Chapter 2: Counselling
Conversation and Enquire
Diarrhoea can be uncomfortable and embarrassing to discuss, and some customers may already feel unwell when they reach the pharmacy. Keep the conversation discreet, calm and focused.
Ask enough questions to understand the symptoms, check hydration and identify any warning signs before discussing a product.
Watch the video before continuing.
Before you watch
Watch how Harriet speaks with Nadia about her diarrhoea. Notice how she:
moves the conversation to a quieter area
asks how long the symptoms have been present
checks how often Nadia is passing stools
asks about blood or mucus
checks for fever and severe tummy pain
asks about vomiting and whether fluids are staying down
checks how much Nadia is drinking and passing urine
asks about pregnancy, regular medicines and recent antibiotics
puts oral rehydration first
knows when to involve the pharmacist
Open the conversation
Start with a simple, open question and keep your tone reassuring. You could say: “How may I help you today?”
If the customer seems uncomfortable, you could add: “No problem at all. Can I ask you a few quick questions so I can point you in the right direction?”
Questions to ask
When a customer presents with a diarrhoea, ask:
Who is it for, and how old are they?
How long has it been going on, and how many times a day?
What are the stools like?
Is there any blood or mucus?
Is there vomiting, and can they keep fluids down?
Is there any fever or severe tummy pain?
Have they taken antibiotics or started a new medicine recently?
How often are they passing urine?
How much are they drinking?
Has anyone else at home or work become unwell?
Have they eaten anything unusual or travelled recently?
Are they pregnant or breastfeeding?
Do they take any regular medicines or have other health conditions?
Have they tried anything already?
Two questions matter most
Two questions will decide many diarrhoea cases:
How old is the person? Babies, young children and older customers can become dehydrated more quickly.
Can they keep fluids down? If vomiting is stopping the customer keeping fluids down, oral rehydration cannot work properly and the pharmacist needs to be involved.
1. dry mouth
Check for dehydration
Ask how much the customer is drinking and how often they are passing urine. Refer to the pharmacist if there are signs such as:
2. strong thirst
3. sunken eyes
4. passing much less urine
When the customer is buying for someone else
Use the same questions and gather as much information as possible about the person with diarrhoea.
If the customer cannot answer important questions, refer them to the pharmacist before discussing treatment.
Offer the pharmacy fact card or other diarrhoea information available in your pharmacy.
