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University of Exeter Medical School

Applied Therapeutics

Module titleApplied Therapeutics
Module codeHPDM051
Academic year2022/3
Credits15
Module staff

Mrs Kate Emblin ()

Duration: Term123
Duration: Weeks

8

Number students taking module (anticipated)

75

Module description

Prescriptions of medication are an important intervention in clinical care that has safety, efficacy and resource issues to consider. Robust working systems are required in clinical practice to ensure that medication is prescribed and used appropriately so that the risk of pharmacological iatrogenesis is minimised. In addition, adherence to medication needs to be promoted so that intended healthcare outcomes are achieved and prescription costs are not wasted This module will provide you with the skills to evaluate your knowledge and systems in practice, as well as developing the principles of applied therapeutics behind pharmaceutical care planning.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of the module is to develop an understanding of how effective systems can contribute to safe patient care in practice by understanding how to perform medicines management, medication reviews and medication reconciliation.

 

You will be provided with an introduction to applying pharmaceutical care to specific patient groups e.g. older adults, renal, liver, pregnant patients, children. Interpreting laboratory results and awareness of other investigations.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. Develop knowledge and systems of practice to ensure that effective medicines management occurs in primary care
  • 2. Develop knowledge and systems of practice to ensure that effective medicine reconciliation occurs between transfers of healthcare

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 3. Appraise and apply evidence-based pharmacy knowledge to a range of clinical situations
  • 4. Demonstrate your pharmacy leadership skills with your interactions with patients and other health and care providers
  • 5. Identify potentially hazardous prescribing and take action to ensure safe patient care

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 6. Make effective use of a range of evidence-based resources
  • 7. Identify, review and address own learning needs that occur as part of clinical practice
  • 8. Demonstrate confidence in decision making and implementation of patient pharmaceutical care plans

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

  • General patient assessment: interpretation of patient data including cautions, contraindications, drug interactions
  • Introduction to applying pharmaceutical care to specific patient groups e.g. older adults, renal, liver, pregnant patients, children. Interpreting laboratory results
  • Introduction to pharmaceutical care planning, understanding adherence and concordance in patient care.
  • Give medication related advice to patients and multidisciplinary teams
  • How to confidently communicate and liaise across healthcare interfaces e.g. SBAR approach

To ensure flexibility and resilience over the coming academic year, the following changes may be made to the module if needed:

-          Face-to-face scheduled lectures may be replaced by short pre-recorded videos for each topic (15-20 minutes) and/or brief overview lectures delivered via MS Teams/Zoom, with learning consolidated by self-directed learning resources and ELE activities.

-          Small-group discussion in tutorials and seminars may be replaced by synchronous group discussion on Teams/ Zoom; or asynchronous online discussion, for example via Yammer or ELE Discussion board.

-          Workshops involving face-to-face classroom teaching may be replaced by synchronous sessions on Teams/Zoom; or Asynchronous workshop activities supported with discussion forum.

-          Written examinations (e.g. timed, invigilated, closed-book formal exam) may be replaced by an online equivalent (e.g. timed, non-invigilated, open-book, online exam).

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
121380

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities12Lead lectures, seminars, presentations and discussion groups
Guided independent study30E-learning. Pre and post course activities
Guided independent study44Independent study
Guided independent study24Workplace learning. Engaging and reflecting on clinical practice
Guided independent study40Reading and preparation for module assessment

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Short-answer question test (sample questions)30 minutes1-8Written

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
01000

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Short-answer Questions test1002 hours1-8Written
0
0
0
0
0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Short-answer Questions test (100%)Short-answer Questions test1-8Typically within six weeks of the result

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Relevant sections of:- 

 

Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics – 5 Sep 2011 

by Roger Walker (Editor),‎ Cate Whittlesea (Editor) 

 

Oxford Handbook of Practical Drug Therapy (Oxford Medical Handbooks) – 10 Nov 2011 by Duncan Richards (Author),‎

  

Community Pharmacy: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment, 4e Paperback – 6 Feb 2017 by Paul Rutter (Author)

  

The Top 100 Drugs: Clinical Pharmacology and Practical Prescribing – 2 May 2014  by Andrew Hitchings

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Web based and electronic resources:

(https://www.pharmacist.com/principles-practice-pharmaceutical-care)

http://www.qu.edu.qa/pharmacy/professional_development/documents/2013/Pharmaceutical-Care-Plan-NAPRA.pdf 

https://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/multimorbidity#path=view%3A/pathways/multimorbidity/delivering-an-approach-to-care-that-takes-account-of-multimorbidity.xml&content=view-node%3Anodes-agree-an-individualised-management-plan 

https://www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/NG63 

Medicines optimisation: The safe and effective use of medicines to enable the best possible outcomes
http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng5/evidence/full-guideline-6775454  

Seven steps to managing Polypharmacy
http://www.nhsiq.nhs.uk/media/2612222/polypharmacy_and_medication_review_-_seven_steps_-_vs2_jan_2015__nb_.pdf  

NICE Medicines Optimisation: the safe and effective use of medicines to enable the best possible outcomes
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng5

The King’s Fund: Polypharmacy and Medicines Optimisation
http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/sites/files/kf/field/field_publication_file/polypharmacy-and-medicines-optimisation-kingsfund-nov13.pdf

Anticholinergic Burden Scale
http://www.ephor.nl/media/1076/anticholinergic-drugs.pdf

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

An up to date reading list of journal articles will be provided on ELE.

Key words search

Clinical pharmacy / applied therapeutics / pharmaceutical care / polypharmacy / medicines optimisation

Credit value15
Module ECTS

7.5

Module pre-requisites

None

Module co-requisites

None

NQF level (module)

7

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

19/09/2017

Last revision date

06/07/2020