PC3005:03
Nervous System and Mental Health for Pharmacists
Townsville
HECS Band 2
36 hours lectures, 12 hours tutorials, 18 hours practicals or workshops. Semester 2.
Available to level 3 Bachelor of Pharmacy students.
Staff: Dr R Rasiah, Assoc. Professor A Nimmo, Dr S Bullock, Dr A-M Babey and relevant clinicians.
The incidence of common mental health problems and suicide in the Australian community has increased by 35% in the past decade, with many national policies and strategies being developed to address the issue. In this subject students will explore the roles and responsibilities of the pharmacist in various community mental health programs, residential care, the methadone program and the unique needs of rural, remote and indigenous communities in terms of social and emotional wellbeing.
The student will also develop an understanding of the pharmacological basis of drug treatment for nervous system and mental illness conditions and discuss how they can contribute towards the patient’s management as part of the multidisciplinary primary health care team. Emphasis will be placed on the management of chronic and acute pain, drug abuse, drugs of addiction, anaesthetic agents, psychotic drugs and the control of Prohibited Substances, Controlled Drugs, Pharmacy and Pharmacist Only Medicines.
Learning Objectives:
- discuss the role, responsibilities and resources available to the pharmacist in the management of patients with a chronic mental health condition, including those in rural and remote areas;
- discuss the incidence of mental illness and suicide in the Australian community and the strategies put into place to address the issue e.g. National Mental Health Strategy;
- describe the pathophysiology, therapeutics and clinical presentation of nervous system and acute and chronic mental health conditions including the appropriate use of traditional and alternative therapies;
- demonstrate an ability to design appropriate therapies for chronic and acute pain;
- outline the principles of therapeutic drug monitoring in the rational use of drugs used in the management of nervous system and mental health disorders;
- describe the use of local and general anaesthetic agents
- demonstrate an ability to decide about whether to manage or refer a patient based on knowing one’s own limitations.
Assessment by a three-hour examination (60%); laboratory attendance and reports (20%); assignment (20%). Satisfactory performance in all aspects of the subject is required to pass. This is defined as at least 50% on all sections of the course. Attendance at practicals is compulsory.