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To begin your preparation in an informed
and organized manner, you should know what to expect from the actual
examination in terms of the content. The content outline will
give you a general impression of the examination and can give you
specific study direction by revealing the relative importance given
to each category on the examination.
PATIENT SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES (56 items, 40%)
A. Collect and Evaluate Patient-Specific Information (8 items)
- Interpret and apply knowledge of the following to the provision of pharmaceutical care for senior adults:
- patterns of medication use
- causes of morbidity and mortality
- Assess and apply understanding of the following issues to the provision of pharmaceutical care for senior adults:
- continuum of care
- wellness and health promotion
- end of life issues (advance directives, treatment issues, quality of life choices)
- ethical issues
- physiological changes that accompany aging (e.g., sensory, body composition, organ system function, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes)
- results of standardized assessment tools (MMSE, GDS, etc.)
- Evaluate the social aspects of aging in the provision of pharmaceutical care for senior adults related to the following:
- economic issues
- availability of community based services (referrals and triage)
- role of caregiver
- cultural
- Communicate with senior patients, their caregivers and healthcare professionals:
- ecognize communication barriers including age-related sensory and cognitive impairments, illiteracy, and language and cultural differences
- Apply strategies to overcome communication barriers
- Apply privacy and confidentiality principles
- Ensure patient understanding of prescribed therapy
- Interpret and monitor laboratory results and procedures for the senior patient
- Recognize and assess:
- altered disease state presentations in seniors
- altered psychological status in seniors
- Identify and assess compliance/adherence issues affecting potential treatment plans (e.g., memory loss, sensory changes, hearing, cognition, patient beliefs, economics, and learning disabilities)
- Obtain and evaluate:
- an accurate drug history including over the counter and alternative/complementary medications
- relevant physical assessment information
- past medical history
- Apply principles of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes associated with aging to the design of the pharmacotherapy regimen
B. Identify, Resolve and Prevent Medication Therapy – Related Problems (12 items)
- Untreated or under-treated conditions
- Improper drug selection
- Subtherapeutic or Supratherapeutic dosage
- Monitor patient's compliance/adherence with medications and apply strategies to educate the patient and/or caregiver, and encourage compliance/adherence with therapy
- Adverse drug events
- Drug interactions
- Drug use without indication
- Treatment failures
C. Determine Patient's Pharmaceutical and Related Health Care Needs and Integrate into Care Plan (6 items)
D. Select Drug Therapy Goals which Focus on Function and Quality of Life (8 items)
E. Design and Implement a Therapeutic Regimen in Collaboration with the Patient and Other Health Care Professionals (10 items)
- Apply concept of risk: benefit for each drug
- Recommend non-prescription drugs
- Educate on therapy options (e.g., generics, alternative therapies, nondrug therapies, formulary options)
- Educate on medication-related problems (e.g., side effects of medication, drug interactions)
- Recognize need for referral to specialized healthcare provider for further evaluation/treatment
F. Patient Monitoring Plan (12 items)
- Design plan to monitor for safety, effectiveness and achievement of therapeutic goals
- Implement plan
- Evaluate its effects on quality of life issues
- Document steps and outcomes of pharmaceutical care plan
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