Anticholinergic Burden – Pharmacist CPD Bundle

Pharmacists can now obtain additional CPD points by completing one of the three CPD bundle activities.

Target audience: Pharmacists

Cost: Free

CPD points: Self-recorded. This activity can be self-recorded as Group 3 CPD activity if you meet the Australian Pharmacy Council requirements. The activity duration will vary depending on the pharmacist and their practice. NPS MedicineWise recommends pharmacists allow 2–3 hours per activity.

These activities can only be commenced on completion of the clinical case study Anticholinergic burden: Reducing the impact on older people. Choose one of the three options below.

Privacy: NPS MedicineWise will not collect patient names or any of the data that you enter. The documents provided in each of these activities are designed to be downloaded and saved onto your own computer. It is your responsibility to keep these documents for your record keeping.

How to self-record these activities?

This activity may be self-recorded as Group 3 CPD points if you meet the following criteria as per the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC).

The council have defined Group 3 activities as

• “Activities where an assessment of existing practice (as an individual or within a pharmacy practice), and the needs and barriers to changes in this practice are undertaken prior to the development of a particular activity.
• For example, you may deliver a presentation or training to your staff or write and publish a journal article.
• You could reflect on how a service or process is delivered, undertake related training, implement changes to your practice, and then document how the training helped you change or improve your practice.
• Pre- and post-activity self-reflection is essential for Group 3 CPD activities.”

The Pharmacy Board of Australia Guidelines on CPD state that records of participation in CPD activities must include: 

• date of activity 
• source or provider details 
• type of activity 
• topics covered during activity 
• accreditation status 
• CPD credits. 

Records should be maintained for at least 3 years. The completion certificate can be used to support your records. 

About

Older people on multiple medicines are at greater risk from cumulative anticholinergic burden. This occurs when the anticholinergic effects of individual medicines add together to produce unintentional consequences.

Some of the adverse events of this anticholinergic burden, such as dry mouth and constipation, impact on quality of life. But others, particularly dizziness and falls, can be far more serious. Exposure to high anticholinergic and sedative burden has been associated with a 60% increase in fall-related hospitalisations.

You will be required to:

• complete the clinical case study Anticholinergic burden: Reducing the impact on older people
• complete one of the activities below
• complete an evaluation survey.

Clinical resources and tools

The NPS MedicineWise clinical case study Anticholinergic burden: Reducing the impact on older people provides the foundation for these activities.