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Overview

Course Prescription

Explores multimorbidity and complexity of medicines use in older people including guidance for safe medicines use, common medications for multiple conditions balancing the risks and benefits of medicines use for robust and frail older people.

Course Overview

The course objectives are to improve overall knowledge and skills about multimorbidity, complexity and polypharmacy to optimise medication use and improve outcomes for older people.


There is a focus on balancing benefits and harms and the potential for appropriate prescribing or treatment modification as the benefit to harm ratio changes with ageing. Selection of the most appropriate drug (including from within a class such as antidepressants) for older people by considering the drug’s characteristics and profile is covered. Selection of the most appropriate drug from within a class (e.g. ACE inhibitor, calcium channel blocker) is discussed in the context of the drugs properties and individual patient characteristics, including comorbidities. The main areas covered in this module are psychotropic medications and pain medications, medicines used for cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment, medicines for Type2 diabetes, osteoporosis and musculoskeletal conditions particularly osteoarthritis and associated pain. These are common chronic conditions in older people and frequently co-exist with other chronic diseases. Again, there is a focus on the benefit to harm balance of treatments and how this can change with ageing and complexity. appropriate medicines use is addressed, for example, in the context of relaxing glycaemic targets in diabetes and the use of bisphosphonates in osteoporosis. NSAIDs and other medicines for pain provide good models where significant risk of harm needs to be considered before and during use. Finally the course gives practical examples of complex cases in robust and frail older people to apply knowledge and consider ethical and logistic issues in the real world. 

Key Topics

Pharmacokinetics

Polypharmacy and multimorbidity

Psychoactive medications

Cardiovascular medications

Medications for diabetes

Course Contacts

Professor Ngaire Kerse
General Practice and Primary Healthcare
Email: n.kerse@auckland.ac.nz


Workload Expectations

This course is designed to be flexible learning with completely online exposure. Course Director contact is offered twice monthly during term time to discuss issues.

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
Auckland Online
Auckland Online

Teaching and Learning

Online

This course is completely online via the University of Auckland Online

Teaching and Learning Methods

Online interactive, reflective methods,

Audio and video content,

Finding and manipulating available resources,

Application of principles to practical cases.

Module

There are modules,1. introduction and epidemiology, 2. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodnamics and ageing, 3. Psychotropic and centrally acting medications, 4. cardiovascular medications, 5. diabetes, osteoporosis (endocrine) and musculoskeletal medications, 6. integrated cases, applications to robust and frail older people.

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

Canvas offers a range of techniques including an online discussion forum to share and learn across disciplines.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license. You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Additional Information on Assessment

MCQ and short answer questions are based on real world cases. Cases will be based on real world experience and knowledge tested will be presented as part of the course. Application of knowledge to the cases, and common issues raised as part of care of older people in all contexts will be assessed in the cases. Cases will include all necessary detail for the learner who is not a prescriber.

Special Requirements

None, an interest in appropriate prescribing for older people.

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type12345

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

Student feedback is sought at the conclusion of each semester offering. As we are began in 2025, there is some feedback currently. The course was rated highly applicable to job setting of learners, easy to access resources and useful online video recordings.

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor. Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Additonal Information on Special Circumstances

It is possible to request deadline changes for hte open book assignments. There must be a compelling compassionate or illness related reason for any extension. Email the course director as necessary.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.