CPD Plus+ Open Learn short courses/modules - Keele University
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Prescribing Studies - CPD Plus + and CPD Plus+ Open Learn - Short Courses/Modules

CPD Plus+ courses/modules have fixed content and learning outcomes. They are available as part of a structured award programme in Prescribing Studies or as individual stand-alone short courses

Academic Credits
When taken as individual short courses, each provides 5 Masters level academic credits. This is equivalent to 50 hours of study, including completion of assessments.

Delivery Media
Principally print based open and distance learning, online workshops, completion of assessments. Up to one day may be face-to-face contact.

Assessment - short courses
Case scenarios that require application of knowledge and skills.
Reflective Portfolio - to record and reflect on learning related to the short course/module and the individual's professional practice.

Themes
Modules/short courses fall into one of three main themes, i.e.:

Theme 1: Prescribing in the Treatment of Common Medical Conditions

  • Angina
  • Asthma
  • COPD
  • Diabetes
  • Dyspepsia
  • Depression
  • Drug Misuse
  • Heart Failure
  • Hypertension
  • Infections
  • Joint Diseases
  • Ostoeporosis
  • Palliative Care
  • Women's Health


Theme 1: Aims, Learning Outcomes and Indicative Content
These are expressed similarly for each condition/therapeutic area as follows:

Aim: The aim of this module is to enable course participants' to adopt an evidence-based approach to prescribing in relation to the management of [name of medical condition/therapeutic area].

Learning outcomes: By the end of this module you should be able to:

  • Describe the aetiology and diagnosis of the disease at levels suitable for patients, carers and other health professionals.
  • In the light of current professional practice and research, discuss the aims of disease management.
  • Drawing on current and recent research, describe the clinical pharmacology of the drugs used in treatment.
  • Describe and evaluate any non-drug management options, where appropriate.
  • Optimise prescribing, including in complex situations within your competency, by applying knowledge of therapeutics and prescribing using an evidence-based approach that takes into account recent research and current professional practice.

Indicative content:

  • Aetiology and diagnosis.
  • Clinical pharmacology of the drugs used in treatment.
  • Evidence-base for treatment.

Theme 2: Principles Underlying Rational Prescribing The following modules are included within this theme.

  • Rational prescribing

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' understanding of key principles and factors in relation to rational prescribing.

Learning outcomes: Define rational prescribing and apply it within the context of effectiveness, risk, cost, patient choice, and the therapeutic decision making process.

Indicative content:

  • Goals of the prescriber
  • Components of rational prescribing
  • Therapeutic decision-making

 

  • Pharmacological and biochemical concepts

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' understanding of key principles and factors in relation to clinical pharmacology and biochemistry in the context of prescribing.

Learning outcomes:

  • Apply a comprehensive knowledge of current research evidence and professional practice to:
  • describe how drugs achieve their effects, and the processes to which they are subject between entering and leaving the body
  • describe the biochemical tests most commonly used and appraise their place in rational prescribing

Indicative content:

  • Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
  • Drug action in body systems
  • Intra- and extra-cellular ions
  • Biochemical tests and drug therapy

 

  • Monitoring drug treatment

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' understanding of key principles and factors in relation to monitoring drug treatment.

Learning outcomes: Explain the rationale for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in current professional practice and know the drugs for which TDM is appropriate.

Indicative content:

  • Principles of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)
  • Target ranges for TDM
  • Drugs for which TDM is essential, advisable or sometimes necessary

 

  • Hazards of drug treatment

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' understanding of the hazards associated with drug treatment.

Learning outcomes:

  • Apply a comprehensive knowledge of current research evidence and professional practice to:
  • describe the risks associated with drug treatment, their investigation and management, and know how to monitor and prevent their occurrence
  • evaluate the risks associated with drug treatment in individual patients to aid rational prescribing

Indicative content:

  • Categories, types and consequences of adverse drug reactions
  • Categories, types and consequences of drug-drug interactions
  • Reporting mechanisms

 

  • Treating individual patient groups

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' understanding of the factors that need to be considered in relation to the drug treatment of specific patient groups.

Learning outcomes: Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the research evidence to describe how individual patient groups respond differently to drugs and be able to apply this to the prescribing process.

Indicative content:

  • drugs during pregnancy and in breast milk
  • drug treatment and children
  • drug treatment and older people

 

  • Licensing and drug development

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' understanding of drug development and licensing to inform rational, evidence-based prescribing.

Learning outcomes:

  • Describe the stages involved in getting a drug from the laboratory bench to the public arena
  • Discuss the differences between phase I, II, III and IV trials
  • Apply relevant clinical trial data to the prescribing process

Indicative content:

  • Phases of clinical trials
  • European regulatory authorities in drug licensing
  • Sources of clinical trial data and their application
  • Ethical issues in the development ofmedicines

Theme 3: Practical Considerations for Prescribers The following modules are included within this theme.

  • Developing your skills in critical appraisal **

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to the critical appraisal of published literature for application to professional practice and patient care.

Learning outcomes: Apply a comprehensive knowledge of the rationale for critical appraisal of published literature, including promotional materials, on drugs to critically evaluate published literature using a structured framework.

Indicative content:

  • Rationale for critical appraisal
  • A systematic approach to critical appraisal of published literature

** NB: This module was developed from Evidence based practice and clinical governance (see below) to focus only on a systematic approach to critical appraisal of published literature.

 

  • Evidence based practice and clinical governance

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' understanding of evidence-based practice and clinical governance and their application to rational prescribing.

Learning outcomes:

  • Identify the components of clinical governance and discuss their relevance to prescribing
  • Apply evidence based practice to the prescribing process
  • Critically evaluate published literature using a structured framework

Indicative content:

  • Definition and components of clinical governance
  • Evidence-based medicine/practice in prescribing and medicines management
  • A systematic approach to critical appraisal of published literature

 

  • Prescribing and financial information for practices

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' financial understanding of prescribing data and its application to achieving rational prescribing.

Learning outcomes:

  • Describe the contents of a e-PFIP report
  • Critically appraise a e-PFIP report and apply the findings to enable rational prescribing

Indicative content:

  • Contents of a e-PFIP report and use of the data
  • e-PFIP and prescribing audit
  • e-PFIP and formulary development

 

  • Ethical issues in prescribing

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' understanding of the application of ethical principles in relation to prescribing.

Learning outcomes:

  • Provide a critical overview of the ethical principles utilitarianism, virtue ethics, dentology and the four principles
  • Apply an ethical framework to the prescribing process using one or more of these ethical principles

Indicative content:

  • Ethical principles: utilitarianism, virtue ethics, dentology and the four principles
  • The ethics of prescribing

 

  • Communication skills

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' communication and consultation skills through application of theory to practice.

Learning outcomes: Describe the key elements and skills of interpersonal communication and demonstrate depth and systematic understanding by applying the concepts to interactions and consultations with patients and other healthcare professionals.

Indicative content:

  • The prescriber's communication networks
  • Characteristics of interpersonal communication
  • Key skills for communication and the patient consultation
  • Communicating with patients with specific needs e.g. the hard of hearing

 

  • Patient/prescriber partnerships in medicine taking (concordance)

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' understanding of the patient-prescriber relationship to achieve concordant consultations and outcomes.

Learning outcomes:

  • Explain the concept of concordance and discuss its relevance to the patient-prescriber relationship and decision-making with regard to treatment
  • Critically comment of the difference between concordance and compliance

Indicative content:

  • The medical construction of compliance
  • The patient perspective
  • The prescriber-patient relationship and shared decision-making
  • The concordant consultation

 

  • Practice research

Aim: The aim of this module is to develop course participants' understanding of methods used to audit and research prescribing practice.

Learning outcomes:

  • Describe the role of audit and practice research in helping to achieve rational prescribing
  • Apply research methods to audit prescribing in practice

Indicative content:

  • Audit and research, including research governance
  • Questionnaire design and administration
  • Interviews in surveys
  • Sampling
  • Data analysis
  • Preparing a proposal

 

CPD Plus+ Open Learn Courses

CPD Plus+ Open Learn courses will normally use fixed content, named CPD Plus+ courses as their basis and students will develop the final learning outcomes with their Keele tutor, within the requirements that are necessary for a 10, 15 or 30 credit Open Learn version of the module.
Please contact a member of our Course Team to discuss your requirements.

 

Availability of CPD Plus +and CPD Plus+ Open Learn Short Courses
Individual modules are normally available during at least 2 separate periods of the year. For further information, please contact Linda Foster, the Prescribing Studies Programme Administrator: l.j.foster@keele.ac.uk 01782 734117