Curriculum standards

Ready to perform without supervision

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

The trainee will:

• discuss and evaluate the risks, benefits, and rationale of treatment options, making decisions in partnership with patients
• where relevant, discuss the impact of medication on fertility and pregnancy and, where applicable, dosage changes in pregnancy
• write clear and legible prescriptions in plain language, and include specific indications for the anticipated duration of therapy
• educate patients about the intended use, expected outcomes, and potential side effects for each prescribed medication, addressing the common, rare, and serious effects at the time of prescribing to improve patients’ adherence to pharmacotherapy
• describe how the medication should and should not be administered, including any important relationships to food, time of day, and other medicines being taken
• educate patients on correct self-administration of medications when using specialised devices
• ensure patients’ understanding by repeating back pertinent information, such as when to return for monitoring and whether therapy continues after this single prescription
• identify patients’ concerns and expectations, and explain how medicines might affect their everyday lives

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, families or carers
• explain the benefits and burdens of therapies, considering patients’ individual circumstances
• write clearly legible scripts or charts using generic names of the required medication in full, including mg/kg/dose information and all legally required information
• ensure time of medication administration is accurate for all medications, particularly for those that are time sensitive
• seek further advice from experienced clinicians or pharmacists when appropriate

Ready to perform without supervision

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

The trainee will:

• review medicines regularly to reduce non‑adherence, and monitor treatment effectiveness, possible side effects, and drug interactions, ceasing unnecessary medicines
• use electronic prescribing tools where available, and access electronic drug references to prevent errors caused by drug interactions and poor handwriting
• encourage the use of medication aides to facilitate adherence, where applicable
• 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 to improve prescribing behaviour, reduce adverse events and polypharmacy leading to a prescribing cascade
• report suspected adverse events to the Advisory Committee on Medicines (Australia) or Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring (Aotearoa New Zealand), and record it in patients’ medical records
• minimise harmful events associated with variable dose prescribed drugs in hospital

Requires some supervision

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

The trainee may:

• check medication doses before prescribing
• check that the administration timing for prescribed medications is accurately and clearly documented
• monitor side effects of medicines prescribed
• identify medication errors and institute appropriate measures
• use manual and/or 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:

• use continuously updated software for computers and electronic prescribing programs
• use and analyse centralised reporting systems for continuous glucose monitoring to improve patient care outcomes
• interpret and apply the different reporting software for drug delivery devices to patient care
• ensure patients understand management plans, including adherence issues
• use appropriate guidelines and evidence-based medicine resources to maintain a working knowledge of current medicines, keeping up to date on new medicines

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
• undertake continuing professional development to maintain up-to-date understanding of new medications and the evidence for their use
• undertake continuing professional development to maintain up to date understanding of drug delivery devices and their linkage to continuous glucose monitoring, and the evidence for their use
• 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:

• critically appraise research material to ensure any new medicine improves patient-oriented outcomes more than older medicines, and not just more than placebo
• use sources of independent information about medicines that provide accurate summaries of the available evidence on new medicines

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
• explain that routine care will continue if the participant decides not to participate in research

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 at the appropriate level of their health literacy
• anticipate queries to help enhance the likelihood of medicines being taken as advised
• ensure appropriate information is available at all steps of the medicine management pathway
• offer approved patient information resources in languages other than English, where these are available

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:
  • how to take the medicine
  • potential side effects
  • what it does
  • what the medicine is for
  • when it should be stopped
• make prescribing decisions based on good safety data when the benefits outweigh the risks involved
• demonstrate understanding of the ethical implications of pharmaceutical industry-funded research and marketing
• prescribe according to best evidence based practice and in partnership with the patient, and without undue influence from pharmaceutical industry interactions

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 a systematic approach to select treatment options
• use medicines safely and effectively to get the best possible results
• consider fertility and, where applicable, pregnancy in choice of medicines
• choose suitable medicines only if medicines are considered necessary and will benefit patients
• 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
• evaluate new medicines in relation to their possible efficacy and safety profile for individual patients

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 in an appropriate way when required
• consider the following factors for all medicines:
  • cost to patients, families, and the community
  • funding and regulatory considerations
  • generic versus brand medicines
  • interactions
  • precautions and contraindications
  • 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:

• interact with medical, pharmacy, and nursing staff to ensure safe and effective medicine use

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 and morbidity and mortality 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 history, current medicines, allergies, and preferences, ensuring that healthcare resources are used wisely for the benefit of patients
• advocate for patient access to medications that would be of benefit to their condition from evidence-based clinical assessment and judgement when necessary

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
• prescribe in accordance with the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme