University of Technology Sydney

96004 Professional Services 1

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Health (GEM)
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 96003c Pharmaceutics AND 96002c Concepts in Pharmaceutical Sciences AND 96001c Introduction to Pharmacy AND 96015c Clinical Practice 1
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

The pharmacist's role is evolving from a predominantly product orientation to a service and product model of health care, directed to patients and consumers of medicines. This subject addresses the service of dispensing prescription medicines, and the delivery of patient information using consumer medicine information (CMI) leaflets. Using an integrated approach, students develop their knowledge and skills in prescription processing, dispensing technologies, legal and ethical responsibilities and communication with consumers.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

0001. Obtain relevant medical and medicine-related information from a consumer using appropriate questioning
0002. Use appropriate verbal and non-verbal expression and display empathy and tact in work-related communication
0003. Employ appropriate strategies when dealing with people with particular communication barriers
0004. Communicate health and medication management information to patients and health care professionals in a useful and context-relevant way
0005. Identify the challenges in communicating with people of diverse social, cultural and racial backgrounds, and outline strategies to overcome these
0006. Use appropriate non-verbal, verbal, questioning and listening skills when communicating with patients and other HCPs
0007. Communicate with patients and other HCPs in a non-judgemental, non-discriminatory and respectful manner
0017. Provide constructive feedback to peers
0024. Prioritise patients' rights, needs and wishes in the delivery of health care
0025. Apply major ethical theories to professional practice
0037. Explain the legislation and regulations governing medicines distribution and use in Australia
0041. Employ quality assurance processes that minimise the potential for dispensing errors
0042. Detail the pharmacist’s role in maximising patient safety and minimising medication errors
0043. Apply principles of medication safety to patient management
0056. Advise consumers about behaviours that can promote health and wellness, and prevent disease
0086. Demonstrate an understanding of the benefits of interprofessional learning and teamwork and its potential for improving health outcomes
0090. Describe the pathophysiology associated with the development of illness and disease
0092. Describe the presentation of illness and disease in individuals and populations
0093. Describe the specific clinical presentation of illness and diseases and the criteria for differential diagnosis
0094. Identify risk factors for the development of specific illnesses and diseases, incorporating risk assessment and screening
0095. Describe acute and chronic clinical presentations of disease
0096. Identify the differing clinical presentations of illness and diseases based on individual patient characteristics
0097. Explain the epidemiology of illness and diseases within the specified clinical areas, including their relevance to disadvantaged populations sectors
0098. Identify the factors contributing to inter-patient variability in the clinical response to pharmacotherapy and (or) non-pharmacological strategies
0099. Describe the patient-related factors affecting clinical management
0100. Integrate relevant patient, drug, disease and system factors in the selection and management of appropriate therapy for populations and individual patients
0101. Integrate relevant knowledge from the sciences and therapeutics to deliver clinically-oriented professional services
0106. Apply a systematic process of inquiry to understand the patient's health problem(s)
0109. Evaluate patient's disease progression and therapeutic outcomes
0110. Identify priorities for patient management
0111. Apply knowledge of non-pharmacological therapy options in patient disease management
0113. Implement practice decisions using evidence-based guidelines and (or) rational therapeutic decision-making
0114. Implement practice decisions within the Quality Use of Medicines framework
0122. Explain the mechanism of action for therapeutic drugs
0129. Label pharmaceutical dosage forms to comply with legislation and best practice
0131. Conduct required pharmaceutical calculations
0141. Describe approaches for the clinical management of toxicity and adverse drug reactions
0143. Accurately dispense prescription medicines using commercial dispensing software
0169. Demonstrate cross-cultural competency
0173. Engage and communicate effectively, respectfully and collaboratively with Indigenous Australians
0174. Apply government policy and practice standards relevant to medication management to impact health outcomes for Indigenous Australians

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

The learning outcomes for this subject are as follows:

  • Analyse and synthesise knowledge of health science concepts and theory, and apply skills of scientific research and clinical reasoning to support decision-making in pharmacy practice. (01.03)
  • Demonstrate safe and competent operational, interpersonal and clinical skills for the benefit and care of patients and the wider community. (02.01)
  • Demonstrate sound ethical, compassionate and respectful patient-focused care, taking responsibility for personal health and wellbeing. (02.05)
  • Capably communicate to patients, their families, carers and members of the healthcare team; contribute to wider health education and promotion, choosing and adapting communication modes to address cultural and linguistic diversity. (02.06)
  • Integrate into daily practice knowledge of health systems and concerns in national and global communities, with awareness of the social and cultural contexts of health to meet the diverse needs of individuals and communities. (03.07)
  • Acquire specialised knowledge and skills to inform professional cultural capability to work effectively with and for, Indigenous Australians across the pharmacy profession. (04.09)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

This subject contributes to the development of graduate attributes:

Lifelong learning

Graduates of the Master of Pharmacy are lifelong learners, committed to and capable of reflection and inquiry in their quest for personal development and excellence in professional practice.

Professional capacity

Graduates of the Master of Pharmacy are client-focussed, ethical practitioners with the understanding and proficiency to be leaders in their profession, capable of effectively researching and communicating solutions in a global context.

Global citizenship

Graduates of the Master of Pharmacy contribute to society, resolving to undertake those actions and
responsibilities that will enhance their role in local, national and global communities.

Cultural competence

Graduates of the Master of Pharmacy are culturally competent professionals, able to reflect on and explain their own cultural perspectives, accommodate cultural differences and achieve optimal outcomes through the adoption of a consultative approach to health care with indigenous Australians and other cultural groups.

Teaching and learning strategies

The 96004 Professional Services 1 workshops are a practical introduction to pharmacy dispensing, and counselling patients on their medication. The workshops are backed up with lecture-based input from pharmacy professionals and academic experts. Role plays and practical dispensing classes are an important component of the learning in this Subject.

Content (topics)

This subject is the first in the Professional Services stream and provides some of the basic skills that will be built on in subsequent subjects. It focuses on the core skills required for prescription dispensing and counselling patients on the appropriate use of their medicines. Students develop a practical understanding of the legal and administrative requirements when dispensing prescriptions, therapeutic knowledge related to a number of disease areas as well as the fundamentals of effective communication in the health care setting.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Participation & Contribution

Intent:

The purpose of this assessment is to encourage students to make the most of their learning opportunities in all workshop sessions and on-line interprofessional modules during week 9-14.

Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

0001, 0002, 0003, 0004, 0005, 0006, 0007, 0017, 0024, 0025, 0037, 0041, 0042, 0043, 0056, 0086, 0090, 0092, 0093, 0094, 0095, 0096, 0097, 0098, 0099, 0100, 0101, 0106, 0109, 0110, 0111, 0113, 0114, 0122, 0129, 0131, 0141, 0143, 0169, 0173 and 0174

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

01.03, 02.01, 02.05, 02.06, 03.07 and 04.09

Type: Laboratory/practical
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 10%
Length:

N/A (in class activity)

Criteria:

Criteria for assessment of participation and contribution can be found in Canvas.

Assessment task 2: Generation of labels (must pass)

Intent:

The purpose of this assessment is to ensure students make the most of their learning opportunities in practical dispensing workshops in which they are expected to use FRED commercial dispensing software to process prescriptions, dispense medications and label medications according to best practice.

Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

0037, 0041, 0042, 0043, 0129, 0131 and 0143

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

01.03, 02.01, 02.05, 02.06, 03.07 and 04.09

Type: Laboratory/practical
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 20%
Length:

N/A (in class activity)

Criteria:

Criteria for assessment of prescription dispensing can be found in Canvas.

Assessment task 3: Multiple Choice Question Quizzes

Intent:

To ensure students understand legal and administrative requirements associated with dispensing prescriptions and therapeutic content related to disease areas covered in this subject.

There will be 2 MCQ exams, contributing to 20% of course assessment:

  1. MCQ Quiz 1: An MCQ exam to assess students' knowledge of dispensing legislation and PBS requirements (10%)
  2. MCQ Quiz 2: An MCQ exam to assess students' knowledge of therapeutic content (10%)
Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

0037, 0041, 0042, 0043, 0056, 0090, 0092, 0093, 0094, 0095, 0096, 0097, 0098, 0099, 0100, 0101, 0106, 0109, 0110, 0111, 0113, 0114, 0122, 0129, 0131, 0141, 0143 and 0169

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

01.03, 02.01, 02.05, 02.06, 03.07 and 04.09

Type: Examination
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 20%
Length:

MCQ Quiz 1 (20 minutes) & MCQ Quiz 2 (20 minutes)

Criteria:

Students are required to understand legislative and administrative processes relating to their role in medication supply in Australia. Students are required to demonstrate understanding of specific disease states and their clinical management.

Assessment task 4: Final Exam (must-pass)

Intent:

The purpose of this assessment is to determine whether students are able to identify legal and administrative issues related to processing prescriptions, and that they are able to dispense and label medications according to best practice.

It also intends to establish that students are able to effectively counsel patients on the appropriate use of their medication.

Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

0001, 0002, 0003, 0004, 0005, 0006, 0007, 0017, 0024, 0025, 0037, 0041, 0042, 0043, 0056, 0090, 0092, 0093, 0094, 0095, 0096, 0097, 0098, 0099, 0100, 0101, 0106, 0109, 0110, 0111, 0113, 0114, 0122, 0129, 0131, 0141, 0143 and 0169

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

01.03, 02.01, 02.05, 02.06, 03.07 and 04.09

Type: Examination
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%
Length:

30 minutes

Criteria:

Students are required to master legislative and administrative processes relating to their role in medication supply in Australia. Students must also demonstrate understanding of specific disease states and their clinical management and effective communication skills in the health care setting.

Minimum requirements

Students are required to attend a minimum of 85% of compulsory classes.

To pass this Subject students must achieve a minimum grade of 50%.

Note: there is a must-pass assessment in this Subject. Please check assessment descriptions for details.

Required texts

See information on 96004 subject website.

Also:

Coursework Assessments Policy

Coursework Assessments Procedures

Graduate School of Health Policy, Guidelines and Procedures (login required)

Recommended texts

See weekly information on 96004 subject website