MSc Clinical Pharmacy / Course details

This unit is compulsory for students registered on the MSc/PGDip Clinical Pharmacy and will develop students’ knowledge in commonly encountered chronic disease states. Students will apply this knowledge to review patients and optimise their therapy through a series of case study and wiki exercises, and for assessment.

The unit will cover the fundamentals of patient management for a range of disease states, and will also highlight the role of the pharmacist in patient care, and emphasise the following key clinical skills:

• Apply a systematic approach to clinical problem solving through pharmaceutical care planning for patients with particular diseases
• Preparation of pharmaceutical care plans
• Critically review the evidence for the treatment of commonly encountered disease states in its application to pharmaceutical care
• Understand the relationship between individual patient needs and therapeutics in different disease states
• Apply current therapeutic principles of treating particular disease states and incorporate into working practice  
• Develop the principles of individualising patient care within specific disease states
• Utilise the principles of CPD to further enhance their professional development in line with a professional competency framework

The unit will be assessed using an online examination (MCQ and case-based questions) and a pharmaceutical care plan. 

The unit aims to develop the knowledge and skills required to deliver medicines optimisation and demonstrate clinical problem-solving skills in a range of specific disease states, ie, asthma, COPD, hypertension, heart failure, peptic ulcer disease (PUD), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diabetes, depression, dementia and infection. 

This course unit is delivered online using Blackboard Ultra. All learning material is presented in week-by-week folders to help students manage their time. Each week will contain four main elements; background reflective tasks, learning in the form of an e-lecture, embedded video, or webinar, further reading and finally a task to consolidate learning (eg, completion of coursework, formative quiz or participation in a group discussion).

The unit will develop the student’s knowledge in the following areas:

• Diabetes
• Cardiology – hypertension and heart failure
• Respiratory disease – COPD and asthma
• Introduction to gastroenterology – PUD and IBD
• Infections and sepsis
• Depression and dementia

Students will be engaged in the following activities to further develop their skills in the application of the above knowledge:

• Small group eLearning tasks based around case study problem identification, analysis and resolution
• Interpretation and application of clinical evidence through case studies and patient profiles
• Preparation of pharmaceutical care plans
• Understand the relationship between individual patient needs and therapeutics in different disease states
• Opportunities to engage subject experts in formal case discussions and virtual discussion boards

Online teaching will be interactive and will normally utilise a case study to illustrate the major therapeutic issues outlined in the learning objectives. Tutorials also provide an opportunity to develop the student’s verbal and written communication skills through eLearning tasks, patient profiles and case presentations.

The unit will foster an online student community with interactive activities and communications with the unit team.

The online workshops and tutorials allow students the opportunities to broaden knowledge and provide the opportunity for group discussion of more complex disease states and practice-related issues regarding medicines optimisation.  

• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of specific disease states and the complex issues involved in therapeutic optimisation and individualising care for patients with these diseases, ie, asthma, COPD, hypertension, heart failure, PUD, IBD, diabetes, depression, dementia and general infection
• Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of best clinical practice/national guidance and application to clinical practice and pharmaceutical care of patients with these specific disease states.

• Integrate theory and research of disease pathology and disease management with patient information to apply best evidence to practice in a clinical problem-solving context  
• Critically analyse and evaluate the relevant scientific literature in therapeutics and practice research  
• Use critical reasoning to synthesise, analyse and evaluate primary and secondary sources of data from clinical and health services areas in order to apply these to resolve individual patient drug-related problems
• Apply these skills to pharmaceutical care planning.

• Safely and competently carry out a range of patient-based clinical skills: taking a drug history from a patient, evaluating individual patients’ pharmaceutical care needs, identifying, prioritising and resolving drug relating problems, ensuring drug prescriptions and regimens are safe, effective, discharge planning and patient advise provision  
• Use library, electronic and online resources to collect and select information about the optimal clinical management of a patient  
• Carry out constructive peer review  
• Develop oral presentation skills.

• Learn effectively for the purpose of continuing professional development and in a wider context throughout their career 
• Learn to manage effective team working by carrying out tasks within a small group in a structured situation, and by preparing and giving a presentation of data, information, or the solution to a team task  
• Evaluate his/her own academic and personal progression  
• Identify and develop learning needs through CPD and mapping competency against a professional competency framework.

An up-to-date reading list for the module is available on Blackboard.

Other scheduled teaching and learning activities: (33 hours)

• 2 hours of tutorials with Education Supervisor using a nominated online communication tool, eg, Zoom
• 4 hours e-lectures
• 20 hours online tutorials / webinars / eLearning packages
• 2 hours participation in discussion boards
• 4 hours online self-assessment tests / reflective exercises

All other hours are self-directed, private study to work through the directed reading and application exercises, plus complete the coursework and where applicable, revise for the exam.