CODE | MDS4034 |
TITLE | Anaesthesia and Clinical Pharmacology |
UM LEVEL | 04 - Years 4, 5 in Modular UG or PG Cert Course |
MQF LEVEL | 6 |
ECTS CREDITS | 5 |
DEPARTMENT | Faculty of Medicine and Surgery |
DESCRIPTION | Re: Anaesthesia During the fourth-year medical students will continue to have a one week clinical placement one-to-one in different hospital settings, particularly in the Operating Theatres to develop the necessary skills in anaesthesia including airway, resuscitation, pain management and preoperative assessment skills. Re: Clinical Pharmacology In the fourth-year medical students will be provided with a comprehensive basis of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics in specific classes of drugs in order to give them a sound understanding of the principles underlying the actions and uses of these various classes of drugs in the clinical setting. It will specifically cover the pharmacology and therapeutics in various disease areas including neurology and ophthalmology, anaesthesia, dermatology, venereology and infectious diseases, geriatric medicine, oncology and palliative care, psychiatry, family medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics. A strong emphasis will be placed on optimizing the understanding of drug safety. The unit will use formal lectures and tutorials to compliment and enhance case- based learning. Study-unit Aims: Re: Anaesthesia This study-unit aims to expose students to a variety of different anaesthetic approaches with a special focus on the implications of pre-existing disease for patients undergoing anaesthesia. This study-unit aims also to introduce students to: - The basics of anaesthesia i.e., painless surgery; - The identification of critically ill patients and treatment of reversible failure of essential body functions; - The relief of pain during labour and after major surgery. Re: Clinical Pharmacology This study-unit aims to: - Provide a sound foundation of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics to medical students in the classes of drugs used in neurology and ophthalmology, anaesthesia, dermatology, venereology and infectious diseases, geriatric medicine, oncology and palliative care, psychiatry, family medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics; - Provide a sound understanding of the principles underlying the actions and applications of these classes of drugs in the clinical setting; - Provide prescribing rationales and management protocols within the framework of conditions managed by the drug classes included in this study unit; - Emphasize the safe and effective use of drugs, while minimizing their potential adverse effects and avoiding potential interactions. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding Re: Anaesthesia By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Apply the knowledge gained through the study of histology, microbiology and describe the risks and benefits associated with regional versus general anaesthesia; - Analyse the risk factors that lead to increased peri-operative risk; - Identify various approaches to peri-operative pain management; - Describe the high level of collaboration (anaesthesia, surgery, nursing, pharmacy) required for the effective management of the patient in the peri-operative period. Re. Clinical Pharmacology By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Apply basic principles in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics specific classes of drugs specifically neurology and ophthalmology, anaesthesia, dermatology, venereology and infectious diseases, geriatric medicine, oncology and palliative care, psychiatry, family medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics; - Describe the various scientific principles underlying the actions and uses of the above specific classes of drugs in the clinical setting; - Recognize the importance of understanding the mode of action and clinical use of these classes of drugs; - List the clinical principles involved in the selection of these classes of drugs to the individual patient; - Predict the effects of these classes of drugs in specific patients; - Outline the concept of individualised drug therapy in use of these classes of drugs; - Appreciate issues related to the safe and effective use of drugs. 2. Skills Re:Anaesthesia By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Demonstrate the ability to take a focused pre-operative history and physical examination; - Present the pre-operative assessment in a clear, concise, and complete format; - Explain the current legal and ethical aspects of consent for surgery, anaesthesia, and blood transfusion; - Identify the disease which might offset outcome of surgery and anaesthesia; - Make an early identification of deteriorating patients; - Identify and refer patients who would benefit from pain relief. Re. Clinical Pharmacology By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Apply knowledge of the mode of drug action to specific clinical scenarios in the use of specific classes of drugs mainly those used in neurology and ophthalmology, anaesthesia, dermatology, venereology and infectious diseases, geriatric medicine, oncology and palliative care, psychiatry, family medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics; - Apply basic pharmacological principles in prescribing decisions for these classes of drugs; - Be aware of interpatient variability with respect to drug response in these classes of drugs; - Explain the selection of differing drug therapies in these drug classes for the individual patient; - Apply basic safety principles when selecting and monitoring drug therapy. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Re: Anaesthesia Main Texts - Lecture Notes on Clinical Anaesthesia Gwinnutt, Blackwell Science Ltd ISBN 1405115521. - ERC: Resuscitation Guidelines - https://cprguidelines.eu - http://www.openanesthesia.org Re: Clinical Pharmacology Main Texts - Ritter JM, Flower RJ, Henderson G, Loke YK, MacEwan D, Rang HP. Rang & Dale's Pharmacology. 9th Ed. 2019. Elsevier. - British National Formulary. Pharmaceutical Press. (issued bi-annually). Supplementary Readings - Trevor AJ, Katzung BG. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 15th Ed. 2021. Mcgraw Hill Medical. - Brunton L, Knollmann B, Hilal-Dandan R.Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 13th Ed. 2017. McGraw-Hill Education. Revision aids: - Karen Whalen. Lippincott Illustrated Reviews: Pharmacology. 2018. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Journals: - Molecular pharmacology. Published by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. - British Journal of Pharmacology. Published by the British Pharmacological Society. - British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Published by the British Pharmacological Society. |
STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Independent Study, Placement & Tutorial |
LECTURER/S | |
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |