Experiential education

• Attendance is required: You must attend all sessions, including orientation and debriefing/mid-rotation meetings, to pass the program.
• Be punctual: Stick to the schedule arranged with your preceptor.
• Unavoidable absences: If you need to be away (e.g., for a job interview), discuss and get approval from both your preceptor and the experiential education coordinator in advance.
• Excused absences: These include legitimate illness, family emergencies, or sanctioned College events. Any other reasons for missing your rotation will be considered unapproved unless you have prior approval.
• Make-up requirements: You’ll need to make up any missed time, whether excused or not. The experiential program coordinator will decide how this is managed.
• Weather conditions: In case of bad weather, contact your preceptor to check if you need to report to the site.
• Other courses: You cannot take other courses or attend classes during your experiential rotations, including Professional Development Week, without prior approval from the experiential program coordinator.

• Coverage: While working in the field as part of your program, you’re generally covered for injuries under the Workers Compensation Act (Manitoba).
• Out-of-province placements: If you’re doing a practicum outside Manitoba and are not a Manitoba resident, coverage might not extend. Contact the experiential program coordinator to discuss alternative arrangements.

Required forms: Before starting any placement at a Winnipeg Regional Health Authority facility, you need to read and sign a practicum agreement form and a student declaration for self-screening for COVID-19. You’ll receive these forms before your start date.

Access to materials: All materials you need for your rotation will be available in CORE ELMS before your placement starts.

Timing: If you plan to do your internship outside Manitoba, you may need to wait until your graduation has been ratified. For more details, speak with the experiential program coordinator.

• Accompany the healthcare provider during appointments
• Offer recommendations, answer questions and provide patient education as necessary

• Collaborate with patients to develop a plan for better medication adherence
• Recommend strategies such as bubble packaging, compliance aids and proper timing of medications

• Evaluate medication therapy through a pharmacotherapy assessment
• Update medication lists, including the most accurate medication history
• Assess the ongoing need, effectiveness and safety of all medications based on current evidence and guidelines
• Identify issues with drug therapy, such as interactions, side effects, polypharmacy and necessary adjustments for age or kidney function
• Provide recommendations following best practices to optimize medication therapy
• Make therapeutic suggestions, including changes in medication or formulation, dose adjustments, deprescribing and monitoring
• Collaborate with the healthcare team and involve the patient/caregiver in creating a comprehensive care plan
• Institute the plan, including monitoring and follow-up

Good candidates for a medication review include those who:

• Are elderly
• Take 10 or more medications (polypharmacy)
• Have multiple chronic conditions
• Have renal or hepatic dysfunction
• Take high alert medications such as opioids, benzodiazepines, anticoagulants and antiepileptics
• Have concerns about medication adherence or cost
• Have difficulty swallowing or require crushed medications
• Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant

• Answer medication-related inquiries
• Provide information on dosage and adjustments
• Assist with questions about medication cost and coverage
• Address inquiries about side effects
• Provide guidance on medication forms and how to take them
• Offer information on drug interactions

• Review immunization history
• Provide recommendations for necessary immunizations
• Administer immunizations as needed

• Review laboratory results
• Provide drug and dose recommendations
• Communicate recommendations to the patient, caregiver and community pharmacy as necessary, particularly for drug levels (eg, phenytoin, VPA, carbamazepine, lithium, etc.)

• Review and update medication lists in the patient's electronic medical record (EMR) for new patients
• Reconcile medications after hospital discharge or during care transitions

• Conduct follow-up with patients, particularly after starting or changing medications

• Conduct educational sessions for individuals or groups, focusing on chronic diseases, new evidence, trials, treatments or tool creation

• Screen individuals for smoking habits
• Perform assessments related to smoking cessation
• Provide counseling to support smoking cessation efforts
• Prescribe appropriate medications for smoking cessation
• Offer follow-up care and support to track progress