PC3312 - Pharmacy Practice (Professional Honours) 1

This subject will further develop student understanding of pharmacy practice and counselling, including legal and ethical issues, clinical and extemporaneous dispensing and communication skills. Students will also become familiar with principles of pharmacoeconomics and drug stability, and be introduced to the process of clinical trials. Students will also complete 80 hours of supervised clinical pharmacy placements in hospital or community pharmacy or industry in both urban and rural settings. Finally, the student will work in small, self-directed groups towards the development and completion of a project relevant to a contemporary pharmacy practice issue. Students will demonstrate skills in leadership, planning and team work in order to plan and undertake project activities, the initial phase of which will be a joint review of the issue, culminating in the production of an academic literature review which will be presented in written and oral formats

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate the clinical and extemporaneous dispensing functions of a pharmacist, including patient history taking, maintaining prescription records and patient counselling, relating this to professional practice through experiential placement;
• Describe and interpret the pharmacoeconomic principles as they apply to various practice settings;
• Explain the process involved with clinical trials including drug stability and the physiochemical principals related to drug interactions;
• Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of research methods in undertaking an independent research project which includes critical analysis and synthesis of the literature to produce an academic literature review for presentation in written and oral formats;
• Describe, interpret and apply accepted standards of practice, codes of ethics and the regulations and quality standards which govern the supply and use of medicines in Australia when considering issues relating to the acquisition, storage, dispensing, sale and supply of pharmaceutical products and be able to provide evidence based information to patients on their use.

Subject Assessment

• Written > Examination (centrally administered) - (30%) - Individual
• Written > Literature review - (20%) - Group
• Oncourse - (30%) - Group & Individual
• Performance/Practice/Product > Practical assessment/practical skills demonstration - (20%) - Individual.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.