to predict approximately what
data you would get. You decide to proceed in writing the report.
How is this relevant to principle 6 of the Code of Conduct?
o This is dishonesty and even though it may seem like an
insignificant thing to be dishonest about, it may affect people’s
trust in you if found out.
o This will affect the level of trust university staff have in you. You
will be called in a meeting and concern forms will be submitted
o There may be an impact on your future career - if friends or
colleagues know you have a habit of being dishonest, even
about minor things, they may not recommend a patient come to
your pharmacy for advice.
It is Wednesday evening and you go out with your friends to
celebrate your birthday. You have a lovely time and end up
consuming a lot of alcohol and sleeping quite late. Next day is your
group presentation; when it is your turn to present you still have a
headache, perform badly, and your group gets a low mark for
presentation. How is this relevant to principle 7 of the Code of
Conduct?
o In this case you compromised your peers’ trust towards you,
and all your group’s hard preparation work. The group you were
working with will likely not trust you or want to work with you in
future.
o Direct impact on your marks.
o It is not very responsible to have not considered the
presentation while going out. A more responsible thing would
maybe have been to schedule your birthday celebrations for
another day.
You are having a night in with your housemates, ordering in pizza and
watching a DVD. You leave the living room for 5 minutes, to go to the
toilet. When you return they are all giggling but are not explaining the
reason. Next day you are called in by your tutor, who shows you some
offensive posts in the module’s group, posted last night from your
account. How does that relate to the principles of the Code of Conduct?
o Principle 3 - even though you did not write the offensive post,
you enabled it to happen by leaving your phone/laptop
unsupervised and unlocked.
o Principle 5 – this is a situation on which you need to reflect,
come up with action points and record CPD entries to show
how you have undertaken the learning and what do you think
the impact would be
o Principle 7 - it would be responsible to make sure your
phone/laptop is locked or your account is signed out so the
only person who can access it is you.
A patient has just been diagnosed with cancer. They
visit you in the pharmacy and express the wish to
receive only palliative treatment and no active
treatment (i.e. no chemotherapy). Which ethical
principles are relevant in this scenario?
Autonomy - Are they fully informed and capable of deciding?
A football player is involved in a car accident and he
has a serious damage in his leg. The surgeon knows
that the best course of action is to amputate his leg,
but the player refuses and states that he prefers to
keep his leg even if it is non-functioning. Which
ethical principles are in conflict in this scenario?
Autonomy vs. beneficence
A patient diagnosed with schizophrenia is refusing
treatment, they do not believe they need it. The
consultant doctor knows that if the patient doesn’t
receive treatment they will harm themselves or
someone else. Which ethical principles are in conflict
in this scenario?
Autonomy vs. beneficence
Autonomy vs. non-maleficence
A patient on chronic pain has been receiving pain
relief medication for the last month. The consultant is
getting worried about the patient becoming addictive
on the medication, so they substitute the painkillers
to less addictive ones. Which ethical principles are in
conflict in this scenario?
Autonomy vs. beneficence
Fidelity vs. beneficence
A pharmacist in a pharmaceutical company
discovers a new drug very effective against a lifethreatening condition. This drug may also have
harmful side-effects. Which ethical principles are in
conflict in this scenario?
Non-maleficence vs. beneficence
The pharmacist in a rural village is refusing to
provide the service of Emergency Hormonal
Contraception (EHC) on religious grounds. Which
ethical principle is relevant to this scenario?
Justice - if someone in the village wanting EHC is unable to travel
to another pharmacy in the time frame, this creates an inequality
in access to services compared with a patient based in an urban
area.
A student feels they need additional time to complete their exams
because of their disability are they entitled to this?
A: They are not entitled to this as this would not be fair for other
students
B: They should ask for this (via Disability and Dyslexia Service) as
a ‘reasonable adjustment’
C: They shouldn’t tell the University that they are disabled
B
Students can ask for reasonable adjustments to meet their needs in relation
to disability. This may include additional time in exams.
A student has changed their gender identity from male to female
but has not undergone any medical procedures and would like to
use the women’s toilets. Are they entitled to do this?
A: No, they must use the male toilets
B: No, they should use the accessible (‘disabled’) toilet
C: Yes, they can use the women’s toilets
C
From the time they present as a woman (e.g. dress like a woman, refer to
themselves as female etc.) a student can use the women’s toilets, changing
rooms etc. Students don’t have to undergo medical procedures (e.g.
operations, hormone treatments) to be recognised in their new gender. Only
disabled students should use the accessible ‘disabled’ toilets and nondisabled people should not be instructed to use these as gender neutral
toilets.
A student feels that they are being ‘bullied’ by another student via
social media sites. Can they ask the University to take any action?
A: No, this is an external matter
B: Yes, this would come under the University’s Dignity at Work
and Study policy
C: Yes, but only if it relates to a protected characteristic
B
The University’s Dignity at Work and Study Policy applies to all behaviour
that could amount to harassment and bullying. If the behaviour is in relation
to a protected characteristic e.g. using sexist or racist language this may be
‘harassment’. However, ‘Bullying’ does not have to be in relation to a
protected characteristic. If the behaviour amounts to a criminal offence e.g.
‘stalking’ this may also be addressed externally.
A student keeps using the term ‘that’s so gay’ meaning ‘that’s so
stupid’. When he is confronted about this he says it’s only a joke
and he is not homophobic. Is this acceptable?
A: Yes, as it is only used as a joke
B: No, this could be perceived as a form of harassment/bullying
C: Yes, it is only harassment/bullying if the person complaining is
gay
B
For someone to make a complaint of harassment it is the effect of the
behaviour and not the intention of the perpetrator that is important.
Harassment is behaviour that violates a person’s dignity or creates an
intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
Engineering want to encourage more women to study with them as
women are underrepresented on the courses. What can they do?
A: Have a positive action campaign including targeting open day
sessions for women and holding workshops for girls at schools
(widening access)
B: Nothing, they would have to treat men and women equally
C: Offer places to all women that apply regardless of their entry
qualifications
A
A positive action campaign in this situation is likely to be justifiable as there
is underrepresentation of women studying engineering. Offering places
regardless of qualification however is unlikely to be considered as a
‘proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim’ and will be
discriminatory for men.
A student complains that all of their lectures are held in the evening
when it is difficult to arrange childcare. The information available when
applying for the course had not advertised the course as having
evening lectures. Can anything be done about this?
A: No, the student has to make an effort to attend all lectures
B: Yes, the student should discuss their needs with the University and
where reasonably practicable the University should look to offer an
alternative
C: Yes, the student has a right to have the time changed as this would
be sex discrimination
B
The practice of holding all lectures in the evening may be indirect
discrimination if this cannot be justified as proportionate and legitimate. The
University should consider offering alternative times if this is possible.
(Note: the legal requirement to implement ‘reasonable adjustments’ only
applies to disability and is a stronger requirement than considering
alternative arrangements for other groups)
A student attending social activities complains that the activities
are all based around alcohol and this is problematic for their
religious belief. What can they do?
A: They should talk to the Students’ Union (or organiser of the
activity) to discuss their concerns
B: They should refrain from attending these activities and socialise
with students with similar beliefs
C: They should accept that if they want to attend these events
other students may be drinking alcohol
A
The University and Students’ Union have a duty not to discriminate directly
or indirectly, to consider the needs of students and to promoting good
relations between students with different protected characteristics. Activities
should not indirectly exclude certain groups from participating and a range
of activities including some alcohol-free activities should be provided.
A student whose sister is a gay woman finds that his fellow
students often tell jokes about lesbians and tease him about his
sister’s orientation. Is this acceptable behaviour?
A: Yes, as the comments are not aimed directly at them
B: No, this is harassment
C: No, this is direct discrimination
B
This may be harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation, despite it not
being the student’s own sexuality that is the subject of the teasing.
A student who is pregnant has to leave a practical assessment
several times during the course of the session to use the toilet.
The member of teaching staff running the practical session ‘fails
the student’ as she has not completed the assigned work in the
allotted time, due to her numerous toilet breaks, as she would do
for any other student. Is this acceptable behaviour?
A: Yes, as all students must be assessed using the same
characteristics
B: No, this is harassment
C: No, this is direct discrimination
C
This is direct discrimination because of pregnancy and maternity as this
characteristic doesn’t require the normal comparison of treatment with other
employees.
A Muslim student starts on a six week work placement scheme.
On the first Friday of the scheme he is given permission by the
manager to be away for an hour during the day to attend the
mosque where he worships. The following week the manager says
that he will not let him go in future as he requires a greater
commitment than that he has demonstrated by taking time out of
the scheme to attend the mosque. The manager tells the student
that he must choose between work and the mosque. Is this
acceptable behaviour?
A: Yes, as all students must be available to work the required
hours during the placements
B: No, this is direct discrimination
C: No, this is harassment
B
This is direct discrimination because of religion and beliefs. It is unlawful for
someone to discriminate against you because of your religion or belief.
You have been up all night with nausea and
vomiting. In 3 hours you have an important exam.
How is this relevant to the code of conduct?
o You need to take responsibility for your working practices
o If you do not feel ready to sit the exam, you should inform the
relevant members of staff prior to the exam, and explain the
situation
o You should also ensure you will be able to obtain a doctor’s
note to explain your absence
o Reflect on the day before the assessment: is there anything you
can do to avoid having this situation again the day before an
exam?
During an over-the-counter interaction with a patient
asking for a product to help with their cough, the
pharmacists finds out that the patient is regularly
smoking heavily. How is this relevant to the code of
conduct, ethics and performance?
o Showing respect for others includes respecting health choices
o The pharmacist’s role in this situation is not to judge but to offer
support and advice
o The pharmacist’s role is to try and educate the patient about the
risks, so they can make an informed decision whether to keep
on smoking
o However, if the patient does not want to listen to the advice, the
pharmacist should respect their decision (autonomy)
One of your flatmates has recently been prescribed some
steroid tablets for a secondary chest infection. During the
consultation, your friend was too worried and did not pay
attention to the doctor explaining how to take the tablets. As
a result, they are now asking you to advise them. How is this
relevant to the code of conduct?
o You need to take responsibility for your working practices
o Need to use your professional judgement in the interests of the
patient. You are not a qualified pharmacist yet; therefore you
cannot advise patients on their medication.
o However you can read the patient information leaflet with your
flatmate. The information provided may be enough to answer
their queries.
o Signposting patients is part of the code of conduct; you can
signpost your flatmate to the nearest pharmacist for more
information
During your placement one patient approached you
and asks for a product over-the-counter. They are
using a brand name which you have never heard
before. How is this relevant to the code of conduct?
o As a pharmacy student you should always check with the
pharmacist before selling a product, even if you think you know
it is the correct course of action
o You must recognise the limits of your knowledge - ask the
pharmacist if you are not sure
o You might have encountered a gap in your knowledge - you can
then ask the pharmacist for more information about this
question or watch them give advice to the patient - developing
your knowledge
On a night out with your friends, you go to a nightclub where
you notice another pharmacy student selling drugs. How is
this relevant to the code of conduct?
o You need to take responsibility for your working practices
o Selling drugs is an illegal activity
o Being aware of an illegal activity and not disclosing it contradicts
the code of conduct
o The other pharmacy student’s fitness to practise may be
impaired – if you do not report this and a patient gets harmed,
you have shared responsibility
During your placement you have been given the task of
handing out ready bagged medications to patients. Mr Davies
walks in the pharmacy and asks to collect his medication.
When you go to the shelf to get it for him, you notice a bag
with medication for his 23-year-old daughter. How is this
relevant to the code of conduct?
o It is important to recognise your limitations –this situation is more
complicated than the task you have been given therefore you should seek
advice by the supervising pharmacist
o You need to respect the daughter’s confidentiality – she may not wish that
her father knows what medication she is on
o One potential course of action may be to contact the daughter and ask if it
would help her to hand in the medication to her father
During your placement you have been given the task of
handing out ready bagged medication to patients. A 7-yearold child walks in and asks to collect his mum’s medication
– she could not find anywhere to park so is waiting in the
car outside of the shop. How is this relevant the code of
conduct?
o It is important to recognise your limitations – this situation is more
complicated than the task you have been given and therefore you should
seek advice by the supervising pharmacist
o Legality – you cannot hand in medication to children of such young ages
o On the medicine labels, it is a legal requirement to add “keep out of reach
and sight of children” - you would be compromising this by handing it out
to the child
o Need to use your professional judgement in the interests of the patient; the
child may come to serious harm if they accidentally take some of the
medication thinking they are sweets
o If you wish to help, you may consider taking the medication to the car
yourself. Remember you need to check with the supervising pharmacist,
who may be aware of circumstances you are not
During your placement you notice one of the healthcare
assistants helping themselves to an emollient from the
patient returned medication bin. How is this relevant to the
code of conduct?
o You need to take responsibility for your working practices
o Re-using medication out of patient returns is not allowed by law
o Being aware of an illegal activity and not disclosing it contradicts
the code of conduct
o You should discuss your concerns with the healthcare assistant,
in a non-confrontational and non-judgemental way
o You should also inform the supervising pharmacist
The pharmacist in a rural village is refusing to
provide the service of Emergency Hormonal
Contraception (EHC) on religious grounds. How is
this relevant to the standards of conduct, ethics and
performance?
o Show respect to others - the standards state that if your
religious or moral beliefs prevent you from providing a service,
you should tell the relevant people or authorities and refer
patients and the public to other providers.
o The pharmacist in the rural village must refer any patients
requesting EHC to the nearest provider.
A pharmacy professional accepts a position as a
lecturer in a School of Pharmacy. How is that
relevant to principle 1 of the code of conduct, ethics
and performance?
o As a lecturer in a School of Pharmacy the pharmacy
professional will still have an impact on patients through the
education they provide to pharmacy students who will go out
into patient facing roles both in placements and in their future
careers.
o They should always keep patient safety in mind, even though
they will not be working directly with patients.
A patient is prescribed methotrexate for the first time (NB:
this medication has significant side-effects and numerous
warning to pass on). The pharmacist asks them to stay for
counselling, but the patient refuses, saying they are in a
rush. Should the pharmacist dispense the medication?
How is that relevant to principle 1 of the code of conduct,
ethics and performance?
o Principle 1 (1.7) states that pharmacists should be satisfied that
patients or their carers know how to use their medicines.
o If the pharmacist is not sure the patient knows how to use their
medication, particularly a high risk one such as this, they should
not dispense it.
o They could ask the patient to come back another time to collect
their medication and be counselled on how to use it, explaining
that the medication is a high risk one and this is why it’s
important they receive advice on how to use it correctly.
A pharmacist in their role needs to balance providing
services vs. managing their business. What pressure
could that inflict on them? How could that affect their
professional judgement? How is this relevant to principle
2 of the code of conduct, ethics and performance?
o Pressure to take on more work than they can handle
competently, this could put patients at risk. Pharmacists should
use their professional judgement and only take on the amount
of work that they can handle.
o Pharmacists should not let their professional judgement be
affected by targets - for example they should not sell
inappropriate or unnecessary OTC medicines.
One of your patients would like to fast for Ramadan
but they are diabetic and you know this will have an
impact on their health. What is your position? How is
this relevant to principle 3 of the code of conduct,
ethics and performance?
o Showing respect for others includes respecting their religious
beliefs.
o The pharmacists’ role in this situation is not to judge but to offer
support and advice on fasting as safely as possible with
diabetes. They should look for appropriate resources and
provide the patient with as much information as they can.
o The patient should be fully educated about the risks, so they
can make an informed decision whether to proceed.
A liquid antibiotic is prescribed for a 2-year old baby.
You know that the taste of this antibiotic is very
unpleasant. Should you let the parent know? How is
this relevant to principle 4 of the code of conduct,
ethics and performance?
o If you tell parent that it tastes very unpleasant they may not
want to give the antibiotic at all. You need to be careful to
explain WHY it tastes unpleasant, thinking of the formulation
barriers, but in a way that they can understand and without
using technical terms.
o If you don’t warn parent that it tastes very unpleasant they may
think there is something wrong with it when baby reacts to taste
and give no further doses. That would lead to patient harm.
o You can tell them it tastes bad and explore options - add
glucose syrup in the spoon? (being careful with quantities and
dilution) - mix with juice? – offer a sweet after it? (discuss mouth
hygiene)
o It is important to involve the parent in the decision
There is a complaint from a patient about the information
you provided related to their dispensed medication. Your
area manager gets involved and calls you for a meeting.
How can you confidently support your stand that you
provided the most up-to-date information to the patient?
How is this relevant to principle 5 of the code of conduct,
ethics and performance?
o Demonstrate that you know the most up-to-date information
about this medication by showing your area manager your
relevant entry in your CPD portfolio.
o Show that you are up-to-date with CPD – consider if the entry is
recent enough so you feel confident you remember all the
information and no new data has been released. If not,
undertake a new CPD entry?
You receive a prescription for an item you have never
dispensed before, and the patient asks for counselling
on how to take it and possible side effects. What are
your options? How is this relevant to principle 6 of the
code of conduct, ethics and performance?
o It is important to recognise your limitations and admit that you
don’t know as you’ve not dispensed this before - you shouldn't
take the risk of potentially telling a patient the wrong
information.
o Find out the necessary information or refer patient to a
pharmacist that has dispensed this medication before and is
knowledgeable about it.
o Pretending you have dispensed this item before and giving
advice on it would be dishonest and in conflict with principle 6 of
the Code of Conduct.
In some pharmacies there is a central “hub” where
medication is dispensed without the direct
supervision of a pharmacist. What issues arise for
the pharmacist who is responsible for the day shift?
How is this relevant to principle 7 of the code of
conduct, ethics and performance?
o The pharmacist needs to be sure that all those working in the
area without direct pharmacist supervision are competent and
trained.
o Standard operating procedures need to be in place and be
followed.
o Each persons responsibilities in the team needs to be clear.
o Doing this ensures that you are taking responsibility for your
own working practices and those you are responsible for,
principle 7.
It is Saturday morning and you have committed to work as a locum
in a community pharmacy. However, last night you stayed out until
late and had a bit too much to drink. This triggered a migraine attack,
so bad that you can’t even make out the letters in the morning paper.
You are contemplating whether to cancel your booking or not. How
are the principles of the code of conduct, ethics and performance
related to this scenario?
o If you cancel your booking the pharmacy will not be able to open
until another pharmacist can get there, this might mean that patients
who need their medication asap (such as methadone, diabetic
medication etc.) might be at risk of harm. This relates to principle 1.
o If you go, will you be able to dispense safely? Can you read a
prescription or a label? If not, you could be putting patients at risk of
harm by making a dispensing error. This also relates to principle 1.
o You could go and hand out medication that has already been
dispensed and let your rota administrator know so another
pharmacist can come and take over. Explain the situation then to
any patients that might be affected by a possible wait. This relates
to principle 7.
A patient walks in your pharmacy with their husband. He is 83 years old
and has just been diagnosed with cancer, which causes him a lot of
pain. He has decided that he doesn’t want to receive chemotherapy,
only medication for the pain. His wife wants you to persuade him to do
otherwise. What issues do you need to consider? How are the principles
of the code of conduct, ethics and performance related to this scenario?
o You can inform the patient of the risks of declining chemotherapy so they can make
an informed decision but ultimately you need to respect his autonomy.
o Explain to the patients’ wife that while you can explain to her husband the risks of
deciding against chemotherapy, you cannot persuade him to take any particular
course of action.
o Principle 1 is related as you need to make sure that you give advice that is accurate
and appropriate for the patient.
o Principle 2 is related as you need to use your professional judgement in the
interests of the patient. Even though his wife’s concerns may be valid it is ultimately
the patients wellbeing that is most important in this situation.
o Principle 3 is related as you need to show respect for the patients wishes to decline
chemotherapy, even if you might not agree that this is the best course of action.
o Principle 4 is also related, you need to make sure you communicate in an effective
way with the patient to make sure they fully understand the risks and can therefore
make informed decisions about their own care.