Recommended Background
An undergraduate degree in a health field and/or experience working with older people.
University Entrance (or equivalent) required for admission.
Duration
12 Weeks
Next Start Dates
- 3 March 2025 (Semester One)
- 21 July 2025 (Semester Two)
Applications close one week before the course starts. Apply early to secure your spot.
Domestic Fees
$2,723 (estimate)*
Course Overview
In today’s healthcare landscape, the growing ageing population presents new challenges, particularly in managing multimorbidity and complexity related to medication use in older adults. Our new online course: Multimorbidity and Complexity of Medicines Use in Older People, is designed to equip health and allied health professionals with the expertise needed to navigate these complexities. This course offers an essential opportunity for practitioners to develop the skills required to provide safe, effective care for older adults.
As a working healthcare professional, you understand that older adults often face a range of health conditions that require careful, nuanced management of multiple medications. Designed with an emphasis on interprofessional care, this course will advance your practice if you are a medical practitioner, nurse, pharmacist, allied health professional, health service manager or other experienced health care worker providing care to older people.
Through a patient-centred and evidence-based approach, you will develop the skills required to review complex cases where patients have several chronic conditions to guide the optimisation of medicines use and improve outcomes.
While not a prerequisite, this course builds on the Medicines Optimisation in Older People micro-credential. It is ideal for practitioners seeking advanced knowledge and skills across major domains of medicine use, including relevant new medicines, in the context of older adults.
This course empowers you to:
- Identify the risks of inappropriate medicine use, safeguarding older adults from potential medication-related harm.
- Analyse the complexity of medication management in the face of polypharmacy, multimorbidity, and frailty.
- Balance the benefits and harms of medicines, ensuring optimal health outcomes for both robust and frail older adults.
- Evaluate medication trends and assess how ageing populations impact healthcare delivery.
- Apply the principles of deprescribing based on the latest evidence.
Upon completion, learners who wish to progress their studies further towards a formal qualification may count this course towards a range of postgraduate programmes, including the Masters, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences and the Master of Nursing.
Fortnightly Module |
Description |
| Perspectives of medication use and multimorbidity in older people | This module considers the ageing demographic, increased longevity and the impact of ageing on medication use in the context of multimorbidity and complexity. It outlines polypharmacy, deprescribing, appropriate medication use, multimorbidity and complexity, and benefits and harms associated with medication use. |
| Medicine response and medicines related harm in older people | This module addresses how the ageing process impacts response to medications including pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. It considers how the balance of benefits and harms may change with ageing and frailty including susceptibility to adverse drug events (ADEs), adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and interactions. |
|
Optimisation of medicines for mental health, neurological conditions and pain |
This module focuses on mental health and neurological conditions, and the drugs commonly used to treat older people with those conditions. Depression, anxiety, dementia with BPSD, psychosis, Parkinsons disease, and pain are covered along with antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, anti-parkinsonian drugs, and pain medications across several classes. |
| Optimisation of medicines for cardiovascular conditions | This module addresses the optimisation of medicines use for cardiovascular conditions and the management of cardiovascular risk, including hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, CHD, stroke management and atrial fibrillation and the use of antithrombotic and antiplatelet medicines. |
| Optimisation of medicines for endocrine and musculoskeletal conditions |
The main areas covered in this module are Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and musculoskeletal conditions, particularly osteoarthritis and associated pain. These are common chronic conditions in older people and frequently co-exist with other chronic diseases. |
| Managing complexity of medicines use and multimorbidity in older people |
This module is focussed on applying the learning outcomes and principles in modules 1 to 5 through the extensive use of complex cases where options to simplify, optimise and rationalise medicines use are explored. There is an emphasis on prioritisation of health outcomes and a patient centred, interprofessional approach. |
Learners who complete this course will be able to:
- Describe the factors contributing to the increased risk of inappropriate medication use and medication-related harm in older adults.
- Explain how polypharmacy, multimorbidity, and frailty contribute to the complexity of medication management in older populations.
- Assess the implications of the increasing older population and the corresponding rise in medication use, focusing on the challenges this presents for healthcare providers.
- Critically evaluate the challenges of balancing the benefits and harms of medications as individuals age, considering the unique physiological changes associated with aging.
- Evaluate the risks and benefits associated with major domains of medicine use, including psychotropic and centrally acting medicines, cardiovascular medicines, endocrine medicines, musculoskeletal medicines, and relevant new medicines in the context of older adults.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will:
- be awarded with 30 credit points from the University of Auckland
- have the option to take your credit into the Master of Health Sciences, Master of Nursing, or other related postgraduate programmes.
- For practising nurses looking for Continuing Professional Development (CPD), this course will provide 300 hours of learning.
*Fees are inclusive of 15% GST, but do not include the Student Services Fee, course books, travel and health insurance, or living costs. Amounts shown are indicative only. In addition to the tuition fee, there is a Student Services Fee of $4.44 per point (online). Fees will be confirmed upon completion of enrolment into courses.
This course empowers you to:
- Identify the risks of inappropriate medicine use, safeguarding older adults from potential medication-related harm.
- Analyse the complexity of medication management in the face of polypharmacy, multimorbidity, and frailty.
- Balance the benefits and harms of medicines, ensuring optimal health outcomes for both robust and frail older adults.
- Evaluate medication trends and assess how ageing populations impact healthcare delivery.
- Apply the principles of deprescribing based on the latest evidence.
Upon completion, learners who wish to progress their studies further towards a formal qualification may count this course towards a range of postgraduate programmes, including the Masters, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences and the Master of Nursing.
| Module & Description | |
|
Perspectives of medication use and multimorbidity in older people This module considers the ageing demographic, increased longevity and the impact of ageing on medication use in the context of multimorbidity and complexity. It outlines polypharmacy, deprescribing, appropriate medication use, multimorbidity and complexity, and benefits and harms associated with medication use. |
|
|
Medicine response and medicines related harm in older people This module addresses how the ageing process impacts response to medications including pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. It considers how the balance of benefits and harms may change with ageing and frailty including susceptibility to adverse drug events (ADEs), adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and interactions. |
|
|
Optimisation of medicines for mental health, neurological conditions and pain This module focuses on mental health and neurological conditions, and the drugs commonly used to treat older people with those conditions. Depression, anxiety, dementia with BPSD, psychosis, Parkinsons disease, and pain are covered along with antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, anti-parkinsonian drugs, and pain medications across several classes. |
|
|
Optimisation of medicines for cardiovascular conditions This module addresses the optimisation of medicines use for cardiovascular conditions and the management of cardiovascular risk, including hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, CHD, stroke management and atrial fibrillation and the use of antithrombotic and antiplatelet medicines. |
|
|
Optimisation of medicines for endocrine and musculoskeletal conditions The main areas covered in this module are Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and musculoskeletal conditions, particularly osteoarthritis and associated pain. These are common chronic conditions in older people and frequently co-exist with other chronic diseases. |
|
|
Managing complexity of medicines use and multimorbidity in older people This module is focussed on applying the learning outcomes and principles in modules 1 to 5 through the extensive use of complex cases where options to simplify, optimise and rationalise medicines use are explored. There is an emphasis on prioritisation of health outcomes and a patient centred, interprofessional approach. |
Frequently asked questions about this course
Application FAQs
What are the entry requirements?
This course is designed for working professionals. To be admitted you must meet the requirements to study at a New Zealand University (e.g. through University Entrance or an alternative entrance pathway).
Only available to NZ citizens and permanent residents over 20 years old.
What is the date for the next intake?
The next start date for this course is 3 March 2025. Enrolment closes one week before the course starts. Enrol early to secure your spot.
Is the course fee a one-off lump sum?
Yes, the course fee is a one-off sum of $2,723 for domestic students.
Is this course open to non-resident students?
No. Currently University of Auckland Online Certificates of Proficiency are only open to NZ citizens and permanent residents.
Studying FAQs
Can I study the course in my own time? Is it suitable for those working full-time?
Yes. You can study at a time that suits you (within the allocated course dates). University of Auckland Online courses are designed for working professionals. They are flexible yet structured to help you gain the knowledge in the time you have.
How is the course structured?
The course will run over 12 weeks and will comprise 6 fortnightly modules. Further details on the course structure can be found under the ‘Course Structure’ tab further up on this page.
Assessment FAQs
How will I be assessed?
Learners will be assessed through a combination of activities that address the learning objectives from each of the modules in the course. These will comprise individual case studies and assignments.
Benefits FAQs
What is a Certificate of Proficiency (CoP)?
A Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) is a course-only study option that allows you to take a course at the University of Auckland, without studying a full programme. It is a good option for those who want to study short-term or to test whether a subject is something they wish to pursue more of in the future.
Does the course enable me to take further study at the University?
If you decide to progress your studies further towards a full qualification, you can apply to reassign the points from your CoP towards a range of postgraduate programmes, including the Masters, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences and the Master of Nursing. (entry criteria and time limits apply).
How many course credits will I attain upon completion of the course?
Upon completion of the course, you will be awarded with 30 credit points from the University of Auckland.
Do I get a certificate at the end?
As a Certificate of Proficiency is not a formal qualification, you will not be able to graduate with it or receive a graduation certificate. Your results will be recorded on your official academic transcript, providing evidence of your study.
Start Your University Application
Before we transfer you to the University of Auckland application portal to start your application, we would like to capture a few details.
These details enable us to provide you with ongoing information about this course, including exciting updates or any upcoming webinars. Our advisors may also contact you to see if you require any personalised advice to guide you through the application process.
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