LEARNING OUTCOME:
Critical Case Study Assignment (2000 words)
You are required to submit one 2000 word critical analysis based upon a case study from clinical practice.
An independent prescribing episode (for professions which support independent prescribing) and should be supported by an FP-10 prescription in the practice assessment document (PAD).
Case Study (pro-forma)
Please describe the case study using the pro-forma section of the essay template form. You must complete all sections to demonstrate that you have addressed all key safety issues. This case study information will support your 2000 word critical analysis.
General Format
• This essay should consist of a case study of a patient or client you have cared for in your practice placement.
• The limit for the critical analysis is 2000 words (not including the consultation notes section, in-text citations and reference list). Word counts higher than this may be penalised.
• Do not include any in-text objects such as text boxes, figures, tables or images.
• You may use 1 or 2 additional appendices for supportive material, such as an assessment tool or a trust protocol (fully anonymized) that is essential and not accessible to the general public or a simple table. It is not acceptable to use the appendix for academic analysis.
Critical Analysis
In this part you need to discuss the consultation and your rationale for your prescribing decisions.
• This is not a reflection or narrative essay. It must be written as an academic, critical analysis; citing evidence from appropriate sources.
Academic Analysis
Level 7 requires a deeper analysis than level 6, with a wider range of reading, a more extensive critique of the data and a detailed synthesis of the evidence. This should also offer a more comprehensive integration with the case study and insights into innovation for future clinical practice. Evidence should include national guidelines (UK), recent expert reviews, primary research and systematic reviews.
Analyse your consultation of the patient
• Discuss the consultation process and critically analyse the frameworks that influenced your approach.
• If you used a consultation model:
o How did this assist you in undertaking a comprehensive consultation/assessment; making an informed diagnosis and selecting the appropriate treatment.
o Make sure this is relevant to this episode, for example how developing rapport and establishing trust improved concordance.
o This should not be a description of how you applied the process or a generic overview of consultation models.
• What factors have influenced your prescribing decision; for example, psychological issues; socioeconomic status; education; concordance etc.
• Indicate which learning outcomes this addressed (e.g. LO1, LO2).
• Look at the Prescribing Competency Framework elements 1-3 for ideas.
Analyse the pharmacology of the drug(s) you prescribed
• Avoid repeating the basic generic information from section 1 and make sure that it is relevant to the episode.
• Discuss the pharmacodynamics of the medication that you prescribed, and analyse how this relates to the pathophysiology of the condition that you treated.
• Only discuss the pharmacokinetics for the prescribed drug(s) if this is relevant to your prescribing decision.
• Discuss why the drug(s) you prescribed was appropriate for this patient and this condition.
• You must consider the influence of recent clinical trials on guidelines and/or local policy and critically evaluate how this has influenced your prescribing decision.
• Consider how this relates to your own area of practice and how recent evidence may contradict local and national guidelines.
• Look at Prescribing Competency Framework elements 4-6 for ideas.
Analyse the clinical governance that underpinned your prescribing decision
• Consider the legal, ethical and professional frameworks which support your practice
• Consider the impact your consultation and prescribing decision has had on the patient. For example, how might autonomy and beneficence relate to the issues of concordance and compliance?
• Discuss the impact of your professional role within the context of this prescribing episode.
• Consider how this episode relates to your specific practice area and how this could be developed for the future.
• Do not include a generic analysis of legal/ethical issues. This must be relevant to the episode.
• Look at Prescribing Competency Framework elements 7-10 for ideas.
Discuss the consultation process and critically analyse the frameworks that influenced your approach.
