Customer scenario
CUSTOMER SCENARIO
Click through the Boots Healthcare Way cycle below to follow this month’s scenario:
Welcome
A female customer approaches the pharmacy counter with a prescription for antibiotics for her 4-year-old son.
Find out
She tells you that her son needs the antibiotics for whooping cough. He is at home and has to stay away from nursery. She asks if there is anything you can recommend in addition to help with the coughing, aches and pains.
Advise
You decide to use WWHAM to tailor your advice and recommendations.
Who is the medicine for?
You already know that the customer is seeking treatment for her 4-year-old son.What are the symptoms?
You ask your customer to describe her son’s symptoms. She tells you he had a runny nose for the past week which has cleared, and now has a sore throat and sore ribs after coughing bouts at night.
How long has he had the symptoms?
Your customer has already provided this information.
Action taken?
She hasn’t been giving him anything so far, but will start the antibiotics today.
Medications or medical conditions?
She confirms that her son is not taking any other medications and has no medical conditions.
You explain that the antibiotics prescribed will help stop the infection spreading but may not reduce all the symptoms. She should avoid trying cough medicines as they’re not suitable for young children and will not help with whooping cough.7
She can help ease the soreness/discomfort after coughing, so you recommend paracetamol suspension.7 Use the back of pack to decide how you would advise the customer to give the medicine safely using the CARE framework.
Personalise
You could offer the following advice:2
Her son should rest well and drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration
Cover his mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing and dispose of used tissues immediately
Wash her and her son’s hands regularly with soap and water
Remind her to complete the course of antibiotics, even if her son is feeling better, as stopping treatment too soon could lead to the infection returning.7
Build loyalty
You could tell the customer that the store telephone number is on the receipt and she should feel free to call for advice rather than having to come into store.