Introduction
One of the major challenges in the healthcare system is the burden of managing chronic diseases. Chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes and high blood pressure are on the rise and account for almost half of the deaths in South Africa. The management and treatment of people with chronic conditions is a huge cost to the healthcare system.
The Department of Health is responding to the growth in non-communicable diseases through policies, strategies, legislation, guidelines and programmes. Health services focus on developing and sustaining the ‘ideal’ Community Health Centre (CHC) and primary healthcare (PHC) by applying the Integrated Clinical Services Management (ICSM) model. This model delivers integrated care to patients with chronic diseases by simplifying patient management. Adult Primary Care (APC) is the guide used to manage chronic conditions in adults. Treatment guides in APC are compliant with national standard treatment guidelines for primary healthcare facilities.
Course Description
This course is a symptom-based integrated clinical management tool using a series of algorithms and checklists. APC is intended to guide the management of common symptoms and chronic conditions in adults. APC is developed using the approved clinical policies and guidelines issued by the National Department of Health. It is reviewed periodically and aligned with the Department’s clinical policies and guidelines. Adult Primary Care empowers healthcare workers to manage common symptoms and conditions using a symptom-based integrated clinical approach.
Target Audience
Healthcare workers at the primary care level that are selected as facility trainers.
learning outcomes
After completing the course, you will be able to:
- Treat patients with empathy, dignity and respect.
- Document the history, physical examination findings, assessment and the patient management plan in the patient record.
- Identify signs and symptoms of patients needing urgent next level care at other health facilities.
- Obtain a comprehensive history of patients, including screening for comorbidities and mental health screening.
- Perform a complete and problem-focused physical examination of a patient.
- Demonstrate the ability to synthesise findings from the history and physical examination of the patient to diagnose and assess physical and mental health symptoms and chronic conditions.
- Provide the correct treatment and management plan for common physical and mental health symptoms and chronic conditions using national guidelines.
- Manage adverse effects and drug interactions of medications, including appropriate referral and pharmacovigilance reporting.
- Integrate the management of common symptoms and chronic conditions.
- Provide psychosocial support and condition-specific patient health management education.
- Provide general health promotion education, including education and counselling on substance abuse, smoking and safe sex practices to all patients.
Course Content
The key themes/topics that the course will cover:
- General health
- Emergencies
- Symptom management
- Health promotion
- Chronic conditions
- Women’s Health
- Mental health
- Palliative Care
- Rational drug prescribing
Admission
Professional nurses with relevant practical experience.
Training Delivery
The course will be delivered through blended learning and contact at the work-site.
Requirements
Students must have access to computers and the internet.
Duration
The duration of the course is:
- Theory 5 days
- Work-based learning (24 clinical cases must be completed)
Assessments
Learners are required to complete a work-based assignment in the form of a Portfolio of Evidence within three months post-training.
Award
A Health Systems Trust Certificate of Completion will be given to participants who attend the course and successfully complete the assessment process.
Fees
The course fees vary, based on the number of enrolments by an organisation for the short course. A quotation per student will be given by the Course Co-ordinator, Cassius Semaushu at Cassius.Semaushu@hst.org.za. Course fees must be paid in full prior to the course start date.
Please contact the Course Co-ordinator for more information on the programme: Code: CLI01
Cassius Semaushu, E: Cassius.Semaushu@hst.org.za • T: +27 (0)11 312 4524