Assessment 1

Assessment 1 is spread out over the 12 week unit. This means that each part of assessment 1 will be opened at different times throughout the unit. Please ensure you note the due dates for each part of this assessment piece as there is no option to complete the quizzes once they are closed (see ‘Essential Information’ below).

Assessment 1 consists of 4 parts:

Part 1 - NPS Medicinewise Modules: consists of completion of 2 modules (5%). Due: Tues 28^th March

· This part of the assessment is completed by accessing the NPS Medicinewise Learning website. The link to this is available under the ‘Assessment for this unit’ tab on the Moodle site. Once modules are completed, certificates need to be saved and then uploaded to the Moodle site – see Assessment tab left hand side of the Moodle page or the link under the ‘Assessment for this unit’ tab.

· The 2 modules to be completed are:

a) ‘Quality Use of Medicine for Health Professional Students’ (2.5% for uploading certificate confirming completion of module and submitted by due date). NB: Do not compete the case studies

b) ‘Get it Right! Taking a Best Possible Medication History’ (2.5% for uploading certificate confirming completion of module and submitted by due date)

NB: please ensure the modules completed are 2017 and are the ones stated above. No other certificates will be accepted.

Part 2. Quiz 1 - 10 multiple choice questions - opened Friday 31^st March 2017 (wk 4). Closed Friday 7^th April 2017 (wk 5). (5%)

· Content of the unit modules 1, 3 and 4 are examined here.

Part 3. Quiz 2 - 10 multiple choice questions - opened Friday 28^th April 2017 (wk 7). Closed Friday 5^th May 2017 (wk 8). (5%)

· Content of the unit modules 5, 6 and 7 are examined here.

Part 4. Quiz 3 - 10 multiple choice questions - opened Friday 19^th May 2017 (wk 10). Closed Friday 26^th May 2017 (wk 11). (5%)

· Content of the unit modules 8, 9, 10 & 11are examined here.

Access to quizzes are available via the links under the ‘Assessment for this unit’ tab on the Moodle site and are titled Quiz 1, Quiz 2 and Quiz 3, completed on the Moodle site – no uploads required.

Essential Information

· Each online quiz is opened for 7 (seven) days (1 week – Friday to Friday) and a time limit of 1(one) hour to complete. There will be 2 (two) attempts available for each quiz.

· For online quizzes, there is no option for late completion. Once the quiz is closed as per the stipulated date, no further accesses to quizzes are available. Each quiz must be completed within the stipulated time-frame unless an approved extension has been granted. In the absence of an approved extension, there will be no opportunity to complete tasks after the stipulated closing date for each quiz and there will be no opportunity to apply a late penalty of 5% per day.

Part 1 must be submitted by uploading 2 certificates to the assessment site on the Moodle page.

Online quizzes are marked online.

Assignment 2 - Short Answer Questions (Topics)

Weighting: 30%

Instructions

· Choose 3 (three) topics from the list of topics below. All students must complete topic 1 and choose another 2 (two) topics to answer from the remaining list.

· For each topic, you are required to write 500 – 600 words (+/- 10%). Each topic is an individual topic and needs to adhere to the stipulated word count (500-600 words). The total word count for all three topics: 1500-1800 words (+/- 10%).

· In-text referencing is excluded in the word count.

· Academic essay format is required which includes an introduction and conclusion for each topic you select which is included in the word count. As each topic is 500 - 600 words, a general rule of no more than 10% of the total word count should apply to these (50-60 words). For help with writing an academic essay please click the link ‘Writing an Academic Essay’ on the Moodle site (under the 'Assessment' tab) or see the ALC (Academic Learning Centre) for assistance.

· APA referencing is required (please click this link to access the APA abridged guide available via this link or on the course Moodle site under the 'Assessment' tab). Please note that referencing is worth 15% of your overall mark for this assessment.

· The study guide, course profile, and power-points supplied in the course Moodle site are NOT to be used as reference sources but are good resources to guide your answers. NB: journal articles less than 5 years old and textbooks less than 10 years old should only be used.

List of Topics

Topic 1: Compulsory (All students must complete)

Read the clinical summary found on the Moodle site under Assessment 1 regarding the case study originating from a coronal inquest. Write 500-600 words addressing the following questions:

a) Discuss and describe the type of medication error that occurred in this scenario.

b) The Director of Medical Services gave evidence that a number of measures had been implemented following an investigation using a root cause analysis of this incident.

Discuss 1 (one) or 2 (two) safety measures that you feel would have been implemented to minimise the risk of such an error in drug administration occurring again.

Topic 2.

‘Nurses are regularly confronted with ethical dilemmas in day to day practice and are regularly required to make ethical decisions, despite not always being aware of this fact (Oh & Gastmans, 2015)’.

You are required to identify an ethical principle and how this relates to clinical practice with reference to medications.

Instructions: To answer this topic, you are required to watch a short vignette involving Stanley and a nurse. In your response, in 500-600 words, address the following:

• Describe what is happening (the situation/scenario)
• Identify at least one ethical principle that could apply to this scenario, and describe what that principle/s mean in relation to this situation/scenario
• Discuss the ethical issues and or outcomes in applying that principle to the specific situation you described.

The vignette is supplied on the course Moodle site under the Assessment tab – Assessment 2.

It is expected that you write in third person (no ‘I’ or ‘we’ statements).

Topic 3.

Understanding pharmacokinetics (PK) is important for safety administrating medications to patients. However the PK of drugs are altered by age i.e. in the elderly population group, when compared to adults.

Discuss PK i.e. absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion that includes one aspect (for each part) that differs in the elderly in comparison to adults. Include in your discussion at least 2 (two) to 3 nursing implications/interventions to ensure safety in administering medications to this population group.

Topic 4.

After reading the case study below, discuss in your answer, the questions that follow.

Case Study:

Mr. Benjamin Brown is a 16 year old male who has been admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of new–onset diabetes. His initial symptoms prior to his admission included a 10kg weight loss over the past few weeks, nausea, increased thirst and urination. He is stabilized, then placed initially on regular insulin – Humulin R.

Provide a discussion, with reference to Mr. Brown, that includes the following:

a) Discuss the pathophysiology of Type 1 Diabetes (T1DM) vs Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM).

b) State which type of diabetes (T1DM or T2DM) Mr. Brown has most likely been diagnosed with and why. Explain the rationale for why insulin is prescribed as the preferred medication to treat his diabetes.

c) Describe the mechanism of action of insulin prescribed for Mr Benjamin Brown.

d) Discuss considerations the nurse may need to be aware of when insulin is ordered and/or administered.

Assessment 2 Marking Criteria: NURS12154 Pharmacology for Nursing Practice Term 2 2016

Short Answer Topics

Student name: Student Number:

Grade:

Markers Comments:

Marker

Assignment 3: Developing a Drug Protocol

Due Date: Monday 29^th May, 2017

Weighting: 50%

A protocol defines a set of procedures or steps to be followed for the accomplishment of a given task. Your task for this assignment is to develop a drug protocol that covers all the requirements for you and other health personnel to follow in a hospital ward environment to ensure both safety and quality requirements for administering your chosen medication (as per the case studies below) are met.

General Information

You are working on a ward and are a newly registered nurse to this area. You are required to administer medication to one of the patients assigned to you (which represent one of the supplied case studies below). You are unsure of how to give the medication and seek out the unit’s medication protocol for help but are unable to find one. You approach the Nurse Unit Manager who suggests you develop a drug protocol for this medication to be utilised on the ward which includes consideration of the patient when discharged i.e education.

Instructions:

1. You are to choose ONE of the following case studies below to write for your assignment.

2. The assignment consists of 2 parts (see point 3).

You are required to download the Template (which will form Part A of your assignment) supplied in a word document format which will allow you to directly add-in the information to each section. Any information supplied in italics in the template is to be deleted and replaced with your information. No section of this template is to be left blank. If no information is available then ‘N/A’ (indicating ‘not applicable’) is to be used.

Please do not submit or convert this template to a PDF. This completed document, along with your discussion (Part B) is to be submitted as one document to the assessment area of the Moodle site (see exemplar on the Moodle site).

3. The assignment has two parts.

Part A: Development of Drug Protocol (see exemplar on Moodle site)

Your task for this part of this assignment is to utilise the template supplied (which contains all the headings and additional information [in italics] guiding you as what is required) and develop a drug protocol that is specific medication related to the illness or disease stated in your chosen case study.

This means that if you choose:

Case study 1: You need to develop a drug protocol for the administration of salbutamol for treatment of asthma.

Case study 2: You need to develop a drug protocol for the administration of rivaroxaban for treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Case study 3: You need to develop a drug protocol for the administration of ibuprofen for treatment of a pain and fever in children (birth to 5 years).

You are to only choose 1 (ONE) case study from the list below.

Part B: Justification and Critical discussion (1200 words MAX)

You are required to justify and discuss this medication for treatment of the disease/illness in your chosen case study. Therefore this means if you choose Case Study 1, you need to justify or discuss why salbutamol is drug of choice to be prescribed for treatment of asthma i.e. what is the mechanism of action, what local guidelines exist, what evidence supports the use of this medication etc. that would, or would not, support administering this medication for the treatment of asthma. Suggested word length for this section – 500 to 600 words (max).

You are also required to critically discuss administering this medication to your patient incorporating the drug protocol in Part A. Basically your task here is to individualise the drug protocol to fit your patient. The drug protocol is a generic protocol and contains general information. Each case study has questions to assist in addressing this section of the discussion. You need to consider cultural and teaching aspects e.g: the section of your drug protocol titled ‘Patient Advice & Education’ may guide your discussion for this section: e.g if your patient education and advice includes a pamphlet, then you need to discuss whether or not this pamphlet would be appropriate taking into account the patient’s culture or social background. Is it educationally appropriate for the age of the patient? What additional considerations would you need to consider? In your discussion you may need to consider the laboratory testing and or other medications prescribed that may be supplied in your case study. These are only suggestions to be used as a guide. Suggested word length for this section – 500 to 600 words (max).

NB: This section – Part B, needs to adhere to an Academic essay format which includes an introduction and conclusion – the justification and critical discussion are not individual sections so only requires one introduction and one conclusion for the entire discussion.

References are required to be in APA format. For help with writing an academic essay please refer to the articles under the Assessment tab of the Moodle page or see the ALC (Academic Learning Centre) for assistance. Only one reference list is required for both the drug protocol and discussion and presented at the end of the assessment.

The study guide, course profile, and power-points supplied in the course Moodle site are NOT to be used as reference sources but are good resources to guide your answers. Journal articles less than 5 years old and textbooks less than 10 years old should only be used.

Total word count for Section B = 1000 – 1200 (max) words – excluding in-text referencing.

Case Studies

The following case studies are fiction in both name and any personal information. Any relevance to any person or place is merely co-incidental.

Your requirement for this assignment is to choose ONE case study below.

Case study 1:

Miss Shana Bell is an 18 year old who has a history of asthma. She has been admitted to the medical ward after presenting to the emergency department via ambulance with a severe flare-up of her asthma. She presented to the emergency department with a 3 (three) day history of increasing shortness of breath requiring increasing use of her salbutamol puffer (which she had run out of that morning) and unable to talk full sentences on arrival.

Miss Bell has a partner and young child who accompany her to the ward. Miss Bell is a heavy smoker and has been smoking since the age of 14. The acute signs and symptoms of her asthma has passed and Miss Bell is being prepared for discharge in the following days from the medical ward. Both her and her partner are unemployed and live in a 1 bedroom apartment so have very little money for medications.

The doctor has charted Miss Bell 2 (two) puffs every 4 (four) hours of salbutamol (Ventolin) metered dose inhaler (MDI) PRN, and 3 days of high dose prednisolone 50 mgs daily. She is for regular 4th hourly observations. Recent observations are within normal ranges. Miss Bell has had bloods attended and results are unremarkable.

All medications are listed below.

Past medical history is of previous presentations with uncontrolled asthma with no history of admissions to hospital previously.

Medications on admission:

· salbutamol (Ventolin) inhaler 2 puffs 4hrly PRN

· prednisolone 50 mg daily for 5 days

Miss Bell is to be discharged on an inhaled corticosteroid - fluticasone propionate 250mcg (Flixotide) MDI 2 puffs daily.

Questions (to assist in answering the critical discussion section of Part B):

a) Does this protocol fit, or is it able to be utilised, for Miss Bell?

b) Discuss the importance of this medication in treatment of Miss Bell’s asthma. Are there any perceivable issues relevant to Miss Bell’s circumstances?

c) What potential problems exist for Miss Bell in adhering to her medication regime to control her asthma? What strategies could be suggested to assist her monitoring/reducing flare-ups of her asthma?

d) What advice and education could be offered to Miss Bell and/or her family to help ensure adherence to her medication regime including the addition of taking the new inhaled medication fluticasone?

Case Study 2:

Mr Lee is a 78 year old gentleman who has recently emigrated to Australia from China and speaks little to no English. He has been admitted to the medical ward for monitoring and commencement of an anticoagulant after presenting to the emergency department with new onset of atrial fibrillation. Mr Lee weighs 75 kgs and is 158cms tall. Mr Lee is accompanied by his wife, Chen and adult daughter, Xia who are always in attendance. Mr Lee currently resides with his wife at their daughter’s residence. His daughter speaks for Mr Lee in all communications with the staff and translates basic information for him including his menu choices. His wife assists with Mr Lee’s ADLs. Mr Lee is being prepared for discharge in the next couple of days and his heart rhythm remains in atrial fibrillation. Past medical history is unremarkable other than hypertension and high cholesterol.

The doctor has charted Mr Lee rivaroxaban orally 10mg due 6pm daily on admission to the medical ward. All other medications are listed below.

Additional Medications on admission:

· metoprolol 50mgs daily

· atorvastatin 40 mg nocte

· aspirin 150 mg mane

Most recent observations and laboratory results:

· Heart rate: 72 – 87 beats/min and irregular on palpation of radial artery

· Blood pressure: 129/65

· Temperature: afebrile

· ECG: shows atrial fibrillation

· CrCl: 50mL/min

Questions (to assist in answering the critical discussion section of Part B):

a) Does this protocol fit, or is it able to be utilised, for Mr Lee?

b) Discuss any potential issues taking rivaroxaban with current medications.

c) Discuss advice and education/strategies that can be offered to Mr Lee and his daughter/wife to help adhere to the medication regime and safely taking rivaroxaban at home? Consider cultural aspects.

Case Study 3:

You are the nurse at a local health centre. Mrs Broome has brought Makayla, her 2 year old daughter for concerns regarding an ongoing earache. Makayla is from an indigenous background and resides with her extended family in a rural and remote area of Australia. Both she and her mother have travelled some distance to see the doctor. Makayla has a temperature of 38.5 and unsettled with bouts of crying. The doctor diagnoses Makayla with acute otitis media (middle ear infection) and has prescribed some antibiotics. Makayla has had 4 (four) previous episodes of otitis media in the last 12 months otherwise has no other health problems and takes no regular medications. The doctor has advised Mrs Broome to administer ibuprofen for pain and fever associated with this infection and calls you to administer a dose of ibuprofen prior to Makayla and her mother leaving the clinic. Makayla weighs 14kgs.

The doctor has prescribed 140mg ibuprofen 6hrly PRN for the pain and fever.

Questions (to assist in answering the critical discussion section of Part B):

a) Does this protocol fit, or is it able to be utilised, for Makayla Broome?

b) Discuss if this medication can be safely administered to Makayla.

c) Discuss education necessary for Makayla’s mother to adhere to the safe administration of ibuprofen. Consider cultural aspects.

d) What education and advice could be suggested to Makayla’s mother to assist with preventing further episodes of otitis media as a means of employing preventive measures decreasing medication requirements? Consider cultural aspects.

Assessment 3 Marking Criteria: NURS12154 Pharmacology for Nursing Practice: Drug Protocol

Student name: Student Number:

Grade:

Markers Comments:

Marker: