Page 26 - Retail Pharmacy Assistants September 2020

24 PATY 2019 WINNER
WE MADE IT THROUGH THE WINTER, BARELY!
By Brianne Lowe, 2019 Pharmacy Guild of Australia/Maxigesic Pharmacy Assistant of the Year.
Spring is back, and we have
no idea what this season will bring, as 2020 has been full of surprises and there is no way to
gauge how allergy season is going to play out. We do know that, as excellent pharmacy assistants, we’ll need to be prepared – with the correct products,
in their proper placement, and the accurate knowledge – to be able to provide a total healthcare solution to our customers. For this column, I’m sharing a few things I’ve picked up along the way in my 16 years’ experience of working in community pharmacy.
Start from the top and work
your way down
In the past two to three years, I’ve
been displaying my allergy section differently to most. I’ve had great success in tweaking my merchandising by considering how customers shop and how I would companion sell, instead of what looks pretty or how suppliers would like me to display specific products.
It may surprise you that nasal sprays represent a whopping 25 per cent of the total allergy and hay fever category sales, so why do we dump them on the bottom shelves? Tablets and caps make up the other 75 per cent, but we know that these products alone don’t always relieve severe allergy symptoms. With this in mind, I’ve had sales growth from flipping the category upside-down: to display sprays on the top shelves. Doing this helps train the customers and staff that
adding in a preventative spray or rinse to rid the sinuses of allergens increases the efficacy of their go-to tablets or caps products.
I also like to dual-locate top-selling allergy supplements – horseradish,
olive leaf, quercetin, certain strains of probiotics and vitamin C are my go-to products. I always recommend one of these four supplements to people who say they consistently have hay fever symptoms return each season. Why treat the problem when you can prevent it?
Asthma tips and hints
With new restrictions in place for salbutamol (Ventolin or Asmol), we must be following our WHAT STOP GO
or CARER protocols, but also educating our customers on the proper use of inhalers. We know that efficacy is increased by 50 per cent when using
a spacer with an inhaler, by helping the medication get straight to the lungs with less ending up in the patient’s mouth or back of their throat. All children should be using a spacer with their inhaler. However, children under five should also be using a mask to ensure they receive the recommended dose of medication. Remember to provide self-care tips for cleaning, such as recommending they wash in clean, warm soapy water and
air dry. This will ensure the spacer and mask are free from bacteria, and the mask chamber doesn’t crack.
HOMEWORK
Ask any team I’ve worked with and they’ll tell you one of my favourite pastimes at team meetings or training events is to brainstorm a list of possible companion selling products and self-care tips for customers. In this spirit, I’ve set some homework this month. Please list the following:
1. How many companion selling products can you list for a customer presenting with chronic or acute hay fever, allergy or sinus symptoms can you list? Think outside the box!
2. Ten self-care tips for prevention and treatment. Keep in mind one-third of people who get allergies to pollen or dust also experience other types of allergies.
3. Five reasons you may have to refer to the pharmacist when serving in this category. What are the contraindications?
RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • SEP 2020