NURS120 Drug Calculations and their Implications

Department of Health, Physical Education & Nursing: Nursing

  1. Course Number and Title

    NURS120 Drug Calculations and their Implications

  2. Number of Credits

    1 credit

  3. Minimum Number of Instructional Minutes Per Semester

    750 minutes

  4. Prerequisites

    Nursing major, RN, or LPN license. Elective.

    Corequisites

    None

  5. Other Pertinent Information

    None

  6. Catalog Course Description

    This course is designed for nursing students and for nurses returning to practice. Drug calculations, intravenous solutions, and their implications will be covered.

  7. Required Course Content and Direction

    1. Learning Goals:

      At the end of the course, the student will be able to: Calculate specific drug problems at an 80% proficiency. Apply the metric and apothecary systems. Use specific abbreviations to calculate drug problems. Analyze data relevant to administering safe dosages.

    2. Planned Sequence of Topics and/or Learning Activities:

      1. continuous and intermittent intravenous rates.
      2. mixing medications, infusion rates, and calculations based on milligrams/ldlogram of body weight/hour micrograms/kilogram of body weight/mmute milligrams per body surface area using nomograms.
      3. calculating caloric content of Total Parenteral Nutrition, oral and enteral feedings.
      4. calculations related to blood products.
      5. following protocols for drug calculations.
      6. evaluating and analyzing the implications of the drug and administration.
      7. reviewing "steady state" and "half life" of medications that dosage calculations are required.

    3. Assessment Methods for Core Learning Goals:

    4. Reference, Resource, or Learning Materials to be used by Students:

      The current textbook is listed in the course format. Procedure and protocol guidelines from health care facilities will be distributed with permission of the facility.

  8. Teaching Methods Employed

    Interactive lecture and home activity worksheets.

Review/Approval Date - 2/99