Module Title:Pharmacy First Aid and Emergency Medicine
Language of Instruction:English
Credits: 5
NFQ Level:7
Module Delivered In 1 programme(s)
Teaching & Learning Strategies: This module will be taught using a blended learning approach. All students will have the opportunity to use sterile dressings, triangular bandages, roller bandages, splints and to practice mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a resuscitation model. Students will be taught about the use of certain prescription only medicines in emergency situations. Class discussions and case studies will enable the students to become familiar with when referral is appropriate and how to advise patients on use of emergency medicines.
Module Aim: To ensure that the learner has sufficient knowledge in the first aid treatment of accidents, sudden illness or injury in relation to the hospital or community pharmacy until the casualty is placed in the care of a doctor or is removed/leaves the premises. To ensure that the learner is aware of the legislation regarding the administration of emergency medicine by a pharmacist, and understands the role of the pharmacy technician in this situation.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner should be able to:
LO1 Demonstrate accepted principles of treatment of any injuries or sudden illness until the casualty is placed in the care of a doctor or removed from the premises.
LO2 Competent to the level of occupational first aider to carry out injury assessment, take initial action and apply temporary treatment,
LO3 Understanding the supply and use of certain prescription only medicines in an emergency by a trained pharmacist, priority procedures, dangers in life, threatening situations, shock, disposal procedures and written records.
LO4 Understanding the role of pharmacy staff in providing help and assistance to members of the public in an emergency and be aware of the impact certain medicines/conditions may have on the treatment of patients in an emergency
Pre-requisite learning
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is recommended before enrolment in this module.
No recommendations listed
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed.
Level 6 Certificate in Pharmacy Technician Studies
 

Module Content & Assessment

Indicative Content
First Aid
Assessment and Initial Action: Safety, self and others, Orderly methods of getting bystanders to help, Checking airway and breathing, bleeding unconsciousness, shock and other needs, Calling for assistance, exact location, number of casualties, etc. Multiple casualties and injuries, etc., Diagnosis, history, signs and symptoms. Examination: Head, neck, spine, trunk, arms and legs Major First Aid Techniques: Respiration, resuscitation, opening the airway, Mouth-to-mouth and mouth to nose ventilation, External chest compression, Resuscitation for two first-aiders, Resuscitation for children, The recovery position, Manual method of ventilation, Blood and circulation, Controlling blood loss. Asphyxia: Suffocation, hanging, strangling throttling, drowning, smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide poisoning, choking, blast injury, stove-in-chest, electrical injuries, asthma, winding, hiccups How body responds to injury: Major external bleeding, minor external bleeding, infected wounds, internal haemorrhage, and special forms of bleeding, scalp wounds, bleeding from ear, nose, gums. Mouth wounds, eye wounds, wounds to palm of hand, abdominal and penetration wounds, vaginal bleeding, crash injuries, bruises, animal bites, bleeding, varicose veins, snake bite. All the necessary practical work is incorporated in the treatment of all mentioned conditions. Circulatory Disorder- the pulse, shock, fainting, heart-attacks, angina-pectoris, stroke The nervous system The unconscious casualty -The levels of responsiveness Head injury: Epilepsy, Infantile convulsion, Hysteria, Emergencies in diabetics. Burns and Scalds: Clothing on fire, Dry burns and scalds, Burns of the mouth and throat, Chemical burns, Sunburn, Snow blindness and welders flash. Effects of Extremes in Temperature: Hypothermia, Frostbite, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stroke Poisoning: The digestive system, Household poisons, Poisonous plants, Food poisoning, Drug poisoning, Alcohol poisoning, Industrial poisoning, Severe allergic reactions Foreign Bodies: Splinters, foreign bodies in the nose, foreign bodies in the ear, foreign bodies in the eye, stings, fish hooks in the skin and swallowed foreign bodies. Aches: Headaches, migraine, toothache, earache, neck ache, back ache, abdominal pain. Procedures at a Major Incident: Road traffic accident, Fire Dressings & Bandages: Dressings, adhesive dressings, sterile un-medicated dressings, gauze dressings, adhesive strapping, improved dressings, cold compresses bandages. Checking circulation, triangular bandages, slings, hand/foot bandage, scalp bandage, roller bandages, bandaging around a foreign body or open fracture, elbow/neck bandage, hand/foot bandage, tubular gauze bandage, splints, first aid kits. Handling & transport: lifting casualties, carries for one first aider and carries for two first aiders, stretchers. Preparing a stretcher or trolley bed, loading a stretcher, carrying a stretcher, loading an ambulance, unloading an ambulance. Miscarriage, emergency childbirth and sports injuries
Emergency medicine
The Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2015; Epinephrine(adrenaline) injection,presented as a prefilled syringe or ampoule; Glucagon hydrochloride for injection; Glyceryl trinitrate sublingual spray; Naloxone hydrochloride 1mg/ml pre-filled injection; Salbutamol 100mcgmulti-dose inhaler; role of the pharmacist; role of the pharmacy technician; identification of emergency; alerting the pharmacist.
Assessment Breakdown%
Continuous Assessment50.00%
Practical50.00%
Continuous Assessment
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Case Studies On going case studies throughout session and review of sale and supply of emergency medicines to patients. Devolping appropriate first aid kits for different groups of customers such as sports clubs, Scout groups, schools etc 1,3,4 50.00 n/a
No Project
Practical
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Practical/Skills Evaluation Successful completion of a first aid course and evaluation of skills by a recognised examiner 1,2 50.00 End-of-Semester
No End of Module Formal Examination
Continuous Assessment
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Case Studies On going case studies throughout session and review of sale and supply of emergency medicines to patients. Developing appropriate first aid kits for different groups of customers such as sports clubs, Scout groups, schools etc 1,3,4 50.00 n/a
No Project
Practical
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Practical/Skills Evaluation Successful completion of a first aid course and evaluation of skills by a recognised examiner 1,2 50.00 End-of-Semester
No End of Module Formal Examination

SETU Carlow Campus reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Workload: Full Time
Workload Type Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload
Lecture 12 Weeks per Stage 2.00
Practicals 12 Weeks per Stage 2.00
Independent Learning 15 Weeks per Stage 5.00
Total Hours 123.00
Workload: Part Time
Workload Type Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload
Lecture 15 Weeks per Stage 2.00
Practicals 15 Weeks per Stage 1.00
Independent Learning 15 Weeks per Stage 3.00
Total Hours 90.00
 

Module Delivered In

Programme Code Programme Semester Delivery
CW_SAPHF_D Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Technician Studies 2 Mandatory
Discussion Note: New legislation recently introduced in relation to Emergency Medicines, it may be worth looking at this module and expanding it to relate to the sale, supply and use of emergency medicines such as Anapens, Inhalers etc. This will increase the cohort interested. Need to contact PHECC www.pheict.ie and/or PSI for more details.