Unit Outline

This fully online unit provides students with the knowledge and skills to improve medication safety. The unit introduces students to medication-related problems, along with current practices to reduce these problems in Australian health care. It is contextualised to align with the Australian response to the global challenge of reducing medication-related harm. This unit equips students to play an important role within a model of collaborative interprofessional teamwork.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Identify principles of the quality use of medicines and medicines safety
2.	Explain the extent and types of medication-related problems in the Australian healthcare system
3.	Differentiate between individual, technical and systemic causes of medication-related problems
4.	Apply knowledge of the principles of quality use of medicines and medicines safety to create practical solutions for reducing medication-related harms in vulnerable populations in diverse settings.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

No alterations have been made as a result of student feedback.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Online Quiz	Week 2	10 %	LO1
Assessment Task 2:	Case scenario assignment	Week 3	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Review documentation and processes for partnering with consumers	Week 8	35 %	LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 4:	QUM audit	Week 12	25 %	LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Online Quiz

Task Description:

2 x 15 multiple choice question quizzes, 5% each, total weight 10% focusing on the Principles of QUMs and Medicines Safety, and their application across hospital, community and aged care settings.

Due dates:
Quiz 1 - week 2
Quiz 2 - week 9

Task Length:

2 x 15 multiple choice question quizzes

Due Date:

Week 2

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Identify principal concepts of the quality use of medicines and medicines safety across various healthcare settings	LO1

Assessment Task 2: Case scenario assignment

Task Description:

Review medication errors from case reports that lead to patient death in the Australian health care system. A guideline will be provided to enable you to complete this assignment. For each error, describe:
• The type of medication error and where it occurred (hospital, community, aged care)
• How this error occurred, and at what stage of the medication use pathway it occurred
• How this error could have been prevented at different stages of the medication use pathways
• What measures were taken after the incident and what can we learn from this error

Task Length:

1,500 words

Due Date:

Week 3

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Identify the relevant principal quality use of medicines and medicines safety concept	LO1
2	Explain the scope and type of medication problems	LO2
3	Describe the relevant medication pathways, the common problems presented and preventative measures	LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 3: Review documentation and processes for partnering with consumers

Task Description:

This task involves evaluating consumer partnerships with the NSQHS Standards. You are required to review ONE of the existing processes with consideration of vulnerable populations, and design potential solutions (or clarify why solutions are not required) to reduce harm in the workplace setting. Discuss which allied health professionals, health care organisations and/or other supporting organisations may assist in the potential solution.

Write a plan to address the potential problems, include:
. Explanation of the type of medication-related problems that may occur if the selected process is absent or not fully implemented in the workplace
. Apply QUM principles and medicines safety knowledge to design a solution
. Describe and discuss the potential impact of the review in practice.

Task Length:

2,000 words

Due Date:

Week 8

Weight:

35 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Describe the type of potential medication problems that may occur if the example processes is absent or not fully implemented.	LO2
2	Describe and discuss the potential impact of the audit in practice.	LO3
3	Apply QUM principles and medication safety knowledge to design a solution to address the identified medication safety or QUM problems.	LO4

Assessment Task 4: QUM audit

Task Description:

This assignment requires you to identify QUM problems or review existing reported problems and develop QUM indicators to measure QUM in a workplace setting. Alternatively, you can use already developed QUM indicators from the literature if appropriate.
• You must identify QUM problems and/or review existing reported QUM problems.
• Select the stage of a medication use pathways to investigate
• Define the denominator and numerator for the indicator
• Determine the QUM domain (based on the Australian National Medicine Policy document) indicator address.
• Measure and analyse the identified QUM problems.
• Propose potential solutions and describe their impact in practice

Task Length:

1,200 words

Due Date:

Week 12

Weight:

25 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Explain the scope and type of QUM problems and practices	LO2
2	Describe the stages in the medication use pathways intended to be measured and apply QUM knowledge to design indicators	LO3
3	Measure and analyse QUM problems and propose potential solutions and discuss their impact in practice.	LO4

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.