Curriculum standards

Ready to perform without supervision

Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision

The trainee will:

• counsel regarding efficacy, potential adverse events, and management for medications, including immunisations
• discuss and evaluate the benefits, rationale, and risks of treatment options, including immunisations, making decisions in partnership with patients
• write clear and legible prescriptions in plain language, including specific indications for the anticipated duration of therapy
• educate patients about the intended use, expected outcomes, and potential side effects for each prescribed medication
• describe optimal medication administration, including timing in relation to food, and concomitant medications

Requires some supervision

Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity

The trainee may:

• discuss and explain the rationale for treatment options with patients
• explain the benefits and burdens of therapies, considering patients’ individual circumstances
• write clearly legible scripts or charts using generic names of the required medications in full, including mg / kg / dose information and all legally required information
• seek further advice from experienced clinicians or pharmacists when appropriate
• address patients’ concerns and expectations

Ready to perform without supervision

Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision

The trainee will:

• undertake regular medication reviews to optimise adherence and efficacy, and identify adverse effects and drug interactions, de-prescribing when possible
• use electronic prescribing tools, where available, and access electronic drug references to check for drug-drug interactions
• prescribe new medicines only when they have been demonstrated to be safer or more effective at improving patient-oriented outcomes than existing medicines
• participate in clinical audits
• report suspected adverse events to the relevant pharmacovigilance authority, and document in patients’ medical records
• consider local resistance patterns when prescribing antimicrobial therapy empirically

Requires some supervision

Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity

The trainee may:

• check the dose before prescribing
• monitor side effects of medicines prescribed
• identify medication errors and institute appropriate measures
• use electronic prescribing systems safely
• rationalise medicines to avoid polypharmacy

Ready to perform without supervision

Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision

The trainee will:

• ensure patients understand management plans, including adherence optimisation
• use appropriate guidelines and evidence-based medicine resources

Requires some supervision

Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity

The trainee may:

• undertake continuing professional development to maintain currency with prescribing guidelines
• reflect on prescribing, and seek feedback from a supervisor

Ready to perform without supervision

Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision

The trainee will:

• use the available resources to ensure medicines prescribed are up to date
• use sources of independent information about medicines that provide accurate summaries of the available evidence on new medicines
• access information resources on the use and safety of antimicrobial agents during pregnancy and breastfeeding, particularly high-risk patients
• consult pharmacists, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand antibiotic guidelines, and other databases to obtain prescribing information
• review evidence for antimicrobial drug resistance, cross-resistance, and, in the setting of antibiotic misuse, its consequences locally and globally

Requires some supervision

Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity

The trainee may:

• make therapeutic decisions according to the best evidence
• recognise where evidence is limited, compromised, or subject to bias or conflict of interest

Ready to perform without supervision

Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision

The trainee will:

• explore patients’ understanding of, and preferences for, non-pharmacological and pharmacological management
• offer patients effective choices based on their expectations of treatment, health beliefs, and cost
• interpret and explain information to patients appropriate for their level of health literacy
• ensure appropriate information is available at all steps of the medicine management pathway

Requires some supervision

Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity

The trainee may:

• appreciate patients’ cultural and religious backgrounds, attitudes, and beliefs, and how these might influence the acceptability of pharmacological and non-pharmacological management approaches

Ready to perform without supervision

Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision

The trainee will:

• provide information to patients about prescribed medicines and:
  • how to take the medicine
  • potential side effects
  • what the medicine does
  • what the medicine is for
  • when the medicine should be stopped
• provide written consumer information sheets when available
• make prescribing decisions based on good safety data when the benefits outweigh the risks involved
• recognise the ethical implications of pharmaceutical industry-funded research and marketing

Requires some supervision

Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity

The trainee may:

• consider the efficacy of medicines in treating illnesses, including the relative merits of different non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches
• follow regulatory and legal requirements and limitations regarding prescribing
• follow organisational policies regarding pharmaceutical representative visits and drug marketing

Ready to perform without supervision

Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision

The trainee will:

• use medicines safely and effectively to optimise patient outcomes
• use a systematic approach to select treatment options
• use medicines safely and effectively to optimise patient outcomes
• prescribe medicines appropriately to patients’ clinical needs, in doses that meet their individual requirements, for a sufficient length of time, with the lowest cost to them
• access decision support tools and guidelines to assist with antimicrobial prescribing

Requires some supervision

Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity

The trainee may:

• recognise personal limitations and seek help when required
• consider the following factors for all medicines:
  • contraindications
  • funding (individual and community) and regulatory considerations
  • generic versus brand medicines
  • interactions
  • risk-benefit analysis

Ready to perform without supervision

Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision

The trainee will:

• collaborate with medical, pharmacy, and nursing staff to ensure safe and effective use of medicines

Requires some supervision

Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity

The trainee may:

• work collaboratively with pharmacists
• participate in medication safety meetings

Ready to perform without supervision

Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision

The trainee will:

• choose medicines in relation to comparative efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness against medicines already on the market
• prescribe for individual patients, considering allergies, current medicines, history, and preferences, ensuring that resources are used wisely for the benefit of patients
• advocate in favour of immunisation as a public health strategy, where appropriate

Requires some supervision

Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity

The trainee may:

• prescribe in accordance with the organisational policy