Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

The dispensing of scheduled drugs to the community requires expertise in drug knowledge, packaging, labelling and health regulations, communication techniques, compounding processes and the ability to understand and validate the diagnosis of clinical conditions. This unit will provide students with expertise to dispense pharmaceutical drugs that are used in the treatment of infectious diseases including antimicrobial and antiviral pharmacotherapies. In addition, this unit will provide expertise in wound care to enable students to assess wounds and recommend appropriate treatment in the community.

Aims

The aims of this unit are to:

1. Provide instruction on the correct use of the wide range of scheduled medications used in the treatment of infectious diseases.

2. Demonstrate effective communication and counselling methods used to convey the proper drug information to patients following the dispensing of these types of medication to patients.

3. Provide instruction on the recognition and appropriate treatment of common infectious diseases and wounds

4. Provide instruction on the dispensing of a range of extemporaneous pharmaceutical products.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1. Competently dispense a range of scheduled medications for a wide variety of infectious diseases.

2. Effectively communicate advice to patients on their proper use of these drugs and their possible adverse effects.

3. Recognise and recommend appropriate treatment for common infectious diseases and wounds.

4. Prepare, label and dispense a range of extemporaneous pharmaceutical products consistent with a community pharmacy formulary.

Content

Scheduled Medications: Dispensing and counselling of a range scheduled medications including antimicrobials including antivirals and systemic antifungals.

Pharmacy Practice: Disease state management of infectious diseases including bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Principles of antimicrobial therapy for infectious diseases. Interpretation of lab values in the diagnosis and management of disease states. Reinforcement of dispensing and counselling skills. Classification of dressings, recognition of burns, wounds and ulcers, and appropriate treatments.

Pharmaceutical Compounding: Preparation of sterile and non-sterile products including quality assurance requirements.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

The subject matter will be presented to you as lectures (2 hours per week) and practical training in the counselling and dispensing of OTC products, front of shop merchandise and point of sales software will be provided in a model pharmacy environment (3 hours per week). Experiential placements in a community of hospital environments consisting of 1 week of continuous attendance for 8 hours per day, timetabled in the 9-10 week of the semester.

Assessment

You will be expected to undertake a number of assessments related to the learning outcomes of this unit (see below).A satisfactory performance (greater than 50%) in all assessment tasks is required to obtain a passing grade for this unit.

Assessment name: Examination (Theory)
Description: End of semester theory exam. Summative.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 and 3.
Weight: 25%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Semester

Assessment name: Examination (Practical)
Description: End of semester oral practical exam. Summative.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 and 3.
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Semester

Assessment name: Laboratory/Practical
Description: Tutorial counselling and dispensing tasks. Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 and 3.
Weight: 5%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: TBA

Assessment name: Laboratory/Practical
Description: Pharmaceutical compounding practical tasks. Summative.
Relates to objectives: 4.
Weight: 10%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Semester

Assessment name: Quiz/Test
Description: Progress oral practical exam. Summative.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 and 3.
Weight: 15%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid Semester

Assessment name: Quiz/Test
Description: Progress theory exam. Summative.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 and 3.
Weight: 15%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Semester

Assessment name: Workbook
Description: The assessment will be linked to the experiential placements in community or hospital environments.
Weighting: Pass/Fail
Relates to objectives: N/A
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: See Blackboard Site

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Texts:

1. Australian Medicines Handbook, (current edition), Adelaide: AMH Pty Ltd.

2. Therapeutic Guidelines, 11 volumes, Therapeutic Guidelines Ltd. 23-47 Villiers Street, North Melbourne, VIC, 3051 (available on-line in library).

3. Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits, Canberra, ACT: Australian Govt Dept of Health and Aging (available on-line).

4. The Merck Manual, (1999) 17th edition, Merck Research Laboratories, Whitehorse Station.

5. Australian Prescription Products Guide, (current edition), Hawthorn, Vic: Australian Pharmaceutical Pub Co Hawthorn Vic. (available on-line).

OR

6. MIMS (current edition). St Leonards, NSW: MIMS Australia, CMPMedica Australia Pty Limited.

7. Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Professional Guidelines. Dispensing Practice Guidelines 18th edition, Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary and Handbook.

Reference Texts

1. DiPiro JT et al (editors) (2008) Pharmacotherapy: A pathophysiologic approach, 7th edition, New York: McGraw-Hill Medical Pub Division.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with the on-campus mode of this unit. You will be made aware of evacuation procedures and assembly areas in the first few lectures. In the event of a fire alarm sounding, or on a lecturer's instruction, you should leave the room and assemble in the designated area which will be indicated to you. You should be conscious of your health and safety at all times whilst on campus. More information on health and safety can be obtained from http://www.hrd.qut.edu.au/healthsafety/healthsafe/index.jsp

You will also be required to participate in a period of off-campus professional experience in a variety of pharmacy settings. During these placements, you will be exposed to a range of risks and hazards that are normally encountered by pharmacists practising in hospital and/or community pharmacies. When undertaking field placements you are automatically subject to the Workplace Health and Safety Policies, Procedures and Regulations operating within the pharmacy. You are required by law to comply with these policies and procedures at all times.

Measures undertaken to minimise risks encountered during the off-campus field placement include:

1. Orientation to the pharmacy.

2. Awareness / familiarisation of specific risks and hazards associated with the particular setting to which you have been assigned.

3. Adequate supervision by a pharmacist.

4. Appropriate theoretical and practical skill preparation prior to commencement of the placement.

5. Review of personal health and immunisation status.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 26-Sep-2012