Medication Management in Mental Health Practice

To apply for this course you must already have passed 60 credits at level 2 study or equivalent.

The course is offered at Level 3 (Degree) and is delivered at our Glenside Campus.

Course content includes:

• Psychopharmacology:
  • Pharmacology including pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics; Anatomy and physiology as applied to prescribing practice; Basic principles of drugs to be prescribed absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion including adverse drug reactions (ADR), interactions and reactions, including illicit medication.
• Legal and Ethical Issues:
  • Mental Health Act (1983); Legal basis, liability and indemnity; Legal implications of advice to self-medicate including the use of complementary therapy and over the counter (OTC) medicines; Safe keeping of prescription pads, action if lost, writing prescriptions and record keeping.
• Users, carers, concordance, education and information:
  • Working with users and carers; attitudes towards medication; interaction with other treatments, e.g. psychotherapy educational approaches, media and information; factors affecting concordance, including cognitive understanding, memory, attention and motivation; access to support; involvement of and with carers.
• Assessment and Risk Management:
  • Use of assessment scales in serious mental illness; symptomology; use of medication in crises; side effects; self-monitoring; use of side effects assessment scales; relapse prevention and management.
• Self-Awareness:
  • The concept of the self: thoughts, feelings and behaviour; the social self; use of supervision and reflection as a process of development of self-awareness.

Delivery:

The course is taught using a mixture of approaches including problem-centred learning, seminars, lectures, discussions and case analysis, self directed learning, learning in practice.

Please note: Priority will be given to applications received through our funded educational contracts. Places on this module will be limited for applications received outside of this funding. Please check with your employer as a funded contract place may still be available to support your learning.