090053 Quality and Safety in Medicines
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 96316 Quality and Safety in Medicines
Description
This subject is designed to promote and explore the knowledge required to provide safe, efficacious and rational medication management. The subject focuses on the skills, knowledge, attitudes and values essential for competent and capable medication management, for prescribers and non-prescribers underpinned by a high-level of understanding of physiology and pharmacology. Students will study pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics, in relation to their application in clinical practice. Students will be provided an opportunity to reflect and analyse how these factors will influence the suitability of different therapies within their chosen speciality.
The objectives of the National Medicines Policy and Principles of the National Strategy for Quality Use of Medicines are examined and appraised. Students will explore the role that Government, interdisciplinary healthcare teams and consumers, have in supporting a partnership, to promote quality and safety in medication management.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Identify and examine the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetic, pharmacogenetic properties of medicines and integrate these in the prescription and medication management for individuals and specialist populations within their scope of practice. |
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| B. | Analyse their practice and duty of care in accordance with legislation, regulation and principles of the National Medicines Policy and the National Strategy for Quality Use of Medicines medication relating to pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic interventions. |
| C. | Recommend and justify the safe selection and integration of both pharmacological and non- pharmacological therapeutic interventions promoting the importance of partnerships between patients, carers, families/significant others and interdisciplinary teams. |
| D. | Determine the appropriateness of medicines through the identification and analysis of reliable evidence and develop a personal formulary of the most common conditions encountered within their chosen specialty. |
| E. | Consider special considerations of suitable pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies in Indigenous Australians. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- Are reflective critical thinkers who examine and contribute to practice, policy, and research to achieve clinical excellence and enhance health outcomes (1.0)
- Identify, and evaluate and apply the best available evidence for translation into practice to achieve optimal health outcomes (1.1)
- Are socially, culturally and ethically aware and accountable when engaging with health care consumers, families/significant others, interdisciplinary teams, communities, organisations and authorities (3.0)
- Synthesise evidence-based principles of quality and safety to achieve optimal health outcomes (3.2)
- Practice safe and effective person and family centred care which embodies relevant professional codes and standards (5.1)
- Demonstrate professional capabilities to work effectively with and for Indigenous peoples and communities across the health profession (6.0)
- Critically reflect on Indigenous Australian contexts to inform professional cultural capability to work effectively with and for, Indigenous Australians within the health and social care profession (6.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
Orientation activities
Preparation for the session - You are expected to undertake activities during orientation week. These activities are designed to introduce you to the subject and your peers, and will assist you to prepare for the subject's assessment tasks.
Independent learning activities
Relevant readings, videos and activities will be made available online relevant to the topic of the week. This will support your ability to progress successfully throughout the subject and complete assessment items effectively. The online material aims to enhance your understanding of the topic or delve deeper into a more specific area, compare experiences and ideas with others and gain feedback. Information and links to all these learning activities can be accessed via Canvas as well as the subject outline.
Zoom meetings
You are strongly encouraged to attend all scheduled Zoom meetings as they will prepare you for the subject’s assessment tasks. Additionally, they provide opportunities for group activities, discussion, self-assessment, peer review and formative feedback from the subject coordinator and your teaching team. The schedule for this subject’s zoom meetings is below in the program section.
Feedback
Feedback in this subject takes several forms including self-assessment, peer review, automatic feedback from interactive activities and from the teaching team. Formative feedback throughout the subject aims to increase your performance in summative assessments.
Feedback and changes from previous subject offering
This subject assessment tasks have been reviewed based on students feedback to increase alignment with diverse clinical practice settings.
Content (topics)
This subject will cover the following topics:
Module 1: Quality Use of Medicines
- Perspectives on what medicines are
- Medication History
- National Medicines Policy
- Quality Use of Medicines Strategy
- Reliable sources of medicine information
- Drug approval and monitoring
- Selecting interventions and competent prescribing
Module 2: Consumer Engagement and Participation
- Quality use of medicines for Indigenous Australians
- Elderly populations and deprescribing
- Paediatric populations
- Patient partnerships and engagement
- Contemporary application of QUM
- Pharmacogenomics
Module 3: Medication Safety
- National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards-medications
- Clinical Governance and Quality Improvement
- Medication incidents
- Continuity of management and safety
- High risk medications
- Antimicrobial stewardship
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Quality Use of Medicines and Clinical Reflection
| Intent: | This assessment task aims to demonstrate your understanding and application of the principles of the Quality Use of Medicines. This will include the reflection of individual team roles, responsibilities and work practices. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): B This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 3.0 and 3.2 |
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 15% |
| Length: | 800 words +/-10% (reference list is excluded from word count) Submit your Statement of Completion from NPS Medicinewise Learning, for the course, Quality Use of Medicines for Health Professional Students 2024 (excluded from word count). |
Assessment task 2: Consumer Engagement and Participation
| Intent: | This assessment task demonstrates your understanding of the processes and policies that support the provision of information regarding medicine management. The assessment task will allow you to identify strategies specific to Indigenous Australians and consider cultural diversity engaging and partnering with consumers. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): C and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 6.0 and 6.1 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 35% |
| Length: | Submit a 5 minute audio recording (reflection) +/-10% and your written reference list, through Turnitin. The marker will stop the recording at five (5) minutes and thirty (30) seconds. |
Assessment task 3: Patient Management Plan
| Intent: | The intent of this assessment task is for the student to demonstrate their knowledge and application of the stepwise approach to safe prescribing and to begin the process of creating their own formulary to use in clincal practice. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C, D and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 1.1, 3.2, 5.1 and 6.0 |
| Type: | Case study |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 2000 words +/-10% (reference list is excluded from word count) The four (4) interventions in your formulary are included in the word count (section E). |
Required texts
No text are required however resources and recommended reading will be provided.
References
Australian Medicines Handbook. (2014). AMH Children's dosing companion. Australian Medicines Handbook.
Australian medicines handbook. (n.d). Australian medicines handbook. Australian Medicines Handbook.
Clinical Excellence Commission. (2020). Incident Management Policy. NSW Health. https://www1.health.nsw.gov.au/pds/Pages/doc.aspx?dn=PD2020_047
De Vries, T. P. G., Henning, R. H., Hogerzeil, H. V., & Fresle, D. A. (1994). Guide to Good Prescribing: A Practical Manual. World Health Organisation. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/59001
Department of Health and Aged Care. (2002). The National Strategy for Quality Use of Medicines. Australian Government. https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-strategy-for-quality-use-of-medicines?language=en
Department of Health and Aged Care. (2022). National Medicines Policy 2022. Australian Government. https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-medicines-policy?language=en
Lum, E., Mitchell, C., & Coombes, I. (2013). The competent prescriber: 12 core competencies for safe prescribing. Australian Prescriber, 36(1), 13-16. https://doi.org/10.18773/austprescr.2013.007
NPS Medicine Wise. (2021). Prescribing Competencies Framework: Embedding quality use of medicines into practice (2nd ed.). NPS MedicineWise.
NPSMedicineWise. (n.d). NPSMedicineWise.
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. (2016). Registered nurse standards for practice.Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professional-standards/registered-nurse-standards-for-practice.aspx#
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. (2021). Nurse practitioner standards for practice.Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines-statements/professional-standards/nurse-practitioner-standards-of-practice.aspx
Staunton, P. J., & Chiarella, M. (2020). Law for nurses and midwives (9th ed.). Elsevier Australia.
Winn, Woo, T.M., & Robinson, M.V. (2016.) Pharmacotherapeutics for advance practice nurse prescribers (4th ed.) F.A. Davis Co.
Woo, T.M., & Wynne, A.L. (2011.) Pharmacotherapeutics for nurse practitioners prescribers (3rd ed.) F.A. Davis Co.
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