NURS121 Pharmacology in Nursing

Department of Health, Physical Education & Nursing: Nursing

  1. Course Number and Title

    NURS121 Pharmacology in Nursing

  2. Number of Credits

    3 credits

  3. Minimum Number of Instructional Minutes Per Semester

    2250 minutes

  4. Prerequisites

    NURS101 with a grade of C, RN or LPN license. Elective.

    Corequisites

    None

  5. Other Pertinent Information

    None

  6. Catalog Course Description

    This course will discuss commonly used medications and their nursing implications. Related issues in gerontology, pediatrics, ethical concerns, and legal implications will be integrated throughout the course.

  7. Required Course Content and Direction

    1. Learning Goals:

      The student will be able to: integrate drug knowledge into nursing practice, evaluate a patient's status in relationship to drug therapy, discuss issues related to drug therapy, and understand the use/misuse of drugs.

      The student will be able to describe the: "The steady state" process of evaluating prescription drugs for safety, delivery process for drugs in the hospital, process of absorption, bio-availability, distribution, half life, and excretion of drugs in the body, legal and ethical issues regarding narcotic control and aeration of medications, role of the professional nurse in the administration of drugs (including responsibility, accountability, and attitudes).

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

      1. Principles of pharmacology
      2. Pharmacoldnetics throughout the life-span
      3. Drugs affecting the respiratory and endocrine system
      4. Drugs used for pain relief
      5. Drugs affecting the central nervous system
      6. Drugs used in mental health disorders
      7. Drugs affecting the autonomic nervous system
      8. Drugs affecting the blood and cardiovascular system
      9. Anti-infectives
      10. Drugs affecting the urinary system
      11. Basic chemotherapy agents
      12. Dermatology preparations
      13. Reproductive hormones
      14. Substance abuse and the impaired nurses

    3. Assessment Methods for Core Learning Goals:

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

      Current textbooks are listed on the student reference list in the Course Format. All listed texts are on reserve in the library. Interactive videos are in the college library. Video cassettes are available for viewing in the college laboratory.

  8. Teaching Methods Employed

    Interactive lecture, videos

Review/Approval Date - 2/99