This unit covers the principles of the:
- Management of mental health disorders to ensure optimal treatment for patients
- Chemistry, pharmacology and clinical aspects of medications used for mental health disorders. These as well as pathophysiology of mental health disorders are presented in an integrated fashion
- Necessary skills required for the provision of pharmacy services in mental health
At the end of this unit, student will be able to:
- Appreciate how dysfunction of the central nervous system results in mental health disorders.
- Describe the pathophysiology of a range of common mental health disorders.
- Understand the chemistry of medications used in the management of mental health disorders.
- Examine how structure activity relationships for drugs relate to the management of mental health disorders.
- Examine how the pharmacology of the drugs relates to the management of mental health disorders.
- Predict how drugs of abuse can affect mental health.
- Make preliminary diagnoses and differentiation of mental health disorders, and determine when a patient requires referral to a medical practitioner.
- Recommend how to manage mental health disorders including drug and non-drug therapies.
- Appreciate what is current best practice for the management of mental health disorders, with an emphasis on the role of the pharmacist.
- Evaluate and critically analyse simulated patient information, with any associated treatment regimes, to develop appropriate recommendations for therapy to optimise health outcomes.
Final exam: 60%; in-semester assessment: 40%.
Contact hours for on-campus students:
- Thirty three 1-hour lectures
- Two 3-hour tutorials
- One 1.5-hour tutorial
- Two .75 semester tests
See also Unit timetable information