PGC5115 - Geriatric pharmacy practice - 2018

Geriatric pharmacy practice is an elective unit in the Masters and Graduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice. The unit will help students develop specialist knowledge and skills in geriatric pharmacy practice and medication management reviews. The unit explores medication management for elderly patients in community, residential aged care and hospitals settings, through readings, case studies, online small group discussions and fieldwork as outlined below.

After completing this unit, students will be able to:

1. Advise healthcare professionals and consumers on the changes in physiology and pathophysiology in older patients, and how this impacts the quality use of medicines in this population.
2. Explain the principles of prescribing and medication management in older patients to healthcare professionals and consumers.
3. Identify and manage medication related problems in individual older patients and in institutional care settings in the context of best available evidence.
4. Prepare for and conduct medication management interviews with elderly patients using effective communication skills.
5. Evaluate collected information to provide evidence based recommendations in a medication management review (MMR) report.
6. Inform and refer older patients to relevant aged care health services where appropriate.
7. Communicate effectively (oral and written) with patients, carers and healthcare professionals to complete medication management reviews (MMR) and provide education.
8. Critically reflect on their individual learning process and progress in clinical competence.

Patient medication history interview and medication review to be conducted in students' workplace. Home Medicines Review to be conducted under the supervision of an accredited consultant pharmacist or hospital outreach pharmacist (assistance is available with organising this for students located in Victoria, if the student does not have access to a suitably experienced pharmacist).

Online tasks (e.g. online discussions, online quizzes): 40%

Written assignment 1: 15%

Written assignment 2: 20%

Written assignment 3: 25%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. The unit requires on average 10-12 hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include teacher directed learning, reading time, participation in tutorials or discussion groups, research and preparation for assignments.

See also Unit timetable information

Clinical pharmacy practice