FARB1000 Social Pharmacy Course description

This course provides an introduction to professional practice in the field of pharmacy, and places pharmacy in the context of professional healthcare. The course includes fundamental knowledge about health professions, pharmaceuticals’ place in society and topics that form common reference points for practice of the different professions, such as laws and guidelines, critical ethical reflection skills, communication and interaction. The pharmacist’s professional practice will be elucidated with examples related to ethics, the duty of confidentiality and consent.

Teaching methods vary between lectures and student-active learning methods. The students will work on cases and practise methodically in groups.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• is familiar with the professional role of the pharmacist in a historical, current and future-oriented perspective
• is familiar with the role of pharmaceuticals in the health service in a national and global perspective
• can explain what characterises the concept of profession and what constitutes professional competence
• can explain ethical theory, ethical dilemmas and the importance of professional ethical guidelines
• can explain key concepts in the field of communication theory
• can explain the concept of culture and challenges related to intercultural communication
• can explain relevant laws and regulations
• is familiar with challenges in connection with pharmacological treatments and supervision of vulnerable patient groups, such as children, young people and the elderly
• can explain the pharmacy's position in the health services, including the development of health services in pharmacies
• is familiar with the use and limitations of different sources of information about pharmaceuticals
• is familiar with challenges related to the use of pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements and plant-based pharmaceuticals

Skills

The student can

• use digital tools in group work with fellow students
• cooperate and communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds by being open and taking an interest

General competence

The student

• can identify and reflect on professional ethical dilemmas in the field of pharmacy and reflect on his/her own values and efforts in simple projects and tasks relevant to the profession
• can act with empathy and respect, and promote equality that promotes co-determination in process and target-oriented work
• can understand the importance of communication when encountering people from different cultural and social backgrounds

The course consists of the following subject areas, specified below with the number of credits:

• Ethics, profession, laws and guidelines 3 credits
• Communication and interaction 2 credits

An individual written home exam, 48 hours. The answer paper should be10 pages long (+/- 10%) . Font and font size: Calibri 12-point. Line spacing 1.5. The approved citation style APA 7 for assignments must be complied with. Candidates who fail or who were absent from the ordinary exam for a valid reason can take a resit/rescheduled exam.

All aids are permitted as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Grade scale A-F.

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner. At least 25% of the exam papers will be assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers.

Blanka Støren-Vaczy og Håvard Aaslund

All exams are assessed by two examiners. At least 50% of the exam papers will be assessed by an external examiner. The external examiner’s assessment should benefit all the students.

• 5 credits overlap with the course FARMA1010 Social Pharmacy, Communication and Ethics