About this course
Released 7 July 2021
Description
This learning activity aims to update your knowledge on common respiratory tract infections and the antibiotic medicines used to treat them.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module you should be able to:
- identify the signs and symptoms of common respiratory tract infections and know which require early treatment with antibiotics to prevent long term complications
- explain the difference between the common cold, COVID-19 and influenza and describe how to manage these conditions
- describe how antibiotics do not treat infections caused by viruses and that non-medicine options can be safe and effective
- explain to clients how to take any supplied antibiotic, including duration of therapy, safe storage, likely side-effects, and when to seek further advice
- educate clients not to save antibiotics for another illness or share with other people
- describe how to prevent infections including keeping vaccinations up-to-date, and practising regular hand-washing and respiratory hygiene.
CPD accreditation
The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners has endorsed the activity with 2 CPD hours.
Endorsement period: 16/03/2023 - 20/03/2025.
About this course
Released 30 June 2021
Description
This learning activity aims to increase understanding about mental health in the context of social, emotional and cultural wellbeing.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module you should be able to:
Part 1: Social and emotional wellbeing
- Demonstrate how to incorporate social and emotional wellbeing into discussion about mental health
- Describe the signs and symptoms of anxiety and/or depression
- Explain non-medicine strategies in the context of social and emotional wellbeing, to improve mental health
- Describe the benefits of accessing family, community and health services that foster connection to culture
Part 2: Medicines
- Describe medicines commonly used to manage anxiety and depression, and when they are used
- Explain how medicines used to manage anxiety and depression work, including side effects and interactions
- Demonstrate how to explain expectations and duration of treatment, to increase adherence
- Describe the benefits of regular follow up to review non-medicine and medicine treatment for anxiety and depression
CPD accreditation
The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners has endorsed the activity with 3 CPD hours.
Endorsement period: 16/03/2023 - 20/03/2025.
About this course
Released September 2020
Description
These four modules aim to increase the confidence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners to educate patients about their asthma, their asthma medicines and devices, and how to support a person having an asthma flare-up.
These modules will help you to explain:
- asthma to patients and be familiar with the signs and symptoms of asthma
- the different medicines available and when it is appropriate to use these medicines
- the correct techniques for various asthma inhalers and spacers
- the signs of an asthma flare-up, what to do in the community and the need and elements of an asthma action plan.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module you should be able to:
Module 1 – What is asthma?
- Identify the common symptoms of asthma
- List common trigger factors for asthma
- Describe strategies to avoid certain trigger factors
Module 2 – Asthma medicines
- Discuss the difference between relievers and preventers for the management of asthma
- Describe how relievers and preventers work to manage asthma
- Explain to a patient how to use preventers (e.g. use daily even when feeling well, rinse mouth after using steroid preventers, do not use to treat an asthma flare-up)
Module 3 – Asthma devices
- List the four key steps of the preferred technique for skill demonstration
- Explain correct asthma medicine delivery device technique to a patient according to manufacturer instructions
- List the correct order of steps required to use a spacer
Module 4 – Asthma management
- Describe the need for an asthma action plan
- Identify the signs that a person is experiencing an asthma flare-up
- Understand the initial treatment in an acute asthma flare-up and know when and how to take further action
CPD accreditation
The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners has endorsed the activity with 4 CPD hours.
Endorsement period: 16/03/2023 - 20/03/2025.
About this course
Released March 2022
Description
These four modules aim to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners' knowledge about chronic pain and how to pass that knowledge on to community members.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module you should be able to:
Module 1 – Recognising chronic pain
- Describe the different types of pain including acute and chronic pain.
- Explain chronic pain in terms that community members will understand.
- Acknowledge cultural experiences of pain within the social and emotional wellbeing model.
Module 2 – How to help chronic pain
- List non-medicine treatments for managing chronic pain.
- Apply different ways to talk with and support people who are experiencing chronic pain.
- Identify local allied health services qualified to support chronic pain management.
Module 3 – Medicines and chronic pain
- Recognise common medicines used for acute and chronic pain, how they work and the risks of overuse.
- Discuss in simple terms why opioids are sometimes used for a short period to manage chronic pain.
- Explain opioid side effects and risks, tolerance and withdrawal.
- Describe why opioids are only used in the short term, and their need to be tapered gradually and stopped.
- Describe where to find further information about medicines.
CPD accreditation
The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners has endorsed the activity with 3 CPD hours.
Endorsement period: 16/03/2023 - 20/03/2025.
About this course
Released November 2022
Description
This short module will give you an understanding of hep B, hep B vaccination, and when to test and monitor a person living with hep B. It also aims to increase your knowledge and confidence in educating and supporting clients during their hep B journey.Learning outcomes
On completion of this module you should be able to:
- Identify at-risk groups that should be offered testing for hep B
- List the transmission risks for hep B virus.
- Recognise the role of vaccination in the management of hep B.
- Communicate confidently with your clients about hep B.
CPD accreditation
The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners has endorsed the activity with 0.5 CPD hours.
Endorsement period: 22/03/2023 - 20/03/2025.
About this course
Released June 2022
Description
This 15-minute module aims to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners knowledge and skills in:
- understanding the transmission risks for hepatitis C and the need for testing people for hepatitis C
- understanding that hepatitis C can be treated and cured
- communicating this knowledge with their clients.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module you should be able to:
- identify at-risk groups that should be offered testing for chronic hep C
- list the transmission risks for hep C virus
- describe the barriers and stigma related to a hep C diagnosis
- explain that medicines are available to treat and cure hep C
- communicate confidently with your clients about hep C.
CPD accreditation
The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners has endorsed the activity with 0.5 CPD hours.
Endorsement period: 10/06/2023 - 10/06/2024.
About this course
Released September 2022; Reviewed and updated January 2024
Description
These two 40-minute modules aim to increase the confidence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners to educate clients and community members about high blood pressure and how to manage it. Participants will gain knowledge about risk factors for high blood pressure, common blood pressure medicines and how they work, and learn ways to reduce the risk for developing cardiovascular complications.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module you should be able to:
Module 1 – Why and how we treat high blood pressure
- describe cardiovascular disease risk factors, including high blood pressure, to help clients understand the link between risk factors and heart attack or stroke
- explain the importance of annual health checks which include cardiovascular risk screening, to help clients understand how to manage risk
- list different high blood pressure medicines and classes of medicines and how they work, to help clients understand how to effectively manage high blood pressure and decrease their cardiovascular risk.
Module 2 – Managing high blood pressure with medicines
- describe side effects of blood pressure medicines and how to manage them
- explain the risks of blood pressure medicines interacting with other common medicines to avoid complications
- discuss how lifestyle changes including diet, exercise and adherence to medicines can help to manage high blood pressure.
CPD accreditation
The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners has endorsed the activity with 3 CPD hours.
Endorsement period: 16/03/2023 - 20/03/2025.
About this course
Released June 2021
Description
These two 30-minute modules aim to increase knowledge about the quality use of medicines (QUM) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners and community members. Participants will learn why QUM is important and how to practice QUM in clinics and community settings. The modules include information about medicines and how to read medicine labels, the safe use of medicines, identifying potential side-effects and interactions, safe storage and disposal of unused medicines.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module you should be able to:
Module 1 – QUM principles
- describe how quality use of medicines (QUM) promotes good health and raises awareness, knowledge and skills of consumers and the community
- explain what the active ingredient of a medicine is and where to find the active ingredient on medicine labels and packaging
- describe situations where medicines might be contraindicated
- list common medicine side effects and explain to clients the signs and symptoms to look out for.
Module 2 – Putting QUM into action
- describe how to improve the safe use of medicines
- explain the different parts of medicine labels for prescription-only medicines and pharmacy medicines
- describe how best to store medicines, including when travelling
- explain what to do with unwanted, unused or out-of-date medicines.
CPD accreditation
The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners has endorsed the activity with 3 CPD hours.
Endorsement period: 16/03/2023 - 20/03/2025.
About this course
Modules 1 & 2 released: May 2022; Module 3 released: Nov 2022
Description
These two 30-minute modules aim to increase your confidence to educate and support clients during their quit smoking journey. A third extension module talks about smoking for people who are pregnant and how to support them to quit smoking.
The Quit smoking modules have been developed by the Good Medicine Better Health project team in collaboration with Quit.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module you should be able to:
Module 1 – Supporting the quit smoking journey
- Explain the harms from smoking to your clients.
- Discuss the benefits of quitting smoking with your clients.
- Apply the fast, simple and effective brief advice to your clients.
Module 2 – Stop-smoking medicines
- Discuss nicotine dependence and symptoms of withdrawal with your clients.
- Describe the stop-smoking medicine options available.
- List other options available to help those wishing to quit smoking.
Module 3 – Smoking and pregnancy
- Explain the harms of smoking in pregnancy to your clients.
- Discuss the benefits of quitting smoking when pregnant with your clients.
- Describe the different stop-smoking medicines available for people who are pregnant.
CPD accreditation
The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners has endorsed the activity with 1.5 CPD hours.
Endorsement period: 10/06/2023 - 10/06/2024.
About this course
Released October 2022; Reviewed and updated January 2024
Description
This 40-minute module aims to increase the confidence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners to educate clients and community members on how to manage their type 2 diabetes, including lifestyle changes and use of medicines to reduce the risk of developing complications.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module you should be able to:
- explain the importance of regular health checks, including screening for diabetes and cardiovascular disease
- describe type 2 diabetes risk factors and symptoms to help clients understand how diabetes affects the body
- talk with your clients about long-term complications of diabetes and how to avoid them
- describe common type 2 diabetes medicines and how they work
- discuss the lifestyle changes your clients and community members can make to help manage their diabetes.
CPD accreditation
The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners has endorsed the activity with 1.5 CPD hours.
Endorsement period: 16/03/2023 - 20/03/2025.