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Record learning outcomes

Training your team and ensuring everyone's knowledge is up-to-date are important CPD triggers. 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: Muscle and joint pain

This Train Your Team checklist provides support and information to run a team training session on muscle and joint pain. This content can also be used for your own CPD.

Reflection

• Is the pharmacy team fully trained on the indications and benefits of all products for muscle and joint pain?
• How are pain relief products (oral and topical) displayed in the pharmacy?
• Do we make the most of the potential for linked sales (e.g. oral and topical analgesics, food supplements, complementary therapies, support bandages)
• Am I up to date with the latest guidance on osteoarthritis from NICE?
• Am I aware which preparations NICE recommends first-line?
• Are we clear on when to use heat and when to use cold treatment in cases of joint injury?

Training checklist

Ensure support staff understand the following key points:

• The causes of joint pain, including the various types of injury and arthritis
• What types of joint pain can be considered for management in the pharmacy
• Which customers should be referred to the pharmacist
• The appropriate use of hot and cold in cases of joint injury
• The use of the PRICE method
• The importance of not taking certain oral analgesics for longer than three days without referral
• Questions to ask the customer
• The role of dietary supplements (e.g. fish oils, glucosamine, chondroitin).

I will:

• Study the NICE guidelines on osteoarthritis
• Train my pharmacy assistants to ensure that they can meet the points in this training checklist and consider this training exercise for inclusion in my CPD record.

Practice point

• What is a hamstring injury and what advice would you give a customer who had sustained such an injury? See: NHS Choices: Hamstring injury.