Non-Medical Prescribing

You will study four modules to achieve a total of 60 postgraduate academic credits and professional recordable prescribing award:

• Pharmacology and Therapeutics for Prescribers (30 credits) - will prepare you to understand and apply the principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics directly related to prescribing practice. Practitioners will have the opportunity to critically analyse evidence-based practice, including risk assessment and management and to synthesise information relating to their own area of practice. Outline content includes pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, adverse drug reactions, numeracy, safe principles of prescribing, anatomy and physiology across the life span. Assessment comprises a three-hour pharmacology exam, a one-hour numeracy exam and a poster algorithm with critical supporting document (2,000 words).
  This runs over two semesters for 30 credits and will run in semesters one and two for the autumn cohort and two and X for the spring cohort

• Professional, Legal and Ethical Issues for Prescribers (15 credits) - focuses on critically evaluating and synthesising ideas from the evidence in relation to the legal, ethical and professional issues implicit in non-medical prescribing decision making and consultations. Outline content includes legislation and policies related to prescribing, accountability and responsibility for assessment, diagnosis and prescribing independently and within the multi-disciplinary team, patient safety in supervising, managing and evaluating prescribing decisions and prescribing effectively within a finite prescribing budget. Assessment comprises a 3,000-word essay.
  This runs over one semester for 15 credits and will run in semester one for the autumn cohort and semester two for the spring cohort

• Applied Prescribing in the Clinical Context (15 credits) – aims to critically evaluate the skills required for a comprehensive consultation for safe effective prescribing. In addition, it is designed to promote synthesis of ideas influential in prescribing decision-making. Outline content includes appraisal of self and others regarding consultation skills in achieving medicines adherence, external pressures impacting on prescribing and different management options used to treat patients. Assessment comprises a 3,000-word case study.
  This runs over one semester for 15 credits and will run in semester two for the autumn cohort and semester X for the spring cohort.

• Prescribing in Practice for Nurses and Midwives/Allied Health Professionals
  (0 credits) – prepares students to prescribe from the British National Formulary (BNF) as both independent and supplementary prescribers for nurses and midwives or as a supplementary prescriber for allied health professionals. Outline content includes application of theory to practice, rationale for prescribing decisions, numeracy skills, writing prescriptions and prescribing in a range of scenarios. All practice experiences and practice outcomes for the whole course are based within this module and are submitted within the practice portfolio.
  This runs over two semesters for zero credits and will run in semesters one and two for autumn cohort and two and X for the spring cohort.

If you are studying the Non-medical Prescribing PG Cert, you will automatically be enrolled on these four modules. It is possible to undertake the first three modules as stand-alone continuing professional development (CPD) modules; ideally suiting those who are already non-medical prescribers. The programme induction days do not apply to those applicants and interviews will not be required. You will not need a medical mentor in this case.