Pharmacy Act, 1974 (Act No. 53 of 1974)Board Notices2017 Good Pharmacy Education Standards3. Minimum Standards for Work-Based Learning |
INTRODUCTION
In pharmacy education, WBL must integrate, apply, reinforce and advance the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values developed through the other components of the curriculum. The objectives for each WBL experience, and the responsibilities of the student, supervisor and site, must be defined.
Student performance, nature and extent of patient and healthcare professional interactions, where applicable, and the attainment of desired outcomes, must be documented and assessed.
Supervisors at respective sites will be held responsible by the provider for WBL processes.
Where applicable, pharmacy WBL must include direct interaction with diverse populations in a variety of WBL settings.
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR WORK-BASED LEARNING OF ALL CADRES OF PHARMACY STAFF REGISTRABLE UNDER THE PHARMACY ACT (PRACTICAL, WORK-BASED LEARNING, INTERNSHIP AND TRAINEESHIP)
PRACTICAL TRAINING AND WBL DURING TRAINING
Students who are registered as such with the Council for the following cadres of pharmacy staff carry out WBL during their training:
| 3.1.1.1 | pharmacist’s assistant |
| 3.1.1.2 | pharmacy technician |
| 3.1.1.3 | pharmacist |
| 3.1.1.4 | specialist pharmacist |
Note 1: PT, BPharm and professional MPharm students must be registered with Council and have professional indemnity cover as per the rules relating to GPP.
Note 2: Pharmacists with foreign qualifications may be required to undertake WBL as part of their registration requirements.
| 3.1.2 | Practice or work-based learning site access, accommodation and resources |
| (a) | Practice and WBL sites must be used for the periods specified for each of the cadres listed in 3.1.1 above. |
| (b) | For each cadre, appropriate criteria must be established and applied for the selection of an adequate number and mix of practice facilities. |
| (c) | Written agreements with the practice sites must be in place covering student placement, staff responsibilities, health services, immunisation requirements and professional conduct expectations. |
| 3.1.2.1 | Work-based learning sites for PT students |
| (a) | WBL for PTs must be in line with the requirements stipulated in the qualification. |
| 3.1.2.2 | Work-based learning sites for pharmacy students |
| (a) | WBL for BPharm students must be structured and supervised by a pharmacist or a delegated person and must be extended over a minimum of 400 hours. |
| (b) | WBL sites for BPharm students must have the following characteristics and must: |
| (i) | meet or exceed all legal and professional standards required to provide patient care where applicable |
| (ii) | have a patient population that exhibits diversity in culture, medical conditions, gender and age where appropriate |
| (iii) | have an adequate patient population based on the learning objectives for the rotation where applicable |
| (iv) | provide access to learning and information resources |
| (v) | have a commitment to the education of pharmacy students |
| (vi) | have management that is supportive of professional staff involvement in the education of pharmacy students |
| (vii) | provide a practice environment that nurtures and supports pharmacist and student interactions with patients |
| (viii) | provide regular contact with the supervisor, where applicable, to ensure that students receive feedback and have opportunities to ask questions |
| (ix) | be adequately equipped with the technology needed to support student training and to reflect contemporary practice |
| (x) | provide medication therapy management and patient-care services for diverse populations where applicable |
| (xi) | have adequate professional staff and supportive technical and clerical staff to meet the learning objectives and to provide for optimum time for supervisor and student interaction |
| (xii) | demonstrate a commitment to health promotion and illness prevention, for example provision of health screening, tobacco counselling and immunisation where applicable. |
| 3.1.2.3 | Work-based learning sites for specialist pharmacists |
The requirements for the two-year practical training for pharmacist specialists, which follow graduation with an Mpharm, at an approved site with an approved tutor, are specified in the respective specialisation qualifications.
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ORGANISATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE ORGANISATION AND ASSOCIATED HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
| (a) | The institution must support the development of suitable relationships between the school and other academic and service units of the institution and external organisations and facilities for instruction, research and patient care. |
| (b) | The institution must have formal agreements with other healthcare facilities used for the purpose of WBL. |
| (c) | Institutional structure and administrative patterns in the organisation or affiliated healthcare facilities must: |
| • | promote integrated educational, research and WBL activities |
| • | provide a working relationship between service and educational units |
| • | provide the necessary blend of educational and patient care activities. |