Course Development Handbook
Appendix 7
s
Module specification template
Title
Code
Level
Credit rating
Pre-requisites
Type of module
Aims
Learning
outcomes/objectives
Content
Comments/notes
Surgery
CLM05
7
20
Graduate Registered Pharmacists
The module is delivered within the workplace using the
module material provided by the London, Eastern and
South East Clinical Pharmacy Service.
1. To allow pharmacists to critically evaluate and apply
their pharmacological and pharmaceutical knowledge
and skills to the treatment of patients in the perioperative period.
2. To provide pharmacists with a comprehensive
understanding of how the signs, symptoms and
laboratory investigations can aid in the monitoring of
peri-operative recovery and drug therapy, both to aid
recovery and to maintain existing disease management.
3. To provide pharmacists with the knowledge and skills
required to provide pharmaceutical care in relation to
patients who have undergone surgery.
1. To evaluate clinical (signs and symptoms) and laboratory
test results in order to critique the drug treatment of
individuals presenting for surgery,
2. To demonstrate a critical awareness of the current
pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical strategies used
to rationalise the treatment choices involved in:
o Maintaining the medical management of pre
existing disease states in the peri-operative period
o Minimising peri-operative risk
o Optimising recovery in the post-operative period.
3. To critically evaluate the patient's response to
prescribed therapy in order to identify potential and
actual drug related problems,
4. To demonstrate competence in the provision of
pharmaceutical care to surgical patients .
5. To demonstrate the ability to make sound judgements in
relation to the drug treatment of surgical patients and to
communicate this effectively to other health care
professions.
Definitions of surgical terms and procedures. Principles of
fluid balance in the surgical patient. Aetiology of
thromboses and the relation to peri-operative risk factors /
prevention strategies. Relating the choice of analgesia to the
origin of the pain experienced. Mechanisms of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Aetiology of post-operative
constipation.
Identifying infection risk for individual patients based on
pathogens commonly associated with the surgical procedure
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Course Development Handbook
Appendix 7
Content (cont.)
undergone and monitoring for signs of infection/response to
treatment.
Assessing individual risk/benefit ratios for continuing preexisting drug treatments in the peri-operative period.
Monitoring fluid and electrolyte balance, including
recognition of clinical signs and symptoms to enable design
of suitable replacement regimens. Identifying individual
risk of thrombo-embolic events to enable selection of
appropriate prophylaxis.
Use of objective and subjective measurements of pain to
identify cause, appropriate treatments and monitoring of
response. Identifying individual risk factors for nausea and
vomiting, including drug-induced symptoms.
Rationalising pre-existing medication peri-operatively:
recognising and minimising potential intra-operative drug
interactions, finding alternative treatments or routes to
maintain medical management of existing conditions, whilst
avoiding drug withdrawal. Rational choice of replacement
fluids at different peri-operative stages. Use of thromboprophylactic agents and appropriate substitution for
warfarin based on individual risk assessment.
Rationalisation of antibiotic therapy, including choice of
agent, duration of prophylaxis and treatment of common
adverse effects.
Teaching
strategies
and
Learning support
Discussion of analgesic options and individualisation to
specific patients, including recognition and treatment of
common adverse drug reactions. Selection of antiemetic
treatment based on patient specific risk factors. Selection of
appropriate laxatives based on identified causes of
constipation.
learning Details of the standard module format are provided in the
programme specification. The material is presented in
electronic form and is normally provided to the student to
work through systematically under the supervision of an
appropriate senior clinical practitioner. Periodic meetings
with the local tutor allows understanding and the
application of this information to patient care to be
reviewed and the ability of the individual to perform key
skills to be evaluated.
Material is presented as a computer package to direct the
student learning. Students are then required to complete an
array of practice activities (see programme specification)
and demonstrate their competence to perform an array of
clinical tasks before being eligible to register for the module
assessment. Students are required to read and evaluate
articles contained within the appropriate medical journals in
addition to the appropriate chapters contained within the
general indicative texts listed below:
Kumar P, Clark M. Clinical Medicine(5th Edition)
Edinburgh. WB Sauders 2002.
Doods L. Drugs in Use. 3rd Edition. The Pharmaceutical
Press 2002.
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Course Development Handbook
Appendix 7
Assessment tasks
Brief description of module
content
and/or
aims
(maximum 80 words)
Area examination board to
which module relates
Module team/authors/
coordinator
Semester offered,
appropriate
Site where delivered
where
Date of first approval
Date of last revision
Date of approval of this
version
Version number
Replacement for previous
module
Field for which module is
acceptable and status in that
field
Course(s) for which module
is acceptable and status in
that course
School home
External examiner
Walker R, Edwards C. Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
3rd Edition. Churchill Livingstone. 2002.
The assessment strategy embraces the concept of “fitness
for purpose” so that students are required to demonstrate
their ability to apply the knowledge and skills acquired to
resolve a range of clinical problems. This requires the
student to gather and critically evaluate clinical data prior to
engaging in complex decision making, culminating in the
provision of advice to health care professionals and
patients. These problems are designed to reflect scenarios
routinely encountered in clinical practice. This requires
students to complete an objective structured clinical
examination (OSCE), comprising of 10 clinical scenarios,
reflecting clinical practice in the module being studied. To
pass the module students must satisfy the criteria in 7 of the
ten stations, and present an acceptable portfolio.
The module details the signs, symptoms and biochemical
tests associated with patients who have received general
surgery.
A comprehensive, evidence-based review of the available
treatment follows. Students are required to apply this
knowledge to resolve drug related problems in patients
housed in general surgical wards.
Course Examination Board only (normally March and
September each year)
Produced by practitioners specialising in general surgery.
Module leader –
Caroline Broadbent, Senior Surgical Pharmacist, Guy’s and
St Thomas’ NHS Trust.
Not applicable.
The School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences of the
university is responsible for the designing and organising
the assessment process and the overall standard of the
course. The local hospitals have responsibility for the
tuition, which is co-ordinated by the London, Eastern and
South East Clinical Pharmacy Service.
August 1994
September 2004
3
PG Certificate in Applied Therapeutics. PG Diploma in
Clinical Pharmacy Practice.
Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
Mr Jonathan Silcock. March 2004 - 2008
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