NZ Intern Pharmacist AC flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

PSNZ intern programme purpose

It structures the supervised intern year in New Zealand, requiring evidence of competence mapped to the Competence Standards, so that the intern can sit the Assessment Centre and apply for registration.

Competence Standards

PSNZ's published framework describing the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of a New Zealand pharmacist; intern portfolios and Assessment Centre stations are mapped to these standards.

Electronic learning portfolio

The intern's record of practice evidence, mapped to competence standards and reviewed by the preceptor; it is assessed on demonstrated competence rather than on hours completed.

Preceptor role

An approved registered pharmacist who supervises the intern day to day, provides documented regular feedback, verifies portfolio evidence, and signs off workplace competence before registration.

Assessment Centre format

A summative multi-station assessment, typically including simulated consultation, medicines information, law and ethics, and calculation components, marked against behavioural criteria rather than only final answers.

Consultation station criteria

Marks are awarded for greeting and consent, structured history, clinical reasoning, safety checks, clear counselling, documentation and appropriate referral, so process is assessed alongside the clinical conclusion.

Recognition of prior learning

Credit toward the internship period for earlier supervised practice or overseas experience; approval must be sought from the Pharmacy Council before the period is claimed.

APC prerequisite

An Annual Practising Certificate is required to practise as a pharmacist; it follows completion of intern programme requirements and a pass at the Assessment Centre.

Cultural competence evidence

Portfolio and assessment evidence should show application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and culturally safe practice, including whānau involvement and appropriate use of te reo Māori.

Medicines Act classification

The Medicines Act 1981 and Regulations 1984 set the prescription, restricted, pharmacy-only and general sale categories, and the dispensing and record-keeping rules that follow from them.

Controlled drug prescription rules

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 and Regulations 1977 set validity periods, maximum quantities, storage, witnessed destruction and register requirements for controlled drugs, which differ from ordinary prescription rules.

Pharmaceutical Schedule restrictions

PHARMAC's Schedule sets subsidy and manufacturer's price; listings may be restricted, for example to supply on a specialist recommendation, so the restriction must be checked before assuming funding.

Section 29 supply

Section 29 of the Medicines Act permits supply of an unapproved medicine to a named patient under an authorised prescriber's responsibility; the pharmacist dispenses against that valid supply and records it.

NZF and NZULM

The New Zealand Formulary and the New Zealand Universal List of Medicines are standard point-of-care references for indications, dosing, interactions and funding status of medicines in New Zealand.

Medsafe datasheets

Medsafe-published product datasheets and safety alerts give regulatory and safety information, including approved indications, warnings and monitoring, and are the reference for regulatory questions.

BPAC NZ guidance

Best-practice guidance from BPAC NZ covers areas such as antibiotic prescribing, gout and cardiovascular risk, and is commonly cited as the standard for audit and quality-improvement activity.

Code of Consumers' Rights

The Health and Disability Commissioner's Code includes Right 4, services of an appropriate standard, and Right 7, informed consent, which underpin consultation, counselling and documentation expectations.

CARM reporting

The Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring receives reports of suspected adverse drug reactions; reporting is a professional expectation and supports national medicines safety surveillance.

Error and near-miss reporting

Medication errors and near misses are reported through the national reporting programme; serious harm may also require notification to the Health and Disability Commissioner.

Renal function estimation

Dose adjustment uses an estimated renal function method such as Cockcroft–Gault or CKD-EPI as specified by the reference; the method must be stated because results differ between equations.

Paediatric dose verification

Weight-based paediatric doses should be checked against a current paediatric reference rather than recalled from memory, with the calculated dose and maximum limits both confirmed.

HPCA Act authority

The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 gives the Pharmacy Council its authority to set competence, recertification and APC requirements for pharmacists practising in New Zealand.

Recertification cycle

Recertification is assessed over a defined multi-year cycle against Council requirements, while the Annual Practising Certificate itself is renewed each year.

Recertification evidence domains

Evidence is required across continuing professional development, peer interaction or review, and practice-based quality-improvement activity, with records kept for the whole cycle.

CPD relevance rule

CPD activities must relate to the pharmacist's scope of practice, and a portion should address identified learning needs rather than only attendance at events.

Learning cycle structure

Documented CPD follows identify need, plan, undertake, reflect and apply; a certificate of attendance alone is insufficient because the reflection linking it to practice is the evidence.

Clinical audit definition

Audit compares practice against a defined standard using measurable criteria and a sample, implements change, then re-audits to demonstrate improvement in a closed quality cycle.

Audit documentation set

A complete audit record holds criteria, sample size and selection method, data-collection tool, results, analysis, an action plan with owners and dates, and re-audit findings.

Council audit of records

The Pharmacy Council audits a sample of pharmacists' recertification records; evidence must be retrievable on request, as failure to provide it can lead to conditions or non-renewal.

Scope change learning plan

A pharmacist moving to a new scope, such as prescribing or a different practice setting, needs a learning and competence plan aligned to that new scope for recertification.

Audit data privacy

Health Information Privacy Code rules govern audit data: minimise patient identifiers, and control collection, storage, use, access and retention of audit records.

Peer review evidence

Recertification requires evidence of peer interaction or review, such as case discussion or practice review with colleagues, documented with reflection on changes made.