Administration & Supply Pharmacology

Module overview

The access and supply pharmacology and local anaesthesia module provides second year (level 5) students with the opportunity to development skills and knowledge of pharmacology as applied in practice through rights to the sale, supply and administration of an approved list of medicines, alongside practical training and education in the parenteral administration of local anaesthesia.

By integrating previous learning at level 4 and concomitant learning at level 5, students will develop appropriate assessment, diagnostic and management strategies in the formulation of medicines management plans from within the restricted formulary permitted for graduate practice, as reflected in the regulatory annotations granted on graduation.

Formulation of medicines management planning and application will be grounded in an appreciation of contemporary legal requirements and current best practice informed through national and professional guidance

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Recognise clinical emergencies associated with use of local analgesia / nail surgery

• Discuss the clinical and legal criteria for selection of particular pharmacological agents in patient care

• Justify the need to be up to date and aware of change (for example in current drug use) in the context of lifelong learning

• Calculate and practice safe and appropriate use of local analgesia

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Examine the evidence base for the role of specific therapeutic skills used within podiatry

• Apply the skills needed for academic study and enquiry

• Utilise problem solving skills and effective management of time

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Evaluate the indications, contra-indications and potential complications of local analgesia use

• Explain & clinically evaluate the basic principles of drug action and characteristics of drugs relevant to podiatry

• Recognise appropriate interdisciplinary roles to patient care

Syllabus

• The action and clinical uses of drugs of relevance to podiatry such as :

antimicrobials, antifungal agents, drugs used for disorders of the CVS, CNS, respiratory system, and endocrine system, drugs used for the treatment of musculoskeletal and joint disease and nutritional and blood disorders.

• Prescription only medicines schedules (with ref. to podiatrists’ access to drugs)

• Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

• Theory and practice of local analgesia

• Interdisciplinary approaches to patient care and care planning

• The evidence base for specific pharmacological intervention utilised within podiatry

Teaching and learning methods

The sessions within this module are set to align with those of the Clinical Placement 2, Foot & Ankle MSK and Chronic Conditions modules, thus facilitating maximum consistency throughout the programme.

Consequently, there will be opportunity to discuss key facts and real podiatric case studies relative to the outlined content of pharmacology, thereby fostering a deep learning approach appropriate to level 2.

The learning and teaching approach within this module will be a case based led one, with relevant hypothetical cases previously prepared by the module staff team and presented for in depth analysis and discussion.

In addition, students may also be asked to prepare relevant cases from their own clinical caseloads for discussion during these main lecture sessions. The structure will allow the authentic case to form the central resource enhanced with a blend of keynote research based lectures, practical workshops, small group work and formative peer assessment.

Students will be encouraged to use recommended independent learning material, both printed and electronic. Use is made of a range of e-communication learning resources, i.e. pod casts and discussion forums. Weekly seminars will serve to discuss the feedback presented by students from the reading and researching around the case based tasks.

Assessment strategy

To pass this module you must achieve a weighted mean average of 40% or more AND also you must pass both the components at 40% or more.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

In-class formative opportunities

• Assessment Type: Formative

• Feedback:

• Final Assessment: No

• Group Work: No