FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

School of Pharmacy
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Policy

Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)

Pharmacy Practice I
(P3633PP)
Year Module, Year II

Module Guide
March 2024

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1. MODULE INFORMATION

Module title Pharmacy Practice I

Module code P3633PP
NQF: 6
Contact Hours: 3 lecture hours + 2 hours of practice per week
Credits: 16
Assessment: 60% Continuous assessment (Tests, Quizzes, Assignments, OSCE)
40% final examination (1 X 3 hours written paper)
Co-requisite: None
Pre-requisite: None
Lecture Venue C004
Lecture Days and Semester 1: Tuesday (12:30-13:30) Wednesday (08:30-10:30)
class hours Semester 2: Wednesday (08:30-10:30) Friday (10:30-11:30)
Practical days and Friday (14:30-16:30)
hours
Final Examination TBD
dates:

2. MODULE ORGANIZATION AND COORDINATION

Welcome to Pharmacy Practice I. This foundational module aims to develop your skills as a
pharmacist that will allow you to work in different pharmacy settings. The module will
involve hands-on practicals that will follow taught content and will be led by Ms. Brinkmann
and Mrs. Kampanza. Topics taught in this module fit into 8 Themes; 1) Primary Healthcare
& Pharmacy Practice, 2) Medicines Information, 3) Providing Information, 4) Pharmaceutical
Care Planning, 5) Dispensing, 6) Communication, 7) Collecting Information, 8) Responding
to Symptoms. This module will use a combination of lectures and practical experiences to
develop both knowledge and skills.

3. RELATIONSHIP WITH MODULES

This module builds on the foundation pharmacy practice knowledge and experience to equip
students for future pharmacy practice/clinical modules and placements.

4. MODULE FACITATORS

(1) Module Co-Coordinator / Lecturer (2) Module Co-Coordinator / Lecturer

Name: Ms. Irene Brinkmann Name: Mrs. Martha Kampanza
Office: C119A Office: C11
Office Tel: 5192 Office Tel: 5055
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Office hours: As scheduled Office hours: As scheduled

5. MODULE DESCRIPTION
This modules set the foundation of clinical pharmaceutical practice and to introduce students to the
professional and technical skills required to provide various pharmaceutical care services to the public
in different pharmacy settings. In order to do this, students will be equipped to provide pharmacist-
initiated therapy, monitor patients, respond to minor ailments, effectively carry out patient interviews,
counsel patients, and respond to queries whilst upholding professional standards and the law.

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6. LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Demonstrate professionally, ethically and legally acceptable conduct in a pharmacy setting
2. Apply principles of rational use of medicines
3. Make use of reference materials and respond to medicine information queries
4. Demonstrate competency in basic clinical pharmacist skills including conducting patient
interview and completing a medication history
5. Be able to perform pharmaceutical calculations relating to medication administration and doses
and compound basic medicinal products
6. Identifying drug-related problems and documenting patient care interventions using the SOAP
format
7. Illustrate effective communication with the patient and other healthcare providers
8. Provide treatment options including non-drug treatment measures to patients
9. Apply appropriate counselling techniques in educating patients on how to take medicines, use
of various devices and lifestyle changes
10. Provide enhanced pharmacy services to the public such as disease screening, point -of-care
testing and reproductive health services
11. Respond to minor ailments and provide appropriate advice and/or medication

7. METHODS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

This module includes both lecture and practical sessions designed to build knowledge and
skills. Practicals will allow students to practice skills in safe settings. Feedback and self-
reflection are key components of this work. Standardized patients will allow you to practice
key skills and receive feedback on your communication skills. Assessment will come
through a variety of means, including tests, assignments, quizzes, and OSCEs (observed
structured clinical examinations).

8. MODULE POLICIES
Student behaviour expectations:
a. All students are expected to be engaged in class discussions to the greatest extent possible.
b. As per UNAM policy, students must attend 80% of lecture activities and 100% of practicals
in order to be eligible to enter the examination for this module. Attendance will be taken.
c. Please be punctual. Class-time is limited so we will start and end on time.
d. Students shall feel free to respectfully ask questions, as this helps all students to learn.
e. Cell phones should be turned off or put on vibrate/silent mode. If a phone call is essential,
please leave the room to not distract others.
f. Private conversations in class are discouraged – if you have a question, please feel free to ask.
g. If you know you will miss a scheduled assessment (quiz, test, practical), please contact the
coordinators with as much advanced notice as possible to arrange a plan. You may be asked
to provide a formal excuse.
h. All UNAM policies apply to this course.

Academic Honesty
All academic work must meet the standards of the University of Namibia on the “A Culture of
Honesty.” Each student is responsible to inform themselves about those standards before
performing any academic work. Cheating will not be tolerated.

Student's complaints
Any issues related to this module teaching, examinations and grading should be first resolved
with the module lecturer promptly to ensure healthy learning atmosphere. Unresolved issues
should be addressed with the Pharmacotherapy course coordinator. In the unfortunate event
that the issue could not be resolved, parties should consult with the Associate Dean of the
School of Pharmacy (Mr. Boni Singu). Unresolved issues should be directed to the Executive
Dean of Health Sciences (Prof. Judith Hall).

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Communication
Students are encouraged to maintain open communication with their lecturers regarding any
challenges impacting their progress throughout the semester. In the event of a test failure, it's
vital to schedule a meeting with the lecturer to chart a path forward. This may involve
discussing strategies to improve and potentially signing an agreement acknowledging the
meeting and understanding that no makeup tests or assignments will be offered if they fail to
meet the subminimum by the semester's end. Clear communication and proactive engagement
can significantly support students in navigating academic obstacles and finding effective
solutions.

Attendance policy
Please refer to the University of Namibia attendance policy for the class. You must attend 80%
of the classes and all (100%) of the practicals in order to be able to meet the course objectives
and enter into the exam. Arriving late in class or practicals is disruptive to the learning
environment for both students and lecturers.

Inclusivity Statement
To proactively prevent structural discrimination in the classroom, it is the responsibility of
instructors to select and include materials that are inclusive, accessible, equitable, and diverse
along all axes of minoritized experience. This includes using language and examples in our
lectures and case studies that combat and redress stereotypes as well as establishing and
supporting a class climate that fosters belonging for all students. It is the responsibility of all
members of this course to contribute to a respectful, welcoming, and inclusive environment for
every member of the classroom community. Any suggestions about other ways to further
increase inclusion and access in this course are welcome.

Wellness Statement
Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding
drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep, and taking time to relax. Despite what you might hear,
using your time to take care of yourself will actually help you achieve your academic goals
more than spending too much time studying. All of us benefit from support and guidance during
times of struggle. There are many helpful resources available at UNAM. An important part of
the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Take the time to learn about all that’s
available and take advantage of it. Ask for support sooner rather than later – this always helps.
If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or difficult
feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Consider
reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for assistance connecting to the
support that can help.

9. TEXTBOOKS & REFERENCES

It is the expectation of the instructors that students will take full advantage of resources
available at the library to supplement materials provided in class. The instructor will distribute
supplemental readings through Moodle.
Textbooks and references
The main reference text books for pharmacy practice module will be:
1. Community Pharmacy (2nd Ed.). Paul Rutter. 2009
2. Community Pharmacy Handbook. Jon Waterfield. 2008
3. Hospital Pharmacy. Martin Stephens. 2003
4. Communication Skills in Pharmacy Practice (5th Ed.). Robert Beardsley et al. 2007.
5. British National Formulary and South African National Formulary
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Other references (any of these)
1. Namibian Standard Treatment Guidelines
2. Namibia Essential Medicines List
3. Namibia, Medicines Control Act
4. Guide to good prescribing - A practical manual. World Health Organization Action
Programme on essential drugs, Geneva.
5. Good Pharmacy Practice in South Africa. 4th Ed. 2010.
6. Namibia, The Pharmacy Act, 2004.
7. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs
8. Ethical guidelines for health professionals. HPCNA, 2010
9. Heath care jurisprudence and ethics manual. Pharmacy Council of Namibia.
10. South African Medicines Formulary (SAMF)

10. ASSESSMENT / EVALUTION METHODS

Please Note: The Pass Mark in this Module is 50%
In order to qualify for exams, you need to pass the OSCE (obtain 50%) and obtain an
overall 50% for the continuous assessment.

Examinations
Evaluation of the students’ ability to identify and resolve patients’ drug therapy problems will
be based on a combination of written and oral examinations. Written examinations will
include multiple-choice and short-answer questions. Students will be administered one written
examination as part of the final exam. The examinations are based on materials covered during
class discussions, course readings and case study seminars.

Semester’s exams and activities:

Continuous assessment: (60%)
• Test 1 (Themes 1 & 2)
• Test 2 (Theme 3 & 4)
• Test 3 (Theme 5)
• Test 4 (Theme 6 and 7)
• Test 5 ((Eye, Gout, Constipation/Diarrhoea, Pain management and headaches)
• Test 6 (Skin Condition contraceptives, women health conditions, drugs in pregnancy,
musculoskeletal conditions)
• Medicine Information query
• SOAP Note
• Practicals
• OSCE

Final Exam (40%)

• Cumulative exam 100%
Please Observe the University of Namibia (UNAM) FHSVM Exam Schedule for Dates of Final
Exams. Please check lecture/lab outline table for important dates

Continuous Assessment Calculation

Theory (50%)
• Tests 70%
• Assignments 30%
Practical (50%)
• Group Practical 30%
• OSCE 70%

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 Grade Distribution
The final grade for this module is as per the UNAM grading system as below:
Grade Interpretation Mean % Score
A Distinction 80 and above
B Very good 70 – 79
C Good 60 – 69
D Satisfactory 50 – 59
Module Evaluation: Students will be asked to fill an evaluation form at the end of this course.
Students are encouraged to provide constructive and objective comments regarding the
instructor(s) and the course content.

11. PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE

Semester 1
Tuesday Wednesday Wednesday Friday
Week Themes (12:30-13:30) (08:30-09:30) (09:30-10:30) (14:30-16:30)
04-Mar Theme 1 - Introduction Ethics & Intro to PHC None
Primary Health Professionalism
Care &
Pharmacy
Practice
11-Mar COPC Namibian Rational Medicine None
Healthcare systems Use
18-Mar Theme 2 - Patient Care Process Routes of Admin Dosage Forms None
Medicines Info
25-Mar Theme 3 - Medication Storage Reference Reference Materials Good Friday
Providing Materials (IV (SAMF, BNF, STGs)
information compatibility, drug
interactions
01-Apr Break Responding to Complex Medication Reference
Medication information queries Materials
Information
queries
08-Apr Theme 4 - Test 1 (Theme 1 & 2) SOAP Notes Drug Therapy Complex
Pharmaceutical Problems Medication
Care Planning information
queries
15-Apr Test 1 Review Medication Review Medication SOAP NOTE
Reconciliation ASSIGNMENT
22-Apr Theme 5 - Principles of Compounding Pharmaceutical Compounding
Dispensing Dispensing & Calculations
Validating
Prescriptions
29-Apr Open Worker's day None

06-May Test 2 (Them 3 & 4) Patient Counselling - insulin, glucose Standardised

machine, BP monitoring Patient
counselling
13-May Theme 5 - Test 2 Review Patient Counselling - inhalers, nasal sprays, Standardised
Dispensing rapid tests (HIV, Pregnancy) patient
counselling
20-May Open Open Open Open
27-May Test 3 (Theme 5) Open Open Open
03-Jun Test 3 Review Open Open Open
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 Semester 2
Themes Wednesday (08:30- Wednesday Friday (10:30- Friday (14:30-16:30)
Week 09:30) (09:30-10:30) 11:30)
29-Jul Theme - 6 Communicating as a Health Beliefs Cultural My dipense intro
Communication pharmacist Competency
05- Patient Interviewing Patient History HPI & ROS Standardised patient
Aug taking, interview
medication
history &
adherence
12- Theme 7 - Physical Exam: Physical Exam: Pain Management Standardised patient
Aug Patient Care Overview, HEENT. Neurological, interview
Process - Heart, lungs, abdomen - musculoskeletal,
Collecting Prof genital,
Information extremities, skin -
Prof
19- Theme 8 - Headaches Gout Test 4 ( Theme 6 & My dispense
Aug Responding to 7) (headache/gout)
Symptomes

26- Break
Aug
02- Musculoskeletal Eye conditions Review Test 4 Standardised patient
Sep interview (Eye
conditions) -
mydisepense review
09- Diarhoea Constipation Skin conditions My dispense
Sep (Diarhoea/constipation)

16- Women Health Contraceptives Drugs in pregnancy Standardised patient

Sep Conditions (women health) - my
dispense review
23- Test 5 (Eye, Gout, Open Standardised patient
Sep Constipation/Diarrhoea, interview (drugs in
Pain management and pregnancy)
headaches)
30- Open Open Open Open
Sep
07- Test 6 ( Skin Condition Open Open Open
Oct contraceptives, women
health conditions, drugs
in pregnancy,
musculoskeletal
conditions)

14- Review test 6 Revision Revision

Oct

21- Revision Revision Revision Revision

Oct
28- Revision Revision Revision Lectures end
Oct