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Training your team and ensuring everyone’s knowledge is up-to-date are important CPD triggers for you. We suggest that you get the team together for a training session based on the activities below and discuss the various ways in which you can offer customers and patients added care in this category.

Subject: Tiredness & fatigue

This Train Your Team checklist provides support and information to run a team training session on helping customers cope with tiredness and fatigue. This content can also be used for your own CPD.

Reflection

• Do any of us suffer from fatigue in the pharmacy team? Are some individuals more affected than others? If so, why?
• Do I know which medicines can cause fatigue and drowsiness, and do we check which medicines customers are taking if they describe symptoms of tiredness?
• Are we confident about raising issues of tiredness and fatigue with customers?
• Do we look out for cases of chronic fatigue syndrome?
• Can we provide good advice on relieving tiredness?

Training checklist

Ensure support staff understand the following key points:

• The common causes of tiredness and fatigue, including lifestyle issues, medication and conditions that can cause tiredness
• How to spot tiredness and fatigue in both colleagues and customers to get them the help they need
• The limitations and benefits of OTC medicines for tiredness and fatigue
• The importance of good sleep hygiene for everyone
• Lifestyle issues that may cause tiredness and fatigue, and tips on improving lifestyle
• The importance of regular food intake and sufficient exercise
• When to refer customers to the pharmacist.

I will ensure:

• The pharmacy team knows to be sensitive in dealing with customers who may feel vulnerable as a result of fatigue
• The team knows which groups of customers are likely to be at risk of fatigue and tiredness
• My pharmacy assistants can meet the points in this training checklist.

Practice point

• Do you know anyone who comes to the pharmacy who is suffering from fatigue? Perhaps a new parent or someone caring for a disabled or elderly person. Do they have any strategies for coping? Can you help?