Interactions: Learning outcomes
‹ BACK TO INTRODUCTION
After completing this tutorial, you will be able to:
- Describe common mechanisms by which drugs interact.
- Adopt a practical approach to identifying, managing, and monitoring interactions.
- Talk to patients about drug interactions.
You can download a PDF of the whole tutorial (without interactive elements such as the Learning Exercises) and a one-page summary of key points.

Competencies
This tutorial is aimed at hospital trainee pharmacists, and will help you achieve GPhC learning outcomes such as these:- LO 5 Proactively support people to make safe and effective use of their medicines and devices
- LO 12 Take an all-inclusive approach to ensure the most appropriate course of action based on clinical, legal and professional considerations
- LO 16 Apply professional judgement in all circumstances, taking legal and ethical reasoning into account
- LO 27 Take responsibility for the legal, safe and efficient supply, [prescribing] and administration of medicines
- LO 29 Apply the principles of clinical therapeutics, pharmacology and genomics to make effective use of medicines for people [including in their prescribing practice]
- LO 30 Appraise the evidence base and apply clinical reasoning and professional judgement to make safe and logical decisions which minimise risk and optimise outcomes for the person
- LO 34 Apply the principles of effective monitoring and management to improve health outcomes
- LO 48 Actively take part in the management of risks and consider the impacts on people
If you are a foundation pharmacist, this tutorial may help you meet competencies from the RPS framework including:
- 1.4 Selection of the medicine (medicine-medicine, medicine-patient, medicine-disease interactions)
- 1.7 Monitoring medicine therapy
- 3.2 Knowledge (drug interactions)
- 3.3 Analysing information
- 3.4 Providing information
Continuing professional development
Finally, here are some CPD activities you could consider:

★ Write up an account of an interaction that you managed in practice and present it as a case study at your work journal club, or as part of your diploma. Highlight how your intervention had an impact on patient care.
★ Sit down with a pharmacist colleague to discuss an interaction that you prevented or managed on your ward. Did your colleague agree with your approach? What did you learn from sharing your experiences?
★ Are there any aspects of this topic that make you feel uncertain, or where you know you need a better understanding? If so, then find a relevant review to read, and write up what you learn as a CPD exercise.