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Medicines Optimisation - HEA00156I

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  • Department: Health Sciences
  • Credit value: 10 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
B Autumn Term 2023-24

Module aims

This module explores legal and professional standards, and national and local guidance associated with optimising medicines use for patients and clients. The principles of safe medicines use are applied across the lifespan and in a range of healthcare settings.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students will be able to:

  1. Identify legal mechanisms to supply and administer medicines, in a range of settings. Identify resources which support the safe administration of medicines across the lifespan.

  2. Outline the principles of Medicines Optimisation and how these are used to improve adherence.

  3. Examine the stages involved in the safe administration of medicines, including the ‘10 rights’ and effective utilisation of the British National Formulary.

  4. Achieve 100% in medicines calculation test.

  5. Discuss the causes of common medication errors, how to report them and learn from them to inform strategies to prevent error.

  6. Reflect upon appropriate ethical and evidence-based medicines use incorporating pharmacological principles.

  7. Demonstrate an awareness of pharmacology and how this links this to common issues such as Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) and problems caused by inappropriate polypharmacy.

Module content

safe administration, valid prescriptions, positive patient identification, adverse drug reactions, medicine errors, adherence, communication, medicine optimisation, pharmacology, drug calculations

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100
Open Examination 0

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Additional assessment information

In line with NMC (2018) requirement 4.6 students are required to demonstrate 100% accuracy during calculation of medicines when undertaking the health numeracy assessment element. Students must therefore score 100% in the numeracay exam to successfully complete the module.

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100
Open Examination 0

Module feedback

Written feedback for the summative assessment is provided on the standard proforma, within the timescale specified in the programme handbook.

Indicative reading

Edwards, S. and Axe, S., 2015. The 10 ‘R's of safe multidisciplinary drug administration. Nurse Prescribing, 13(8), pp.398-406.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society (2013) Medicines Optimisation: Helping Patients Make the Most of Their Medicines

Deslandes, P., Pitcher, B. and Young, S., 2019. Medicines Management. Learning to Care E-Book: The Nurse Associate, p.179.

Callachand, N., 2018. How to get the most out of your BNF. Practice Nursing, 29(3), pp.131-134.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.