96816 Clinical Placement in Advanced Pharmacy Practice
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): (96813 Team-Based Patient Care AND (96814 Medication Management 1 OR 96815 Advanced Medication Management))
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
Clinical Placement in Advanced Pharmacy Practice allows for real-life application of the theory learned, and the skills developed through coursework. This subject includes weekly practice-based learning to build skills in advanced practice pharmacy. Students develop an advanced practice e-portfolio to demonstrate their learning and professional development. Clinical Placements run concurrently with online learning. They provide an important platform for the integration of the knowledge gained through coursework, emphasising the relevance and application to the practice setting, as well as practising newly developed skills.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 02. | Conduct a comprehensive medication review on complex patients with multi-morbidity and/or complicating factors. |
|---|---|
| 04. | Address adherence issues and encourage lifestyle change for patients. |
| 05. | Discuss principles for effective communication with patients, carers, general practitioners and other health care professionals. |
| 06. | Counsel patients to promote self-management of medicines (where appropriate). |
| 07. | Discuss principles for achievement of effective collaborative working relationships with general practitioners, community pharmacists and other members of the healthcare team. |
| 08. | Identify, resolve and prevent actual or potential medication-related problems. |
| 09. | Adjust therapies under protocol for patients with defined medical conditions. |
| 11. | Interpret laboratory results and other clinical information to assess efficacy and adverse effects of medicines. |
| 27. | Perform health screening and prevention assessments and evaluations (Including BP measurement, spirometry, blood glucose and INR assessments). |
| 29. | Demonstrate an ability to liaise with hospital and community pharmacists and across the health sector. |
| 30. | Conduct drug use evaluations. |
| 31. | Conduct clinical prescribing audit and feedback. |
| 34. | Participate in and contribute to research activities. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
The learning outcomes for this subject are as follows:
- Demonstrate safe and competent operational, interpersonal and clinical skills for the benefit and care of patients and the wider community. (.01)
- Reflect on the knowledge, skills and attributes required for the evaluation and integration of emerging evidence into practice, promoting the growth of personal and professional learning, and the education of others. (.02)
- 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. (.03)
- Engage in team undertakings adopting a range of roles in diverse teams, building cohesion and maximising team contributions. (.04)
- Demonstrate sound, ethical, compassionate and respectful patient-focussed care, taking responsibility for personal health and wellbeing. (.05)
- Capably communicate to patients, their families, carers and members of the health care team, contribute to wider health education and promotion, choosing and adapting communication modes to address cultural and linguistic diversity. (.06)
- Represent pharmacy perspectives in multidisciplinary environments, and optimise patient outcomes through self- awareness and acknowledgement of the contributions of other health care disciplines. (.07)
- 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. (.08)
- Demonstrate respect and value for diverse ways of knowing, being and doing, in particular recognising the diversity of indigenous Australians, while critically reflecting on the impact of ongoing colonisation and its pervasive discourse on their health and wellbeing, and integrating this knowledge into practice. (.09)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject contributes to the Graduate Certificate in Advanced Pharmacy Practice by providing students with an advanced understanding of evidence-based practice principles.
This subject contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:
Lifelong learning
Graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Advanced Pharmacy Practice 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 Graduate Certificate in Advanced Pharmacy Practice 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.
Cultural competence
Graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Advanced Pharmacy Practice 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
This Subject takes a patient- and healthcare professional case-focussed approach, supported by learning activities that apply principles of clinical practice. During semester, students will engage and collaborate with other students via posting on discussion boards, contributing to group activities, and attending online Zoom workshops.
Strategy One Core learning: Core learning material, activities, and readings are undertaken in Canvas prior to fortnightly live and online workshops. Students will be provided with learning activities each week, including readings, discussions, reflection questions, case studies, and videos that prepare them for the live and online sessions. Please ensure Canvas work is carried out prior to the live and online session so that you have spent time accessing and making sense of ideas. Attending the live and online workshops will allow you to test these ideas and get feedback from the academic staff and peers which will further consolidate your learning.
Live and online workshops: Fortnightly live and online workshops provide students with opportunities to participate in discussions, role play, and case-based learning activities. The activities in the workshops build on the Canvas work and allow time to clarify and ask questions on content learning. Students will work collaboratively in pairs, small groups, and as a class during the workshops. Group discussions will often involve case-based learning activities.
Students will participate in role-play and learning activities to assist with the development of communication skills in preparation for clinical placement. Feedback will be provided by the teacher and by peers.
Early and consistent feedback: Structured feedback is provided following the Zoom online discussions. The collaborative learning approach utilised in the class will enable ongoing feedback to be provided as areas of learning need are identified. The continuous formative feedback provided during the semester will allow students to improve towards their assignments and assessment activities
Content (topics)
This subject covers the following key areas:
Reflective practice and reflective writing skills, critical incident reflections and global reflections (course related and overall learning gained from clinical placement.)
Subject content, including a weekly timetable, is provided via Canvas.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Development of Advanced Practice Portfolio
| Intent: | To demonstrate and showcase your learning against the Advanced Pharmacy Practice graduate attributes and Clinical Competency Standards. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 02, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 11, 27, 29 and 30 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: .01, .02, .03, .04, .05, .06, .07, .08 and .09 |
| Type: | Portfolio |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 35% |
| Criteria: | Provided on Canvas |
Assessment task 2: Contribution to Online Discussion Boards
| Intent: | Throughout the semester you will have the opportunity to check your understanding of the course content via graded assessments through the Canvas platform. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 02, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09 and 11 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: .01, .02, .03, .04, .05, .06, .07, .08 and .09 |
| Type: | Exercises |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Criteria: | Provided via Canvas |
Assessment task 3: Development of Research Project Proposal
| Intent: | To allow students to develop research project skills in the advanced practice setting. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 30, 31 and 34 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: .01, .02, .03, .04, .05, .06, .07, .08 and .09 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 25% |
| Length: | 15 minutes |
| Criteria: | Provided via Canvas |
Assessment task 4: Reflection on 360-degree feedback from professional peers and patients / Reflection essay on e-portfolio
| Intent: | 360 degree feedback is a mandatory piece of evidence for pharmacist advanced practice credentialling. This feedback can be gathered from colleagues, supervisors and patients. Reflecting on this feedback will enable students to identify opportunities for growth in their professional practice. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 05, 07 and 29 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: .01, .02, .03, .04, .05, .06, .07, .08 and .09 |
| Type: | Reflection |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | 1000-2000 words |
| Criteria: | Provided via Canvas |
Minimum requirements
Students are required to attend 100% of scheduled clinical placements.
Students must achieve an overall grade of 50% in the subject and submit all assessment tasks.
Note: there is a must-pass assessment in this Subject. Please check assessment descriptions for details.
Recommended texts
Coursework Assessments Procedures
Graduate School of Health Policy, Guidelines and Procedures (login required)
See weekly information on subject Canvas site.