James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2001

PC3004:03

Professional Pharmacy Practice 2

Townsville

Prerequisites: PC2004

36 lectures, 12 tutorials, 36 hours practicals. First semester.

Available to students enrolled in level 3 of the Bachelor of Pharmacy.

Staff: Dr R Rasiah, Ms I Patel, Dr M Ridd, Dr B McCool.

The subject will further develop the students understanding of aspects of professional pharmacy practice including communication, counselling skills, dispensing, legal and ethical issues and professional standards. An emphasis will be placed on how this applies to cross cultural communication, rural and remote practice and the extended role of other health professionals in these communities. The roles of relevant professional pharmacy organisations and bodies and their relevance to contemporary pharmacy practice will be discussed.

The student will also extend their knowledge and understanding of the pharmaceutics of solid pharmaceutical formulations and dosage forms.

Learning Objectives:

  1. demonstrate the basic dispensing functions of a pharmacist including eliciting, reviewing and assessing patient history, maintaining records and counselling patients to encourage compliance;
  2. educate and counsel patients with the appropriate use of 'Pharmacy' and 'Pharmacy Only' medications;
  3. demonstrate an ability to retrieve, interpret and evaluate information;
  4. describe, interpret and apply accepted standards of practice and codes of ethics especially the Health Act (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation, Pharmacy Act and Regulations and the National Health Act and Regulations;
  5. discuss the concepts and application of pharmacoeconomics, including rural areas;
  6. describe the pharmaceutics of solid pharmaceutical formulations and dosage forms;
  7. outline the principles of reaction kinetics and drug stability, including the importance of cold chain in rural and remote areas;
  8. demonstrate an awareness of the fundamental operation of community and hospital pharmacy practice.

Assessment by one three-hour written examination (60%); assignment (30%); extemporaneous dispensing practical examination (10%). Other assessment details should be checked with the academic adviser in Pharmacy.