WCGH People Development Centre Online School

This course covers the following content:

1. Rational prescription of emergency management

• Prescribe rationally following the assess, advise and treat approach in PACK
• Essential elements of a prescription:
  • The basics
  • Facility details
  • Client details
  • Medication details
  • Prescriber details

2. Prevent STIs 

PART 1: Prevent HIV

• Definitions and key points
• Exposure to infectious fluids
• The stepwise approach to providing HIV PEP, according to PACK
  • Step 1: Give exposed client immediate attention
  • Step 2: Assess client's need for HIV PEP and give immediately if ≤ 72 hours since exposure
    • First choice regimen: tenofovir 300mg + lamivudine 300mg + dolutegravir 50mg
    • Contraindications
    • Side effects
    • Medication interactions
    • Special considerations
  • Step 3: Take blood from exposed client
  • Step 4: Take blood from source, if possible and source consents
  • Step 5: Give hepatitis B PEP if needed 
  • Step 6: Continue to assess and manage the client

PART 2: Prevent hepatitis and other STIs

• Prevent hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis prevalence in SA
  • General information
  • Hepatitis immunity and investigations
  • Hepatitis vaccine
    • Contraindications
    • When and how to give
    • Side effects
  • Hepatitis immunoglobin
  • Follow up
• Prevent other STIs
  • Empirical prophylaxis regimen for other STIs
  • When to give and contraindications
  • Drug information: ceftriaxone, azithromycin and metronidazole
  • Side effects
  • Syphilis

3. Prevent pregnancy

• What is emergency contraception?
• What is the emergency contraception pill (ECP)
  • When to give
  • Contraindications
  • Efficacy
  • Generic name and instructions
  • Assess if a double dose is needed
  • Side effects
  • When to review

4. Prevent tetanus

• General information
• Tetanus vaccine
  • When to give
  • How to give
• Activity: fill in prescriptions based on case examples