Neonatal Clinical Pharmacology (Online)

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Evaluate critically the effectiveness of drug actions and demonstrate expertise in applying this knowledge to prescribing practice and/or medicines management in neonatal clinical practice.
• Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of pharmacology and related clinical sciences which can be applied to your assessment and management of neonates.
• Critically explore evidence based practice, clinical governance and safe clinical practice and regulation with regard to neonatal prescribing.
• Consider strategies that build, develop and maintain concordant partnerships that enhance adherence, safe, ethical and effective medicines management and show originality in identifying how these factors can be used to inform prescribing practice in the neonatal context.

This module will focus on the principles of clinical pharmacology. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic relationships and will learn how to apply these principles in clinical practice.

The following topics will be covered:

Clinical pharmacology including the effects of co-morbidity

• Pharmacology, including pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapeutics
• Anatomy and physiology as applied to neonatal prescribing practice
• Basic principles of drugs to be prescribed, and drug handling e.g. absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, including but not limited to adverse drug reactions (ADR) and interactions with other diseases. Interactions, reactions and drug response specifically related to the neonatal patient.
• Impact of physiological state on drug responses and safe prescribing practice, for example, in neonates
• Ordering, interpreting and responding to laboratory investigations
• Selection of drug regimen in well neonates and vulnerable sick neonates
• Pharmaco-therapeutics related to controlled drugs

Evidence-based practice, clinical governance and ethics in relation to prescribing

• Knowledge of sources of evidence based prescribing including international, European, national and local guidelines, protocols, policies, decision support systems and formularies – including rationale for, adherence to and deviation from such guidance.
• Critical analytical skills
• Identify and report unexpected and adverse drug reactions and near misses
• Clinical Trials of Drugs Used Off-label in Neonates: Ethical Issues

The module will take a broad-based learner centred approach to teaching and learning methods, intending to promote deeper learning whilst meeting a range of learning styles. The core theoretical material will be delivered as online text “lectures” within a “Virtual Learning Environment” (VLE) and you will be allocated to discussion groups (“Discussion Forums”) which will be tasked with reflecting on, and discussing within the VLE clinical scenarios which relate to the theoretical material.

The groups will each include approximately 15 participants and discussions will be directed and modulated by experienced tutors – two per group. While most of the discussions will be asynchronous – by leaving comments within the Discussion Forums - each group will also hold synchronous discussions, possibly once every two or three weeks, when they will “meet” together either online or using media such as Webex or Zoom. Where appropriate, “Plenary Sessions” and Guest Lectures will be included, which will allow you to share in discussions on current research and best available evidence.

A range of resource material, including links to relevant online sites, will be made available on the VLE. These methods will facilitate learning from text-based material, from participation in discussion and reflection with peers working in a range of different cultural environments. Specially developed case based studies will be explored to focus on the application of the lecture materials. Topics including the use of specific medications will be debated and evaluated.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.