Improving Your Knowledge of Medicines
11.00
CPD
Hours
11.00
RCNA
Points
Event Type:
Duration:
Relevant To:
Seminar
Two Days
RNs, ENs and all Other Health Professional
General Description
As medicines are one of the highest areas of risk for ALL nurses, it is essential that YOU regularly update your knowledge on this key professional area.
This is a vital refresher course that reviews how modern drugs work in the body, dosage considerations and best-practice for the safe and accurate administration of medicines. Initially, there will be a revision of key concepts such as they way in which drugs are metabolised. Other topics focus on the safe administration and storage of drugs. Specific groups of drugs to be examined are analgesics, antibiotics and sedatives. This program aims to give you a good general 'top-up' of information.
Don't miss this invaluable opportunity to improve your knowledge about medications and remain safe in your professional area of care.
If you have identified a professional need to improve your understanding of medications as part of your planned learning activities, then this program will offer you an opportunity to gain continuing professional development (CPD) hours related to this topic.
Need for Program
The administration of medicines is one of the most risky areas of nursing practice. As more is known about current medicines, and new medicines enter the health care system, nurses need access to evidence-based education about their appropriate use.
Aims and Objectives
The aim of this program is to offer registered nurses an opportunity to refresh their knowledge about medicines used in Australia. It will offer a forum to discuss best-practice issues in regard to the use of medications. This seminar is for all nurses who have not had a formal update in medicines education in the past 18 months.
At the conclusion of this program it is expected that participants will be able to:
- Explain to a student nurse why it is essential to use the latest edition of a text/reference about medicines.
- Describe why the metabolism of a drug differs between individuals and how this relates to the ‘half life’ of a drug.
- Clarify the difference between an adverse drug reaction and a common side effect.
- Describe three side effects for each of the following: NSAIDs, antibiotics, and complementary medicines.
8:30am - Registration and Refreshment
9:00am - Medicines Refresher
This session will look at the principles of prescribing, how the quality supply of medicines is maintained and the appropriate administration of medicines. In particular, it will define what is and what is not considered a 'drug'.
A look at the role of the:
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Prescriber
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Dispenser
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Nurse
Introducing the National Treatment Guidelines.
10:00am - Routes of Administration and Delivery Forms
This session will review the different routes of administration and delivery systems including:
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Intravenous, intramuscular and subcutanous injections
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Tablets and capsules e.g. oral
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Topical applications eg.g. skin surfaces
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Ointments, creams, gels e.g. ear, eye, nose and throat
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Suppositories and pessaries e.g. vaginal and rectial
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Skin patches, implants
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Inhalations
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Powders
10:30am - Morning Tea & Coffee
11:00am - How Drugs Are Absorbed And Distributed
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Getting a drug into the body and to the various organs
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Why does drug absorption matter?
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What is the concentration gradient?
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How does a drug get to its intended site of action?
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Which tissues receive higher drug concentrations and why?
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What is meant by 'steady state' and why is it important?
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Is protein binding important and if so, why?
An update on how drugs are metabolised.
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Where does drug metabolism usually occur?
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Why is it important to understand drug metabolism?
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What are causes of some of the most serious drug to drug interactions?
Drug Excretion - Implications for Care
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Which organ is the most important route of drug excretion?
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Which drugs are activated after further metabolism?
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'Half life' - what does it mean?
12:00pm - Drug Dosing - Important Considerations
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What are the issues to consider in drug dose decisions?
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A special look at Paediatric and Geriatric dosing
12:30pm - Lunch Break
1:15pm - Maintaining Safe Practice Drug Problems - Common Concerns
Defining drug therapy. What is the difference between:
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Common side effects
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Adverse drug reactions
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Overdoses
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Drug interactions
Poly-Pharmacy and Appropriate Use of Medicines. A look at the problems connected with multi drug prescribing.
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What is the role of outside pharmacy consultations in residential aged care facilities?
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What about home medicaiton reviews (HMRs)?
3:00pm - Afternoon Tea & Coffee
3:30pm - Analgesics
This final session of the day will look at the different types of commonly prescribed anaglesias.
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How is an analgesia selected?
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What are the pharmaceutical groups of analgesias?
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When are NSAIDs indicated?
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Comments on the use of opiates
4:15pm - Close of Day One of Seminar
9:00am - Start of Day Two
9:00am - Finding Credible Informaiton About Drugs
An evidence-based approach to medicines selection and use. • National treatment guidelines.
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National formulary.
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Other resources.
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Engaging with evidence.
10:30am - Morning Tea & Coffee
11:00am - Other Important Drug Groups - Session One
There will be two sessions today that will briefly look at a range of drug groups and quickly point out essential considerations for nurses. It will give you an opportunity to question the presenter to ensure you fully understand issues relating to these medicines.
The drug groups that will be in these sessions include:
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Sedatives / Antihistamines
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Drugs used in gastrology
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Genitourinary medicines
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Drugs used in respiratory medicine
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Cardiovascular medicines
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Drugs used in haematology
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Hormones which are used therapeutically
12:30pm - Lunch Break
1:15pm - Antibiotics - Use and Abuse
This session will focus on one common drug group that you are likely to encounter in your nursing practice. A special focus has been made on antibiotics as they are widely used in all aspects of health care.
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How are antibiotics selected and administered?
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The imperical use of antibiotics
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How is antibiotic use best monitored?
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Issues relating to dose forms and antibiotic regimens
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Concerns and cautions
2:15pm - Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAMs)
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What are the issues and risks of CAMs
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Where to find information and evidence for effective use and risk
3:00pm - Afternoon Tea & Coffee
3:15pm - Other Important Drug Groups - Session Two
There will be two session today that will briefly look at a range of drug groups and quickly point out essential considerations for nurses. It will give you an opportunity to question the presenter to ensure you fully understand issues relating to these medicines.
The drug groups that will be in these sessions include:
-
Sedatives / Antihistamines
-
Drugs used in gastrology
-
Genitourinary medicines
-
Drugs used in respiratory medicine
-
Cardiovascular medicines
-
Drugs used in haematology
4:15pm - Close of Seminar and Evaluations
Geoff Sussman OAM JP FPS FACP FAIPM FAWMAAssociate Professor Geoff Sussman holds a positions in the Faculty of Medical and Health Science University of Auckland and the Faculty of Medicine, Monash University. Geoff is a pharmacist with many years experience as a senior director of pharmacy services in a major metropolitan teaching hospital. He is a fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, The Australian Institute of Pharmacy Management, The Australian College of Pharmacy Practice and is one of the inaugural fellows of the Australian Wound Management Association. As well, Geoff lectures on wound management to professionals involved in pharmacy, medicine, physiotherapy and nursing. He has over 100 publications including book chapters and articles on many topics and is an advisor to the Commonwealth Government. He was awarded an OAM in the Queens birthday Honours in 2006 for his work in wound care as a researcher, educator and clinician and in the sports of gymnastics and diving.
Presenting in: WA, QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, SA,
Greg DuncanGreg is a pharmacist with an academic and practice background. He is currently completing his Doctorate of Public Health focussed on generating and using evidence. He teaches and practices in a multi-disciplinary context and is involved with pharmacy, medical and nursing education at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Greg has a special interest and expertise in evidence-based decision making in clinical settings. He developed and led programs improving the ways people use medicines both in Australia and also internationally where he has worked on WHO projects for implementation of new global strategies for medicines supply and use.
Presenting in: WA, QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, SA,
Jean SpinksJean is a Research Fellow and PhD candidate at the Centre for Health Economics, Monash University. Her PhD thesis focuses on the economic implications of complementary and alternative medicine use in people with type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Prior to beginning her PhD, Jean evaluated submissions from pharmaceutical companies seeking PBS listing of their medicines, under a research contract between Monash University and the Australian Department of Health and Ageing.
Jean's background is as pharmacist who has worked in both community pharmacy and hospitals. She has post-graduate qualifications in public health, and has undertaken the two-year Victorian Public Health Training Scheme, run by the Victorian Department of Human Services. Jean has also worked internationally in the Asia-Pacific region, including in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Tonga.
Presenting in: WA, QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, SA,
