Alfred Health operates one of the largest and most advanced ICUs in the southern hemisphere. Developed by expert ICU clinicians and pharmacist educators, this program is designed to provide learners with fundamental skills and knowledge in core ICU topics.The Alfred Health Fundamentals of Intensive Care Pharmacy course has been purposefully designed to train pharmacists who are new to intensive care, usually with less than 6 months experience, or those in need of a refresher on the foundations of intensive care pharmacy practice.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of the online e-Learning modules, participants should be able to:
- Describe the purpose and indications for admission to intensive care, common ICU equipment and elements of care, and the role and impact of hospital ICU pharmacy services
- Identify some of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) changes that occur in critical illness, and how these may impact medication management
- Discuss common indications, pharmacological management and monitoring of sedation and analgesia in critically ill patients
- Describe the stages, aetiologies, diagnostic methods and complications of AKI, as well as the assessment of renal function and key therapeutic interventions used to manage AKI in the ICU
- Identify the common indications for renal replacement therapy (RRT) and explain the key principles of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT), including factors which influence medication clearance during CRRT and how these may impact medication management
- Describe the types, causes, clinical presentation, evaluation and management of undifferentiated shock and discuss the key therapeutic interventions used in the management of sepsis/septic shock and cardiogenic shock in the ICU.
- Discuss the basics of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), including classification and types of TBI, key therapeutic interventions and monitoring in the critical care context
On completion of the Workshops and Experiential Placement, participants should be able to:
- Systematically review critically ill patients to identify and resolve medicine-related issues using the FASTHUG mnemonic or similar
- In the context of conditions commonly managed in the ICU, develop appropriate treatment and monitoring plans based on contemporary literature, clinical guidelines and patient-specific information
- Modify treatment and monitoring plans in the context of PK/PD alterations in critically ill patients
- Demonstrate the ability to apply clinical reasoning to communicate medication management plans that aim to optimise patient outcomes in a hospital ICU setting
Core Modules
The online component of the course comprises seven core e-Learning modules (approx. 14 hours of learning).
Interactive Workshops (Optional)
- 2x 2-hour interactive face-to-face or virtual case-based workshops which will allow learners to apply the knowledge learnt through the e-Learning modules to ICU patient cases
Experiential Placement (Optional)
- 2x 8-hour experiential placement days in our state-of-the-art ICU where learners will observe and support the practice of an experienced ICU pharmacist, allowing them to apply their new knowledge and skills to clinical practice
- During this placement, learners will have the opportunity to undergo a Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX) and an Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) with an experienced ICU pharmacist
Assessment
- Each online module will be followed by an online multiple-choice question assessment.
- As mentioned above, learners will also undergo a Mini-CEX and an OSCE with an experienced ICU pharmacist if they register for the experiential placement component of this course.
Record of completion
Learners will be awarded a certificate of completion upon satisfactorily completing the required learning and assessments.
Accreditation
The e-Learning component of this course is Australian Pharmacy Council accredited for CPD credits,
as follows:
Registrations now available
All registration options include 12 months of access to the e-Learning modules from the date of registration.
Option 1 -
e-Learning Component
only
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Prices include GST
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Includes 14-hours of self-directed e-Learning modules on core ICU topics
Option 2 -
e-Learning Component & Workshops
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Prices include GST
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Includes 14-hours of self-directed e-Learning modules on core ICU topics AND
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2x 2-hour interactive face-to-face or virtual case-based workshops
Option 3 -
e-Learning Component, Workshops & Placement
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Prices include GST
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Includes 14-hours of self-directed e-Learning modules on core ICU topics AND
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2x 2-hour interactive face-to-face or virtual case-based workshops AND
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2-day experiential placement in the Alfred ICU (includes a Mini-CEX & OSCE with an experienced ICU pharmacist)
Express your interest in this program
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