Critical Care Foundation Course: Pharmacy Technicians

Overview

This course has been designed for pharmacy technicians working in critical care or providing adhoc cover during times of surge, weekend cover or sickness.

The course is fully funded by NHS England.

All applicants will be asked to declare they are eligible to attend via an online form.  Any applicants not submitting their form by the deadline requested will be removed from the course but may be eligible to attend the next course.

Eligibility criteria apply:

• You must be a Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician working in NHS hospitals in England
• You must have the support of your department (e.g. line manager, Education and Training Lead, or Chief Pharmacist)

AND

• You must be deployed to adult critical care areas as a support activity (e.g. weekends / bank holidays / annual leave or sickness / maternity leave cover) OR
• You must be deployed to adult critical care areas as part of short to medium early careers rotations.

You will not be eligible for this course if you:

• Have enrolled on the critical care pharmacist pathway or the pharmacy technician pathway.
• Are employed in a setting not delivering NHS care in England

The course consists of:

• Three modules, all delivered online, with facilitated case-based discussions led by expert tutors.
• Pre-learning content
• Slidesets of each online module
• Online assessment to receive certificate of completion
• A dedicated community with discussion forum.
• Access to a library of pharmacy practice education and discussion forums.

Module 1 takes place on Wednesday 10 April, 4.00pm – 6.00pm.
Module 2 takes place on Wednesday 24 April, 1.30pm – 3.30pm.
Module 3 takes place on Thursday 23 May, 1.30pm – 3.30pm.

Module 1

• Introduction to the role of the pharmacist and pharmacy technician in supporting critical care environments, prioritising patient-care activities and dealing with immediate ethical and legal issues and the safe supply of medicines
• Introduction to the adult critical care environment, including levels of care, monitoring and invasive devices.
• The critically ill adult patient cohort, supporting medicines reconciliation at transitions of care between the ward and ICU and vice versa.  Common medication administration issues, and communication issues in critical illness.
• Systematic body-systems approach to reviewing critically ill patients
• Supportive bundles of care to ensure basic needs are met such as eye care, VAP prevention, bowel management, gastrointestinal protection.

Module 2

• Describe the common medicines used in a critical care setting
• Apply knowledge of the critical care environment to appropriately advise the multi-professional team on the safe and appropriate use of medicines
• Demonstrate leadership for the safe and secure handling and cost-effective use of medicines in a critical care environment.
• Understand CQC - SSHM audits, CD audits, knowledge of DO5/GPICSII, HCDC and BlueTeq
• Understand roles where pharmacy technicians can add value and demonstrate return on investment. 
• Understand the value of learning from colleagues and peer/support networks
• Demonstrate effective communication skills to deliver medicines reconciliation and medicines counselling in a critical care environment.
• Produce appropriate responses to medicines information queries within their own scope of practice (e.g. alternatives to solid dosage forms, interactions), liaising with the critical care pharmacist as required.

Module 3

• Haemodynamics, rational use of IV fluids and managing fluid balance
• Cardiovascular support, including inotropes and vasopressors.
• Infections in critically ill patients, including sepsis, septic shock and hospital-acquired infections
• Critical illness pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic considerations.
• Renal and hepatic impairment, including acute kidney injury and renal replacement therapies.
• Neurological considerations including sedation, muscle relaxants, agitation, delirium, seizures and pain management.
• Respiratory failure and respiratory support

Certificate of completion

Participants will receive a certificate of completion for each module upon achieving a 60% pass mark in the online multiple choice assessment.

Booking information

Reservation will close at midnight on Monday 01 April 2024.

If you are not already a UKCPA member you will need to complete our guest account registration and security check process. Please allow 14 days before the Module 1 date.

Should this course not reach its minimum number, the UKCPA reserves the right to postpone and offer participants a place on an alternative course.

Additional Module 4 (bookable separately) taking place in December 2024

Participants who book this course will also have the opportunity to attend a Skills & Support Day to practice clinical decision-making, receive one-to-one feedback from experts, meet other pharmacy technicians working in critical care, and participate in discussions around their value within the workforce. Places will be booked on a first come first served basis with a maximum capacity of 25 places available.  Date and further information to follow soon.