bulletin · 2017-03-24 · NSW Branch bulletin issue 1 2016 Rural Pharmacy Perspective Catherine Loneragan – Intern Pharmacist, Dubbo Base Hospital Growing up in the country, I

The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia

bulletinNSW Branch issue 1 2016

NSW Branch Executive

ChairRussell Levy Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

E [email protected] T 02 9515 8259

Vice-ChairPeter Barclay Children’s Hospital at Westmead

E [email protected] T 02 9845 2700 F 02 9845 2709

SecretaryKristin Xenos Westmead Hospital


TreasurerClaire FitzGerald Manly and Mona Vale Hospitals

E [email protected] M 0417 342 927

For contributions to the Newsletter please contact

Newsletter editor

Kathryn Filipczuk Westmead Hospital


From the ChairRussell Levy

Welcome to the first edition of the SHPA NSW Branch newsletter for 2016. This year, the Branch is keeping our Committee, including new members Kathryn Filipczuk and David Luo, very busy providing a packed year of continuing education (CE) opportunities for our members. We also welcome our new Intern Observers for this year, Michael Quach and Luke Harb, to the NSW Branch committee. I recommend you take the chance to get to know them through their tough interrogation in the newsletter!

The annual symposium is planned for July with a theme of renal medicine and the programme is now entering the final stages of preparation. In addition to the annual symposium and monthly CE evenings, the Branch is also partnering with the SHPA Cardiology COSP to deliver the SHPA Cardiology Seminar in Sydney later this year in August 2016. This brings another high quality CE opportunity closer to home for NSW members and I would encourage all with a cardiology bent, or even if you are just curious, to register for this seminar as soon as you can as places will be limited.

This year, the Branch will be acknowledging the dedication and hard work of our hospital pharmacy staff through the introduction of a number of state-based member awards. Stay tuned for nomination details for the three different awards which will recognise excellence in pharmacy practice, excellence in early career pharmacy and excellence in pharmacy technician practice. The Branch is very excited about these awards and is looking forward to accepting nominations with the recipient to be announced at the renal symposium later in the year – another good reason attend!

From the Editor Kathryn Filipczuk

Hi Everyone! Welcome to the first edition of the SHPA NSW Branch newsletter for this year and my first as editor. Firstly, I’d like to extend our thanks to last year’s editor, Claire FitzGerald, for her excellent work and keeping us updated with the latest hospital pharmacy news.

This issue is full of interesting reads! We have some comprehensive reviews from pharmacists who have attended recent conferences and seminars, including an overview of last year’s SHPA MM2015 national conference, a review of the recent SHPA Evidence Based Medicine seminar in Sydney, as well as insight into the recent Caring for Cognitive Impairment campaign launch.

Our technician observers provide us with all the latest technician news and recent developments; Catherine Loneragan from Dubbo Base Hospital discusses her perspective on working rurally; and Nicole Wright shares her views on what it’s like to work as a specialist pharmacist at the NSW Poisons Information Centre. In addition, we welcome four new members to the NSW Branch Committee and welcome back Claire FitzGerald, who was re-elected for another term. We also introduce some of our new NSW Branch Education Subcommittee members and much more!

NSW Branch bulletin issue 1 2016

Please click on the following links to direct you to the relevant article.

ContentsFrom the Chair 1

From the Editor 1

Medicines Management 2015 – An Overview 3

Tech Talk! 4

Save the Date! 4

Rural Pharmacy Perspective 5

Save the Date! 5

SHPA Evidence Based Medicine Seminar –Sydney, NSW 6

The Australian Society for Antimicrobials (ASA) Annual Conference – ‘Antimicrobials 2016’ 7

Caring for Cognitive Impairment Campaign Launch 8

Clinical ‘Hot’ Case 9

Specialist Pharmacist Profile 10

Welcome to the NSW Branch Committee 11

Welcome to the Education Subcommittee 13

SHPA Research and Development Grants 14

SHPA NSW Branch ‘Needs Assessment Survey’ Results 15

SHPA NSW Branch Continuing Education 16

Continuing Education in 2016 17

Latest from NPS MedicineWise 18

Latest from CIAP 18

SHPA Publications 19

Welcome to new SHPA members 20

CRGH directions 22

Hospital map 23Conte

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Medicines Management 2015 – An OverviewKristin Xenos - AMS Pharmacist, Westmead Hospital

Never allow others to define our scope of practice”, Dr Ross Tsuyuki.

The 41st SHPA national conference was held on December 3-6 2015 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre with more than 1000 delegates in attendance. The pre-conference sessions included a deprescribing workshop, educational visiting workshop, paediatric workshop and a leadership bootcamp.

The keynote speaker, Dr Ross Tsuyuki, began the conference with some thought provoking, inspirational, provocative and slightly controversial words to the delegates. Dr Tsuyuki challenged our profession to move with the times or risk becoming irrelevant. It is our responsibility as a profession to develop a cohesive vision for our practice and culture and then communicate that to the wider health community. He spoke about the Canadian experience, with pharmacist prescribing, and advocated that prescribing is the only way that pharmacists can truly take responsibility for their practice.

The conference had a diverse range of themes including therapeutics, diversity in clinical practice, quality use of medicines and medication safety, practitioner development, rural health, ethics and supporting practice. Advanced pharmacy practice and pharmacist prescribing were recurring topics across many sessions. Dr Catherine Duggan from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in the UK shared her excellent insights into the UK experience. The Australian Institute for Patient and Family Centred Care also presented a play called ‘Hear Me’ which highlighted the importance of patient centred care and the consequences of poor communication and ingrained workplace culture that can jeopardise practice.

The eagerly awaited GEMS (Glamour, Elegance, Mystery and Style) Gala Dinner was held at the pop up Lorem Ipsum. It was truly a night of glitz and glamour with delegates dressing up to the nines and mingling. The Annual General meeting was also held during the weekend. We thanked NSW member Karen Kaye for her service as a SHPA Federal Councillor and welcomed Dr Lisa Pont.

Recipients of the prestigious SHPA awards were announced, with Sue Kirsa receiving the Fred J Boyd Award, Dr Christine Carrington the Australian Clinical Pharmacy Award and Amber Roberts the SHPA Medal of Merit. New SHPA Fellows were inducted and the new Advanced Practice Pharmacists recently credentialed by the Australian Pharmacy Council were celebrated. Honourable mentions from the NSW contingent from MM2015 include:

Best First Time Oral Presenter:

Title: Patients’ Perspectives On Managing Medicines At Hospital Discharge.

Presenting Author: Josephine Touma, Pharmacy Intern, Royal North Shore Hospital.

Co-Authors: Andrew Mclachlan, Christopher Hidayat, Jo-Anne Brien, Lorraine Smith.

Best Technician Oral Presentation:

Title: Exploring A Senior Technician Role In Ward-Based Medication Management Education For Nursing Staff. Presenting Author: Elizabeth Hart, Immunology & Infectious Diseases Technician, John Hunter Hospital. Co-Authors: Jennifer Macdonald, Michelle Jenkins.

• Oral presentation and poster abstracts are available from: http://mm2015shpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/MM2015_Book-of-Abtracts_web.pdf

• Some presenters were interviewed about their presentations – videos are available on SHPA’s YouTube channel: http://the.shpa.org.au/1PO28qF

• For more from MM2015, visit twitter: #MMSHPA15, @the_shpa& @MM2015shpa

Save the date for a 3D themed MM2016 which is set to be held in Perth on November 16-19 this year.


Tech Talk!

Melanie Anderson and Fawn Birch – NSW Branch Technician Observers

AWelcome everyone to 2016! We are well and truly full steam ahead for technician projects at the SHPA this year. Our technician membership within SHPA is growing stronger as we welcome many new members every month in NSW and also across the country. It is wonderful to see our pharmacy technician and assistant numbers constantly on the rise.

At the end of 2015, SHPA held the annual Medicines Management conference in Melbourne. The technician stream was jam packed and very informative. It was a definite effort to raise the awareness and voice of our wonderful technicians and assistants from across the country. ‘High Risk Medications’ and ‘Cardiology’ were two workshop topics targeted specifically to technicians. There were fantastic presenters and plenty of crowd participation to gain a comprehensive understanding of these topics. Many technicians gave oral presentations and generated posters that were displayed over the conference weekend, highlighting new and innovative roles and developments for technicians within their sites.

The award for best technician oral presentation went to a NSW technician from John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle - congratulations to Elizabeth Hart, who presented on a senior technician giving informative pharmacy talks to ward nursing staff. The gala dinner was amazing as always, plenty of glitz and glamour to celebrate the end a wonderful conference which was full of inspiration and enthusiasm for the profession. MM2016 is set for Perth later in the year. Get your thinking caps on for abstract submissions and talk to your managers about experiencing the conference this year.

Our technician specific continuing education sessions continue strongly this year. In February, NSW hosted the ‘Childhood Leukaemia - A Tale of Drug Discovery’ session – another wonderful technician continuing education (CE) event. Wollongong will host a session in May and Sydney will be later in the year. Keep an eye out for CE events from the other states this year too; you can webinar in from home. Don’t forget if you miss a session or are unable to attend the CE for technicians or pharmacists, they are available to watch at a later date on the SHPA website.

The SHPA National Pharmacy Technician Network has created a group to allow the promotion of SHPA technician member benefits to the wider technician workforce and to answer any questions members and non-members may have. The National Pharmacy Technician Network was formed in May 2010. The ideology of the group is to provide a unified and centralised approach to the issues facing pharmacy assistants and technicians in both a professional and educational context. If you are interested and would like to have a look, the Facebook group name is: SHPA Technician Network Discussion Group. Fawn and I are happy to take on suggestions of how we can improve and cater to your membership needs, so please contact us if you have any thoughts.

Watch this space – SHPA Technician Role Redesign Project

Recently, the first meeting about the technician role re-design project was held and the planning and development of the project aims and direction were discussed. More information will follow in the over the next few months, so if you are interested in this exciting new path for Australian pharmacy technicians, then keep an eye out for news on the SHPA website and your emails regarding the role redesign project.

Save the Date!

NSW Branch Symposium – Renal July 16th 2016 – Sydney University

Sydney, NSW


Rural Pharmacy Perspective

Catherine Loneragan – Intern Pharmacist, Dubbo Base Hospital

Growing up in the country, I always knew that I wanted to work rurally. As a third year pharmacy student at the University of New England, I completed a placement at Broken Hill combining community and hospital practice. During this time, I saw firsthand the challenge that isolation and limited access to resources presents to the delivery of medications and services to remote areas. Instead of seeing these issues as barriers, I began to consider them as opportunities for change and areas that I could personally work towards improving.

As a student, I was also lucky enough to visit Sri Lanka as part of a rural pharmacy placement. Cold chain management was something that was done particularly well there when compared to what I observed in Broken Hill. It became apparent that in Sri Lanka they couldn’t afford not to have efficient processes because stock loss was a much greater issue. This got me thinking that if a third world country with limited power supply and access to resources could have efficient cold chain management then how could we improve in Australia?

This lead me to completing my honours project on the transport of cold chain medications by the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Far West NSW. The aim of this project was to identify problem areas of cold chain management and investigate possible interventions to improve processes and minimise unnecessary product loss.

I am now an intern at Dubbo Base Hospital. I am thoroughly enjoying gaining experience in hospital pharmacy while expanding my knowledge about rural and remote health care. The short time that I have been here at Dubbo Base Hospital has reinforced that rural pharmacy is the career that I wish to pursue and I am excited for what the future may hold.

Elizabeth Friend (left) and Catherine Loneragan (right) while on student placement in Broken Hill

Save the Date!

Medicines Management 2016OUR FUTURE IN 3D The 42nd SHPA National Conference

Perth, 16-19 November 2016

Medicines Management 2016 will prepare you for your future – in 3D! Discovery, disruption and differentiation.

For further details visit the conference website: http://mm2016shpa.com/


SHPA Evidence Based Medicine Seminar –Sydney, NSW

Yogi Mishra – Clinical Pharmacist, Westmead Hospital

“Evidence-based medicine is the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values” – Dave Sackett.

The seminar was held in Sydney on the 13-14th February and was the 3rdEvidence Based Medicine Seminar (replacing the Advanced Seminar in Clinical Pharmacy Practice) conducted by the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA). It was a practical, interactive course in problem solving skills and the application of evidence into practice. The seminar was designed for pharmacists with considerable clinical experience and/or who have attended the Introductory Seminar in Clinical Pharmacy Practice conducted also conducted by the SHPA.

The tutors were:

1. Professor Jeff Hughes – former Head, School of Pharmacy, Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia

2. Associate Professor Neil Cottrell – School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland

3. Dr Karl Winkel – Senior Pharmacist, Princess Alexandra Hospital; member of staff, University of Queensland.

The first presentation was by Jeff Hughes on ‘Clinical Problem Solving through Critical Thinking’. In this session, the Pro-Act-Ive approach to problem solving in health care and how this fits with the pharmaceutical care model was discussed. The focus of the participants was to identify potential and actual drug related problems in the clinical scenarios presented, evaluate available actions to resolve these and then decide on the best solution based on the evidence and the values of the patient. During the case study of ‘Mrs KM (74 years old)’, Prof Hughes reminded us of the ‘Rule of Thumb’ that plasma concentration of free phenytoin increases by 1% for each gram that plasma albumin falls below 30 g/L.

The second presentation was by Neil Cottrell on ’Interpreting and Applying the Evidence’. Neil explained Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) approach in the appraisal of literature to answer clinical question using P-I-C-O (patient, problem or population; intervention; comparison; outcome) acronym (see: http://www.cebm.net/ ). The aim of presentation was to briefly discuss what evidence based medicine is, identify the gaps between the current evidence and

the current management of the patient in each case, as well as to identify possible reasons for lack of application of the evidence in each case and reasons for lack of application of evidence.

Neil discussed two clinical scenarios in cardiology during his presentation, where management of the patient does not match current evidence from the literature. Participants were asked to identify these ‘Evidence to Practice’ gaps, find potential reasons for these gaps and formulate them into answerable clinical questions by adopting EBM approach. The highlight message from Neil’s presentation was the message that “it takes seventeen years to turn fourteen percent of original research into a benefit for patient care” (Source: Belas EA, Boren SA in Yearbook of Medical Informatics 2000).

The case study series comprised of three sessions followed by a new session this year on ‘Identifying Intervention Opportunities’. Participants were asked to review the relevant literature prior to the seminar and use the available evidence to formulate responses and discuss their findings with the other members in the group at the seminar in order to arrive at a consensus response.

The first case study, presented by Karl Winkel, was about geriatric psychiatry and posed a series of questions related to the appropriateness of the patient’s treatment. The second clinical case study in cardiology, by Neil Cottrell, required participants to address the following questions: What is the problem(s)? What are the possible cause(s) of the problem(s)? What further information do you require? Where would you source the information from? Then, having obtained the further essential information, develop a management and monitoring plan for the problems presented.

The third clinical case study, by Karl Winkel, explored respiratory medicine and raised questions such as: What was the primary outcome? Was this meaningful? Was there a statistically and clinically significant effect? Is the combination of using Ultibro® (indacaterol; glycopyrronium) and Seretide® inhalers appropriate?

Session four, ‘Identifying Intervention Opportunities’ facilitated by Jeff Hughes, involved an interview of the patient ‘Andy’ for whom participants were provided with a medication chart and some laboratory results data. They were asked to review the National Evidence Based Guidelines for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (see: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/di7-di8-di9-di10-di11-di12-di13) in preparation for this case and discuss the findings of these studies in light of the information obtained from the case review. The seminar ended on Sunday afternoon on 14th Feb with a vote of thanks and a Happy Valentine’s Day wish to all participants and speakers!


The Australian Society for Antimicrobials (ASA) Annual Conference – ‘Antimicrobials 2016’

Kristin Xenos – AMS Pharmacist, Westmead Hospital

The Australian Society for Antimicrobials held their 17th Annual Scientific Meeting ‘Antimicrobials 2016’ at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre on the 25th to the 27th of February 2016. Approximately 400 infectious diseases (ID) physicians, microbiologists, scientists, veterinarians, health administrators from state and national levels, industry, diagnostic companies, research companies and pharmacists came from across Australia to descend upon ‘foodie heaven’ and have a jam packed three days filled with brunches and all things antimicrobial.

One of the highlights of the conference was the Howard Florey (who carried out the first clinical trial of penicillin) oration presented by Professor Lyn Gilbert. She covered everything from Fleming to the future of antimicrobial therapy. One of her key messages was to highlight the prescriber’s duplicitous dilemma of considering antimicrobial resistance and their responsibilities to the patient they are treating here and now.

There were many stand out speakers over the conference. Simon Finfer spoke about redefining our understanding of sepsis and the consequences of not critically assessing our practice. He discussed the confusion between defining sepsis, warning signs, screening tools and diagnostic criteria and highlighting that they are not interchangeable. Jason Roberts spoke about the PK/PD of antibiotics in the context of infective endocarditis. He highlighted the importance of individualised dosing considering that approximately 50% of our patients with altered PK/PD profiles won’t achieve optimal antibiotic levels when treating endocarditis.

There was a proffered paper session with a pharmacy perspective. Sonia Koning discussed what the National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (NAPS) 2015 showed for piperacillin-tazobactam use; Fiona Doukas spoke about prescriber attitudes and beliefs to Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS); Minyon Avent presented on the General Practitioner AMS program; Caroline Chen shocked the audience with the aged care NAPS results, revealing that one-third of antibiotic orders are for longer than three months and Matt Rawlins shared his experience of establishing an electronic referral system for AMS.

The Pharmacy Symposium on Saturday afternoon was an excellent collection of diverse speakers. Karin Thursky spoke about NAPS and its seemingly endless spin off potential with surgical, aged care, veterinary NAPS on the horizon. Sue Benson gave a wonderful

presentation on laboratory tests; she contextualised lab tests as being essential considerations for AMS efforts considering that the diagnostic error rates when prescribing antibiotics can be as high as 30%.

The SHPA Infectious Diseases Committee of Speciality Practice held a meeting run by Ms Minyon Avent and Dr David Kong in between sessions to discuss Advanced Pharmacy Practice credentialing and what is means for AMS and ID Pharmacists.

I would recommend that any pharmacist with an interest in ID or AMS attend future conferences. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn from pioneers in the field and fellow colleagues. Considering that the WHO estimates that the deaths from antimicrobial resistance will eclipse those from cancer by 2050 this issue will not go away and unlike many conditions infectious diseases is relevant to every pharmacist. In 2017 the ASA meeting will be held in Adelaide. If you have any topics which you would like covered in the Pharmacy symposiums in 2017, please also forward your comments to Dr David Kong at [email protected] (Chair of the Infectious Diseases COSP).

Visit Twitter: #antimicrobials2016 and @AusAntibioticson for more information and photos from the event.


Caring for Cognitive Impairment Campaign Launch

Rayan Nahas – Pharmacist, Royal North Shore Hospital; Minutes Secretary, SHPA NSW Branch

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care(ACSQHC) invited representatives from the SHPA NSW Branch to attend the launch of their newest campaign titled Caring for Cognitive Impairment on Thursday January 28th 2016. The day featured an opening talk from the chair of the ACSQHC, Professor Villis Marshall, as well as a preview of the new documentary ‘On My Mind’ and a panel discussion which included the CEO of Alzheimer’s Australia, Carol Bennett.

Professor Marshall highlighted the considerable importance of launching such a campaign, with the ultimate aim to improve the recognition, treatment and prevention of delirium, and to provide high quality care for people with cognitive impairment in hospitals. Hospitals are perceived and defined as ‘centres of excellence’, however, people with cognitive impairment who are admitted to hospital are associated with poorer outcomes including increased morbidity, increased risk of falls, increased length of stay, increased admission to a residential aged care facilities and increased pressure sore injuries. The importance of recognising the underlying cause of one’s delirium was emphasised as well as the appropriate non-pharmacological measures that should be implemented.

The ACSQHC acknowledges that cognitive impairment is a highly significant safety and quality issue, and has subsequently developed specific measures and indicators that are now part of the draft second version of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards. As a result, hospitals will be expected to implement these standards as part of their accreditation process.

The documentary ‘On My Mind’ delivered a very powerful yet simple message – delirium is a medical emergency and people can die as a result of this condition. The earlier hospital staff can recognise this and treat the underlying cause of the delirium, the better the care and outcomes for patients.

The launch was a call for action to unite everyone who cares for cognitively impaired patients. For those working in a hospital environment, you will be (or may have already been) invited to join the campaign and participate in strategies that will improve the recognition and care of patients with cognitive impairment. Some of these strategies include screening for cognitive impairment, increasing awareness of delirium and dementia, as well as implementing safety and quality improvements for the care of people with cognitive impairment. The campaign is expected to run until mid-2017.


Clinical ‘Hot’ Case

Joshua Meyers and Judy Wong

Background: A 44 year old male was referred to hospital and subsequently admitted to the high dependency unit (HDU) for exacerbation of myasthenia gravis (MG). The patient was first diagnosed in November 2015 and reported progressive worsening of his symptoms over the two weeks prior to admission. He predominately complained of diplopia and upper limb fatigue. The patient also experienced significant bulbar symptoms comprising of progressive loss of power and early fatigue of the masticator muscles, as well as dysphagia and dysarthria. The symptoms worsened, despite commencing prednisolone 15mg daily, and increasing pyridostigmine to 60mg four times a day.

Day 1: Patient was admitted under neurology with the plan to continue prednisolone 15mg daily, increase pyridostigmine to 90mg four time a day, administer 5 doses of IV Ig (Flebogamma®), as well as twice daily spirometry to monitor respiratory function and speech pathology review to assess speech and swallowing.

Day 2: Due to increased tongue swelling and significant dysphagia, the patient was ordered to be ‘nil by mouth’. A nasogastric tube was ordered, but insertion was unsuccessful. The patient was then commenced on IV hydrocortisone and IV neostigmine 1mg four times each day. The patient continued to deteriorate, developing unintelligible speech, inability to swallow and significant decline in lung function, so the neostigmine dose was increased to 1mg every 4 hours. The patient’s vital signs, however, remained normal and the patient was able to maintain airways and breathing with supplemental oxygen therapy via nasal prongs.

Day 3: Nasogastric tube inserted.

Day 5: The patient clinically improvedand was trialled on oral medications (prednisone 10mg daily and pyridostigmine 120mg every 4 hours). The patient experienced mild diarrhoea due to the increased cholinergic effects of pyridostigmine.

Day 8: Despite some clinical improvements, the patient developed respiratory failure and was unable to maintain good oxygen saturation (SpO2 88% on room air). Spirometry demonstrated worsening lung function with FVC 27% of predicted and FEV1 29% of predicted.

Day 11: The dose of pyridostigmine was increased to 120mg every three hours and prednisolone was increased to 75mg daily with good effect. FVC and FEV1 improved to 100% of the predicted values. The patient was eventually discharged on the above dose of pyridostigmine and prednisolone.

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disorder with autoantibodies directed against nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). The nAChR are located on the post synaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction and help facilitate muscular contraction when activated by acetylcholine (ACh) released from the presynaptic motor axon terminal. The onset of MG is insidious and about 85% of patients have elevated ACh receptor antibodies. Symptomatic treatment of MG involves the use of ACh esterase inhibitors, which reduce the enzymatic degradation of ACh in the synaptic cleft, prolonging the effect of ACh and improving muscle strength. Many drugs can worsen MG and the condition can often be unmasked by the administration of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA), causing a delay in recovery from anaesthesia.

This case highlights several important issues in the management of patients with myasthenia gravis. Patients with MG can experience substantial respiratory muscle weakness, leading to a life threatening situation of respiratory failure known as a myasthenic crisis; therefore, monitoring of respiratory parameters via regular spirometry is vital. The use of corticosteroids was another issue for consideration in this case. Caution is advised when initiating high doses of glucocorticoids, as this may cause a transient deterioration in patients with MG, with up to ten percent requiring mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure. However, as the patient had been initiated on low dose prednisolone for several weeks and was being monitored in HDU, it was deemed appropriate to increase the dose to 75mg daily. Finally, balancing the improvement of symptoms with the side effects of corticosteroid therapy was a key concern that needed to be addressed. As such, thiopurinemethyltransferase (TPMT) genotype was ordered for this patient to determine the suitability of azathioprine for steroid-sparing options. The patient was also given written information about drugs to avoid with MG on discharge.


Specialist Pharmacist Profile

Nicole Wright – Specialist in Poisons Information, NSW Poisons Information Centre What is your role at your hospital/site?

Working as a Specialist in Poisons Information (SPI) can be intense – in peak times, responding to a phone call every few minutes. My role involves advising medical professionals on the management and prognosis of poisonings, as well as assessment and triage of patients exposed to various toxins or medicines in the home and the subsequent treatment or referral to a healthcare facility, as required. In addition, the poisons centre advises on the treatment of bites and stings, the suitability of medicines in pregnancy and lactation, as well as side effects and interactions of medicines. There is ample opportunity to participate in clinical toxicology research, and contribute to quality assurance activities.

How did you come to work in this area?

The vacancy at the Poisons Information Centre coincided with the completion of my pharmacy internship and was co-located at the Children’s Hospital Westmead. I was excited by the opportunity to specialise early in my career.

What are the key challenges in this area of practice?

The Poisons Centre offers a unique working environment, in that we provide a time critical medicines information service. Engaging concurrently in active listening, accurate documentation and information sourcing is an ambitious task and an acquired skill. Our patients are often acutely unwell; such that an understanding of clinical toxidromes and the ability to interpret blood gases and ECGs is useful. Encouraging a deliberately poisoned patient to seek medical assistance can be tricky.

What is the most satisfying part of your work?

Definitely teasing apart a complex polypharmacy overdose; integrating the patient’s clinical symptoms, available history and pharmacological knowledge to inform a toxicological diagnosis. SPIs provide valuable management advice to junior clinicians who treat us respectfully, indicated by repeat call backs to the service - often during the one shift. For the anxious home caller, providing reassurance and brief counselling ‘after hours’ when access to medical information is limited is very rewarding.

What resources do you find particularly useful?

Micromedex, Therapeutic Guidelines (Toxicology & Wilderness) and the Toxicology Handbook (Murray et al, 2015) are heavily utilised in this role. UpToDate and the Merck Manual are additional favourites of mine.

Advice to anyone interested in working in this area of specialty practice.

Preparedness to exponentially expand your knowledge of clinical pharmacology and work variable shift times (the most exciting things happen at night!). The rewarding nature of the role makes the intense learning curve well worth it. Keep your eyes peeled if clinical pharmacology is your niche, if you’re a people person and if you enjoy the challenge of a fast-paced working environment.

What do you see as the future of practice in this area?

In addition to providing a reputable and respected poisons and drug information service, the centre is becoming more actively involved in toxicovigilance. This involves conducting research which recognises and appraises toxic risks in the community, seeking to address these by encouraging public health surveillance through affiliation with emergency departments, using Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and National Coronial Information System data, and impacting preventative measures through collaboration with manufacturers and regulators such as the Therapeutic Goods Administration.


Welcome to the NSW Branch CommitteeWe also welcome back Claire FitzGerald, who was re-elected for another term on the Committee.

David Luo – Education Coordinator Tell us a bit about yourself?I graduated from the University of Sydney in 2012 and am currently a clinical pharmacist at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. I am also currently involved in the design and implementations of the electronic medications management program at the hospital. In my spare time, I like doing photography as a hobby.

What motivated you to get involved with SHPA?I have always seen the SHPA as an organisation which supports pharmacists and the pharmacy profession, and I have always enjoyed attending the continuing education events hosted by SHPA. When I was given the opportunity to join the SHPA NSW Branch Education Subcommittee in 2014, it was an easy choice for me. I have enjoyed that experience and am now glad to be a member of the NSW Branch Committee.

Where do you see our profession in 10 years?With such rapid advancement of technology, I think patient care will become increasingly individualised as new tests and medications which target very specific aspects of a patients’ condition begin to emerge. Pharmacists will need to work even more closely with patient care teams and will become increasingly more valuable members of the healthcare team. The increasing use of smartphones and other devices, as well as the development of new apps could mean that patients would be able to collect a lot more information about their daily activities, condition and their medication use. I think pharmacists will be able to use this information to help both the patients and other healthcare professionals make informed choices about various conditions.

What was your first job?My first job was helping my parents out at their take away shop during the busy times. My first job in a pharmacy was at a large discount chemist as a pharmacy student.

What are your professional interests?I am still doing my rotations through the different specialties at the moment and each field has aspects which make it very interesting and enjoyable. I have always had an interest in oncology as it is a changing field with a lot of potential for new development.

If you weren't a pharmacist, what job do you think you would be doing?I like to think that I would be travelling the world instead, but I would have probably completed an engineering degree (probably aeronautical) instead. Who knows where that would have lead me?

Kathryn Filipczuk – Newsletter EditorTell us a bit about yourself?I’m a clinical pharmacist at Westmead Hospital and really enjoy working in hospital pharmacy. I love the varied experience and knowledge you can gain from working in a hospital environment, as well as the opportunity to specialise in areas of interest. Prior to this, I completed a Bachelor of Medical Science and a Master of Pharmacy at the University of Technology Sydney.

What motivated you to get involved with SHPA?I’ve been a member of the SHPA since I was a pharmacy student and regularly attend their continuing education events. I quickly realised how much the SHPA has to offer members and the profession and I wanted to become more involved with the NSW Branch. I started out as an Intern Observer on the NSW Branch Committee and then continued to be involved as a member of the Education Subcommittee. I am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute as a new member of the Committee and to advocate for NSW members and the hospital pharmacy profession.

Where do you see our profession in 10 years?In the future, I think that pharmacy will become much more individualised, with more jobs emerging in specialty practice areas. The progression of electronic medical records will hopefully lead to improved medication utilisation and safety in the future, as well as better health outcomes for patients.

What was your first job?While at university, I worked as a pathology collector at Royal North Shore Hospital. This was a really interesting job, as I performed blood tests on patients throughout all wards of the hospital. This job was a great start to my healthcare career and really inspired me to continue working in hospitals after I completed my pharmacy degree, as I gained so much clinical knowledge and really enjoyed interacting with other healthcare professionals and patients.

What are your professional interests?I am enjoying learning more about all areas of hospital pharmacy while completing a variety of rotations, but some specific areas of interest so far include medication safety and drug use evaluation, optimal use of antimicrobials, clinical trials, mental health, oncology, emergency medicine and critical care.

If you weren't a pharmacist, what job do you think you would be doing?I would probably be working in a National Park or working as a tour guide, as I really enjoy spending time in the outdoors and making the most of fun activities like bushwalking, canoeing and bike riding when I have some spare time.


Welcome to the NSW Branch Committee

Luke Harb – Intern Observer Tell us a bit about yourself?I graduated last year from a Master of Pharmacy at the University of Technology, Sydney. Prior to pharmacy, I completed honours in clinical pharmacology at the University of Sydney. I have started my hospital pharmacy career as an intern pharmacist at Royal North Shore and Ryde Hospital. Outside of work, I enjoy exploring Sydney’s best food places

with friends and also enjoy travelling and look forward to many annual leave periods getting happily lost in the streets of a foreign city.

What motivated you to get involved with SHPA?I was first exposed to the SHPA in 2014 when I attended a ‘How to Get a Job in Hospital Pharmacy’ information night for students and really appreciated the Society’s enthusiasm for a career in hospital pharmacy. After hearing and attending various SHPA CE sessions in 2015, I was excited by the opportunity to be more involved with an organisation that offers a great amount of support for not only its members but the profession at large. The SHPA is a fitting organisation in which I can channel my own passion for hospital pharmacy practice and have an active role in enhancing career satisfaction and opportunity for fellow pharmacists.

Where do you see our profession in 10 years?In 10 years, I hope to see a fully electronic system for medication management in hospitals, as well as national electronic medical records which will enhance our resources in ensuring effective transitions of care. I believe pharmacists will have an even more intimate role in multidisciplinary patient care through increased consulting roles and prescribing rights, which will undoubtedly have a positive impact of patient outcomes.

What was your first job?I got my first job straight after high school as a customer service assistant at Target. I stayed there for over five years before getting my first paid job in a community pharmacy last year.

What are your professional interests?Some of my favourite clinical areas are gastrointestinal medicine, pain management and HIV medicine. I also have a strong interest in clinical research. I hope to one day complete a doctorate in clinical pharmacy and make a positive difference to the quality use of medicines in both hospital and the community.

If you weren't a pharmacist, what job do you think you would be doing?Academically, I am horrible at anything other than the clinical sciences, so if I wasn’t in pharmacy, I think I would be a speech pathologist, which I believe would be an incredibly rewarding career. If that didn’t work out, I’d be a travel agent, a flight attendant, or basically anything that would get me across the globe!

Michael Quach – Intern ObserverTell us a bit about yourself?Hi! As the graduate pharmacist at The Sutherland Hospital in Sydney's South, I am currently having lots of fun challenging my repertoire of clinical skills that I've accumulated across my undergraduate studies. Although born and bred in Melbourne, The Sutherland Pharmacy team have been quick to nurture my talents

and offer a stimulating and enriching working and learning environment. When I'm not at Sutherland Hospital, you might catch me playing a vigorous game of table tennis or frequenting one of Sydney's eclectic mix of restaurants.

What motivated you to get involved with SHPA?On placement in my final year of uni, my preceptors from Young District Hospital showed me the rewarding contributions they made as pharmacists to the local hospitals and communities they serviced. This inspired me to attain a greater depth of understanding about the multifaceted roles of hospital pharmacists. Naturally, this lead to getting involved with Society of Hospital Pharmacist of Australia and it continues to be one of the best decisions I could have made as a student.

Where do you see our profession in 10 years?I am certain there are many more exciting projects in the pipelines of opportunities available for pharmacists that I can't even fathom. Looking to what pharmacists overseas have achieved, here's speculating that Australian pharmacists are in for greater influences in therapy decision making, specialisation in key clinical areas beyond what currently exists and even expanded hospital pharmacy intern training programs.

What was your first job?My first job was working as a Summer casual sales assistant at Cotton On.

What are your professional interests?To name a few, I thoroughly enjoy working with patients, am interested in the further integration of technology in pharmacy and building efficiencies in pharmacy processes.

If you weren't a pharmacist, what job do you think you would be doing? If I weren't a pharmacist, which would be an uncanny idea anyway, I'd also like to be an international food blogger.


Welcome to the Education Subcommittee

Jacquelyne Lam Tell us a bit about yourself?Hello everyone, I am Jacquelyne and I am currently working at Canterbury Hospital. I am the ICU ward pharmacist and I also cover a general medicines ward. I find my day-to-day work very rewarding and I am learning a lot working with the multidisciplinary team. When I am not at work, I enjoy singing and cooking.

What motivated you to get involved with SHPA?I decided to become a hospital pharmacist after I first started my pharmacy studies. I learnt about SHPA through the University of Sydney and found the talks and seminars very relevant to practice.

Where do you see our profession in 10 years?I see pharmacists taking a more important role in the healthcare system, and having an established collaboration between hospital and community pharmacies and perhaps medical centres to enhance patient care.

What was your first job?My first job was a sales assistant at Christian Louboutin, a French shoe shop. Having to study all the different types of heels, and recommending the perfect pair for the customers are not that much different from dealing with medications!

What are your professional interests?I am interested in education and training. Besides joining the education subcommittee, I am also involved in the NAPE Intern Training Program at the University of Sydney. Clinical areas that interest me include antimicrobial stewardship, cardiology and mental health.

If you weren't a pharmacist, what job do you think you would be doing?I will probably still be involved in health sciences or the healthcare system, and definitely continuing with the singing.

Aimee PetersenTell us a bit about yourself?I am Aimee. I am a hospital pharmacist working on the Central Coast at Wyong Hospital. I am originally from Newcastle and completed my pharmacy degree at Sydney University. I love travel, books and sunshine.

What motivated you to get involved with SHPA?

I was motivated to get involved with the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia because I believe education is essential to the continuation and progression of our profession. Pharmacy is ever evolving and groups like the SHPA enable pharmacists to maintain currency and value. It is something I am extremely passionate about and I was very interested in the opportunity to help guide and shape education for NSW hospital pharmacists and SHPA NSW Branch members.

Where do you see our profession in 10 years?I hope to see our profession having much greater clinical decision making roles within the next 10 years time and would love to see things such as pharmacist prescribing becoming the norm in our profession.

What was your first job?My first job was a rowing coach but my first pharmacy job was at a small independent pharmacy in Cronulla.

What are your professional interests?My professional interests are around continuing education specifically the integration of intern or community pharmacists into the hospital setting, as well as the development of clinical skills. I also have a keen interest in critical care and emergency medicine and am lucky enough to be able to explore these, with excellent mentors, in my workplace.

If you weren't a pharmacist, what job do you think you would be doing?If I wasn't a pharmacist, I would love to be an obstetrician.


SHPA Research and Development Grants

Hospira Young Pharmacist Award 2016

• A grant of $10,000 will be made available to a member of SHPA for a national or international preceptorship.

• Closing date: 31 May 2016

Pfizer Pharmacy Grant 2016

• The grant is designed to enable the successful applicant to attend a relevant national or international conference or undertake a preceptorship in their chosen therapeutic area.

• Closing date: 30 June 2016

Celgene Cancer Care Research Grant 2016

• A grant of up to $20,000 will be made available to a member of SHPA to financially support them to undertake a ‘proof of concept’ or ‘hypothesis generating’ research project in the field of cancer care, in particular the outpatient setting. The recipient will be expected to present their findings at an appropriate national or international conference and prepare a report suitable for publication in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.

• Closing date: 31 July 2016

For more information, see: http://www.shpa.org.au/R-and-D-Grants/SHPA-Grants


SHPA NSW Branch ‘Needs Assessment Survey’ Results

David Luo and Wendy Huynh

In September 2015, NSW Branch members were invited to complete a survey exploring topics of interest for continuing education and symposia that they would like to see delivered. The results from this survey are being utilised for the planning and development of future CPD activities. We hope this will ensure that the NSW Branch continuing education program continues to meet your CPD expectations. Please feel free to provide feedback regarding our continuing education program to David Luo (Education Coordinator) via email at [email protected]

Selected results from the survey:

Level of Interest in Future Areas of Practice Topics

1. Optimal use of medicines

2. Critical analysis, research and education

3. Leadership and management

4. Review and supply of prescribed medicines

5. Communication, collaboration and self-management

6. Primary and preventable healthcare delivery

Level of Interest in Future Leadership/Management Topics

1. Change management

2. Managing innovation and continuous improvement

3. Difficult conversations

4. Personal effectiveness

5. Assertiveness

6. Negotiation

Level of Interest in Future Clinical Topics

1. Toxicology

2. Palliative Care

3. Critical Care

4. Geriatric Medicine

5. Communicable Diseases

6. Neurology

7. Surgery and peri-operative medicine

8. Other:

• Anaesthetics

• Emergency Medicine

• Genetics and Gene Therapy

• Drug/Therapeutic Advances

• Transplant Medicine

Selected comments and feedback from members:

“Please change monthly CE to a more convenient location”

“Please make CE recordings available after the event”

“Much better food at the CEs”

“Thanks for your volunteered time and effort for the SHPA community”

In response to the Needs Assessment Survey results, the NSW Branch Committee and Education Subcommittee have investigated alternative venues for our annual symposia, as well as monthly continuing education (CE) sessions. For most of 2016, CEs will continue to be held at the Clinical School Lecture Theatre at Concord Hospital, as speakers and catering are already confirmed. We will continue looking at the possibility of hosting some future CEs at alternative venues. Some of the alternative venues we are currently considering include the University of Technology Sydney, Gosford Hospital, St Vincent’s Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital.

With Redback Conferencing as the new webinar provider, continuing education has become even more accessible to members off-site. The advantages of Redback Conferencing is that: it reduces software issues at the hosting site; webinar access will be internet based; participant capacity has been increased; allows the easy recording of CEs which allows for uploading/access in a timely manner via eCPD for post-event viewing; and members will be able to log onto the webinar even after the presentation has commenced.

Additionally, for participants who access the CEs via webinar, we have been trialling a roaming microphone during question time to allow the question to be heard over the webinar. For members who are unable to easily access the venue or attend via webinar, the recording and the speakers slides (speaker permitting) will be uploaded onto the SHPA CPD website along with assessment questions for group 2 accredited events, which will now be available at an ongoing basis. It is not possible for the slides to be provided before or during the event as this imposes additional time constraints onto the speakers.

The SHPA CPD website also provides a variety of other learning opportunities including access to recorded webinars from other states, symposiums, case studies and discussion forums. In regards to automatic recording of CPD points for CE participation, the SHPA Federal Council currently have a testing platform in progress but we would like to kindly remind members to continue to sign the attendance sheets prior to attending the CE session. We also remind participants of our CPD activities to complete the evaluation reports at the conclusion of each event with your honest opinions. We appreciate the feedback and suggestions provided to us through the needs assessment survey and the evaluation sheets/survey answers collected after each CPD event, and we will continue to use this information provided to us to plan and develop future CPD events to meet your needs.

The monthly continuing education sessions at Concord Hospital continue to be well attended by members who welcome the opportunity to network with colleagues in the context of a quality educational evening. We can look forward to a program of interesting and engaging presentations for the remainder of the year, and we encourage all members to endeavour to attend if possible. The introduction of the SHPA webinar facility has allowed rural and regional members to participate live sessions as sessions unfold. Apart from improving access to CE for non-metropolitan members, webinars are also facilitating networking at regional sites.

Date Topic Speaker Venue

27 April 2016 Dermatology - Topical Treatments Are Very Topical A/Prof Pablo Fernandez-Penas Concord Hospital

25 May 2016 Microbiology - Clinical Applications for Avoiding Catheter Infections TBA Concord Hospital

Fourth Wednesday of each monthEmail alert with topic details sent to members prior to meeting

Time: 7.00 – 8.00pm (refreshments served from 6.30pm)

Venue: Auditorium, Medical Education Centre, Concord Hospital, Hospital Road, Concord NSW (entry is direct from Hospital Road via gate 3 – not through main hospital entrance).

Map: http://www.sswahs.nsw.gov.au/concord/pdf/CRGH_Map.pdf (Building 26 on map)

Cost: Free for all SHPA members and students (please bring your membership/student card). Non-member fee $40.

$40 for all non-members. Membership will be checked.

RSVP: Not required.

Contact: David Luo ([email protected])

SHPA NSW Branch Continuing Education


Manage innovation and continuous improvement - workshop 7 May 2016 Melbourne, Vic

Course/Workshop Date Location

Upcoming SHPA Courses & Workshops

ACT Branch Symposium: Paediatrics 2 April 2016 Canberra, ACT

The Great Victorian Rural Weekend: career, leadership and management 14-15 May 2016 Victoria (various locations)

Tasmanian Branch Symposium: Demystifying Oncology 1–3 July 2016 Launceston, Tas

NSW Branch Symposium: Renal 16 July 2016 Sydney, NSW

Symposium Date Location

Upcoming SHPA Symposiums

ATC 2016: Healthcare – tear down the walls! Telehealth – Scalable, Routinised, Personalised 28-29 April 2016 Sydney, NSW

ISOPP 2016: Oncology Pharmacy Practice: a Global Perspective 17–20 April 2016 Santiago, Chile

Toxicology Autumn Forum 2016 29 April 2016 Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Vic

Toxicology and Poisons Network Australasia (TAPNA) Conference 2016 5–7 May 2016 Brisbane, Qld

Activity-based Funding Conference 2016 9–11 May 2016 Brisbane, Qld

National Medicines Symposium 2016 (NPS MedicineWise) 19–20 May Canberra, ACT

European Congress of Oncology Pharmacy 19-21 May 2016 Dubrovnik, Croatia

6th Asia-Pacific Pharma Conference 11–13 July 2016 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Healthcare of the future: analytics, wearables, 3D printing and digital innovations 15–17 June 2016 Sydney, NSW

General Assembly 2016 and 5th World Congress of Clinical Safety 21–23 September 2016 Boston, USA

Australian Disease Management Association (ADMA) 2016 National Conference: Person Centered Healthcare- Achievements & Challenges 20–21 October 2016 Melbourne, Vic

ACHSM/ACHS Joint 2016 Asia-Pacific Annual Congress: The Health Leadership Challenge – Making Things Happen 26–28 October 2016 Brisbane, Qld

SARRAH National Conference for Rural and Remote Health Professionals - It Takes a Village 27–29 October 2016 Port Lincoln, SA

Conference Date Location

Other Upcoming Conferences

Laboratory Tests Seminar 14 –15 May 2016 Hobart, Tas

Critical Care Seminar (foundation) 21–22 May 2016 Brisbane, Qld

Medication Management in Geriatric Care (Aged Care) Seminar 28–29 May 2016 Sydney, NSW

Practice-Based Research Seminar 4–5 June 2016 Melbourne, Vic

Clinical Pharmacy Practice Seminar (foundation) 21–24 July 2016 Adelaide, SA

Seminar Date Location

Upcoming SHPA Seminars

Continuing Education in 2016

NPS DirectThis is a free monthly e-newsletter to keep you up to date with succinct, evidence-based information about medicines, medical tests and devices, and current health topics. For more about NPS Direct, see: http://www.nps.org.au/health-professionals/e-newsletters/nps-direct

NPS Direct – March 2016 topics include:

• NMS 2016 – register your attendance

• Choosing Wisely Australia – next wave rolls in

• Fast five: Depression Program 2016

NPS Direct – February 2016 topics include:

• Home blood pressure monitoring: Expert Q&A

• Vitamin D testing on the decline

• Fast five: Tools and resources

NPS RADAR This provides you with timely, independent evidence-based information on new drugs and medical tests, as well as changes to listings on the PBS. For more about NPS RADAR, see: http://www.nps.org.au/publications/health-professional/nps-radar

NPS RADAR – April 2016 topics include:

• Sofosbuvir treatment combinations for chronic hepatitis C

• Daclatasvir with sofosbuvir, with or without ribavirin, for chronic hepatitis C

• Ledipasvir with sofosbuvir fixed-dose combination for chronic hepatitis C

• April 2016 new listings wrap-up

• New hepatitis C treatments available on the PBS

• Brief item: Itraconazole (Lozanoc) for systemic fungal infections

Medicinewise NewsThis provides you with up-to-date, succinct and independent information on therapeutic topics and related issues. For more about Medicinewise News, see: http://www.nps.org.au/publications/health-professional/nps-news

• The February 2016 edition explores non-drug options in depression.

NPS MedicineWise CPDNPS provides a range of free activities for pharmacists and pharmacy interns to support the development and maintenance of your skills and to help meet your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements. Many activities are accredited for CPD Group 2 points for pharmacists. For more about NPS CPD, see: http://www.nps.org.au/health-professionals/cpd/pharmacists

Latest from NPS MedicineWise


CIAP Newsletters

• April 2016 Edition – Focus is Maternity and Neonates

• March 2016 Edition – Focus on Neurology

• February 2016 Edition – Focus on Cardiology

• January 2016 Edition – Focus on Preventative Health

To view the newsletters or subscribe, see: http://www.ciap.health.nsw.gov.au/about/newsletter.html

For more CIAP News, see: http://www.ciap.health.nsw.gov.au/about/news.html

The CIAP website has a responsive design, making it easy to view on your smartphone or tablet. You can browse the CIAP website on your mobile device if you have an internet connection. You will require a 'My CIAP Account' to access the resources when browsing this way, which you can create from a work computer by selecting 'My CIAP Account' from the top of the CIAP homepage.

Many of the CIAP resources are also available via downloadable apps for your mobile device. A new easy to navigate mobile help page lists all the apps available and provides detailed instructions for how to download, access, renew and manage a range of apps provided by CIAP resources and other NSW Health Agencies. Navigate to www.ciap.health.nsw.gov.au, and select 'Mobile' from the top menu bar to view.

A new detailed Apps Download user guide can be found in the Learning Centre located in the top menu bar on CIAP.

Latest from CIAP


Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook (AIDH) – 6th Edition

Have you got the latest edition of the AIDH in your department? Or are you using it on your smart phone?

The most comprehensive handbook of its kind, AIDH provides up-to-date information on injectable medicines that will be useful in your daily practice.

• The 6th edition contains more than 440 injectable medicines, ALL entries fully revised, including 24 new monographs.

• Each monograph includes availability, generic/trade names, preparation, administration, stability, compatibility/incompatibility data, special notes. It also contains paediatric-specific information in many monographs.

• The AIDH has a tough durable cover and enhanced spiral binding.

SHPA Publications

Australian Don't Rush to Crush Handbook – 2nd Edition

Australia’s most comprehensive guide to giving solid oral medicines to people who are unable to swallow.

The SECOND EDITION of DON'T RUSH TO CRUSH has arrived! Don’t Rush to Crush is now included in Pharmacy Board of Australia’s list of essential references for pharmacy practice. The new guidelines take effect from 7 December 2015 so order your copy now.

The second edition of Don't Rush to Crush is expanded and improved and has many new features. It is available as a hard copy now and will soon be available in a range of electronic formats and platforms. The new electronic version will be available through MIMS soon and a downloadable e-book will be available for the first time in 2016.

Australian Medicines Information Training Workbook

The Australian Medicines Information Training Workbook allows pharmacists to update their skills in the many practical and clinical areas where medicines information questions are asked. Users will be able to attain the skills and resource knowledge necessary for critical analysis and assessment of a medication issue.

This tool will teach you about medicines information resources and how to answer enquiries. If you would like to learn how to answer enquiries in a more efficient manner, this Workbook will enable you to do that, plus gain up to 44 Group 2 CPD points! The workbook contains 22 tutorials that you can complete at your own pace.

Topics covered include:

1. Administration of Medicines

2. Pharmacokinetics

3. Drug Interactions

4. Adverse Drug Reactions

5. Critical Evaluation

6. Ethical Dilemmas

7. Medicines in Renal Disease

8. Medicines in Liver Disease

9. Compatibility of Parenteral Medicines

10. Hormonal Contraception

11. Drugs in Pregnancy

12. Drugs in Breastfeeding

13. Paediatrics

14. Psychiatry

15. Palliative Care

16. Complementary and Alternative Medicines

17. Pharmaceutical Excipients

18. Product availability and Identification

19. Clinical Trials and Regulatory Processes

20. Substance Abuse

21. Immunisation

22. Travel Medicine

Hard copy available now, online version available exclusively to SHPA members at the shpaeCPD website: https://shpa.moodle.com.au/course/index.php?categoryid=1


The NSW SHPA Branch welcomes the following new members. We look forward to working with you in the future.

First Name(s) Surname StatusMaree Anne Paradisis Student

Claire Park Student

Claire Suzanne Hargraves Ordinary

Katrina Huynh Tran Ordinary

Kim Leanne Theobald Student

Amanda Jane Lawson Ordinary

Shauna Laird Pre-Reg

Martina Salib Student

Kerri Leigh Calverley Ordinary

Alexandra Nicole Mantzouridis Student

Jaqueline Delli-Pizzi Ordinary

Van Nguyen Student

Kait Peng Wong Ordinary

Hediyeh Vahdat Ordinary

Clare Thornbury Student

Tuong-Vi Phan Ordinary

Luong Van Anh Nguyen Pre-Reg

Bilal Aziza Student

Tu Lan Jessica Diep Ordinary

Quang Hoai Trang Betty Nguyen Student

George El-Azzi Pre-Reg

Nicole Dudley Technician

Patricia Mary Conaghan Ordinary

Matthew Baldock Student

Peta Edwards Student

Charlene Chiao-Hui Yang Ordinary

Benjamin John Roddenby Student

Beshr Ahmed Farid Ordinary

Mary Rose Casin Ordinary

Veta-Marie Peereboom Ordinary

Thuy Linh Thai Ordinary

Jillian Mary Kanck Ordinary

Caitlin Marie Taniane Pre-Reg

Mina Joseph Ordinary

Clare Louise Naughtin Student

Rebecca Jade New Ordinary

Welcome to new SHPA members


The NSW SHPA Branch welcomes the following new members. We look forward to working with you in the future.

First Name(s) Surname StatusMei Abdipranoto Ordinary

Sophia Ao Xu Pre-Reg

Jessica Lee Mehegan Ordinary

Ha-Vy Nguyen Pre-Reg

Shae Jessica Hoskin Pre-Reg

Fern Jade Beschi Ordinary

Anjana Rao Ordinary

Lauren Elise Pickering Ordinary

Adam Glen Wines Ordinary

Corinna Maher Ordinary

Evelyn Boukouvalas Student

Kaitlyn Janelle Watson Ordinary

Mindy Wang Ordinary

Susan Al Hashemi Pre-Reg

Jessica Elizabeth Hagan Ordinary

Tristen Nancy Billett Ordinary

Duncan Richard Glascott Pickup Ordinary

Anthony William Lamproglou Ordinary

Josie Ann Clarke Ordinary

Jessica O'Connor Student

Chung Eun Lee Ordinary

Sayeh Morsali Ordinary

Somnath Sakthi Sekaran Ordinary

Winnie Zhao Pre-Reg

Esther Kopp Student

Vickie Wing Ki Leung Ordinary

Bestami Kocak Ordinary

Welcome to new SHPA members

Documents

bulletin · 2017-03-24 · NSW Branch bulletin issue 1 2016 Rural Pharmacy Perspective Catherine Loneragan – Intern Pharmacist, Dubbo Base Hospital Growing up in the country, I