International Institute For Health Care Professionals, Inc.
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Title: Pharmacology and the Nursing Process Course Syllabus
Course Number: NUR
Course Length: 60-lecture hrs
Credit Hours: 3-semester credits
Course Length: 12- weeks
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor: Professor Christene Johnson RN MSN
Phone: 863-840-3260
E-mail:
Start Date: 09/ 21/15
End Date: On about 12/18/15
Class: online
This course is designed to equip the professional nursing student with knowledge and skills to safely administer drugs in various healthcare settings according to their legal scope of practice in preparation for entry level employment in the healthcare industry in various employment settings. The course includes theory, lab and clinical applications designed to assist the student in acquiring proficient skills to implement according to evidenced-based practice.
On completion of this course the student will be able to
1. Discuss the role of the nursing process as it related to the legal and ethical principles of medication administration.
2. Identify the role of the registered nurse and the laws that govern their administration of medication.
3. Discuss their scope of practice as mandated by the Florida Board of Nursing for the administration of medication by the registered nurse.
4. Identify classifications of medications and their major side effects.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of safe practice in administering medications.
6. Recognize side effects of drugs commonly administered in healthcare.
Textbook & References
1. Pharmacology and the Nursing Process
7th Edition
Julie Synder; Linda Lilley; Shelly Rainforth Collins
ISBN: 9781455748778
Copyright 2014
Mosby
2. Florida Board of Nursing: Nurse Practice Act
The professional student is expected to read the textbook, complete workbook assignments; complete all homework assignments, and come to class prepared to discuss, explain and demonstrate knowledge through application of skills and pass all evaluations exam as administered,
Course Outline
Unit 1- The Nursing Process and Pharmacological Principles
On completion of this unit of study the student will be able to
1. List the five phases of the nursing process.
2. Identify the components of the assessment process for patients receiving medications, including collection and analysis of subjective and objective data.
3. Discuss the process of formulating nursing diagnoses for patients receiving medications.
4. Identify goals and outcome criteria for patients receiving medications.
5. Discuss the evaluation process as it relates to the administration of medications and as reflected by goals and outcome criteria.
6. Develop a nursing care plan that is based on the nursing process as it relates to medication administration.
7. Briefly discuss the steps (Rights) associated with safe medication administration.
8. Discuss the professional responsibility and standards of practice for the professional nurse as related to the medication administration process.
9. Understand the general concepts such as pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics and their application in drug therapy and the nursing process.
10. Demonstrate an understanding of the various drug dosage forms as related to drug therapy and the nursing process.
11. Discuss the relevance of the four aspects of pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) to professional nursing practice as related to drug therapy for a variety of patients and health care settings.
12. Discuss the use of natural drug sources in the development of new drugs.
13. Develop a nursing care plan that takes into account general pharmacologic principles, specifically pharmacokinetic principles, as they relate to the nursing process.
14. Discuss the importance of patient education in the safe and efficient administration of drugs (e.g., prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, herbal preparations, dietary supplements).
15. Summarize the various teaching and learning principles appropriate to patient education and drug therapy across the lifespan as applicable to any health care setting.
16. Identify the impact of the various developmental phases (as described by Erikson) on patient education as it relates to drug therapy and the nursing process.
17. Develop a complete patient teaching plan as part of a comprehensive nursing care plan for drug therapy and the nursing process for the adult patient.
Textbook Pharmacology and the Nursing Process; 7th Edition
Chapters 1, 2, & 6
Florida Board of Nursing: Nurse Practice Act- (Access FBON web site and print copy of Nurse Practice act for class discussion)
Unit 2- Pharmacology Principles and Practices Across Cultures and Life Spans Situations
On completion of this unit of study the student will be able to
1. Discuss the influences of the patient’s age on the effects of drugs and drug responses.
2. Identify drug-related concerns during pregnancy and lactation and provide an explanation of the physiologic basis for these concerns.
3. Summarize the impact of age-related physiologic changes on the pharmacokinetic aspects of drug therapy.
4. Explain how these age-related changes in drug pharmacokinetics influence various drug effects and drug responses across the lifespan.
5. Provide several examples of how age affects the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs.
6. Calculate a drug dose for a pediatric patient using the various formulas available.
7. Identify the importance of a body surface area nomogram for drug calculations in pediatric patients.
8. Develop a nursing care plan for drug therapy and the nursing process that takes into account lifespan considerations.
9. Discuss the various cultural factors that may influence an individual response to medications.
10. Identify various cultural phenomena affecting health care and use of medications.
11. List the drugs that are more commonly associated with variations in response due to cultural and racial/ethnic factors.
12. Briefly discuss the important components of drug legislation at the state and federal levels.
13. Provide examples of how drug legislation impacts drug therapy, professional nursing practice, and the nursing process.
14. Discuss the various categories of controlled substances, and give specific drug examples in each category.
15. Identify the process involved in the development of new drugs, including the investigational new drug application, the phases of investigational drug studies, and the process for obtaining informed consent.
16. Discuss the nurse role in the development of new and investigational drugs and the informed consent process.
17. Discuss the ethical principles and how they apply to pharmacology and the nursing process.
18. Identify the ethical principles involved in making an ethical decision.
19. Develop a nursing care plan that addresses the cultural, legal, and ethical care of patients with a specific focus on drug therapy and the nursing process.
20. Compare the following terms related to drug therapy in the context of professional nursing practice: adverse drug event, adverse drug reaction, allergic reaction, idiosyncratic reaction, medical error, and medication error.
21. Describe the most commonly encountered medication errors.
22. Develop a framework for professional nursing practice for prevention of medication errors.
23. Identify potential physical and emotional consequences of a medication error.
24. Discuss the impact of culture and age on the occurrence of medication errors.
25. Analyze the various ethical dilemmas related to professional nursing practice associated with medication errors.
26. Identify agencies concerned with prevention of and response to medication errors.
27. Discuss the possible consequences of medication errors for professional nurses and other members of the health care team.
Textbook Pharmacology and the Nursing Process; 7th Edition
Chapters 3, 4, & 5
Unit 3- Drug Classification- 1
On completion of this unit of study the student will be able to
1. Define acute pain and chronic pain.
2. Contrast the signs, symptoms, and management of acute and chronic pain.
3. Discuss the pathophysiology and characteristics associated with cancer pain and other special pain situations.
4. Describe pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches for the management of acute and chronic pain.
5. Discuss the use of non-opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and opioids (opioid agonists, opioids with mixed actions, or opioid agonists-antagonists and antagonists), and miscellaneous drugs in the management of pain, including acute and chronic pain, cancer pain, and special pain situations.
6. Identify examples of drugs classified as non-opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids (opioid agonists, opioids with mixed actions, opioid agonists-antagonists and antagonists), and miscellaneous drugs.
7. Briefly describe the mechanism of action, indications, dosages, routes of administration, adverse effects, toxicity, cautions, contraindications, and drug interactions of non-opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (see Chapter 44), opioids (opioid agonists, opioids with mixed actions, opioid agonists-antagonists and antagonists), and miscellaneous drugs.
8. Contrast the pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management of acute and chronic pain with the management of pain associated with cancer and pain experienced in terminal conditions.
9. Briefly describe the specific standards of pain management as defined by the World Health Organization and The Joint Commission.
10. Develop a nursing care plan based on the nursing process related to the use of non-opioid and opioid drug therapy for patients in pain.
11. Identify various resources, agencies, and professional groups that are involved in establishing standards for the management of all types of pain and for promotion of a holistic approach to the care of patients with acute or chronic pain and those in special pain situations.
12. Define anesthesia and the basic differences between general and local anesthesia.
13. List the most commonly used general and local anesthetics and associated risks.
14. Discuss the differences between depolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs and non-depolarizing blocking drugs and their impact on the patient.
15. Compare the mechanisms of action, indications, and adverse effects, routes of administration, cautions, contraindications, and drug interactions for general and local anesthesia as well as drugs used for moderate or conscious sedation.
16. Develop a nursing care plan for patients before anesthesia (pre-anesthesia), during anesthesia, and after anesthesia (post-anesthesia) related to general anesthesia.
17. Develop a nursing care plan for patients undergoing local anesthesia and/or moderate or conscious sedation.
18. Contrast the effects of central nervous system depressant drugs and central nervous system stimulant drugs (see Chapter 13) as relates to their basic actions.
19. Define the terms hypnotic, rapid eye movement, rapid eye movement sleep interference, rapid eye movement rebound, sedative, sedative-hypnotic, sleep, and therapeutic index.
20. Briefly discuss the problem of sleep disorders.
21. Identify the specific drugs within each of the following categories of central nervous system depressant drugs: benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepines, muscle relaxants, and miscellaneous drugs.
22. Contrast the mechanism of action, indications, adverse effects, toxic effects, cautions, contraindications, dosage forms, routes of administration, and drug interactions of the following medications: benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepines, muscle relaxants, and miscellaneous drugs.
23. Discuss the nursing process as it relates to the nursing care of a patient receiving any central nervous system depressants and/or muscle relaxant.
24. Develop a thorough nursing care plan related to the use of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches to the treatment of sleep disorders.
25. Briefly describe the pathophysiology of epilepsy.
26. Discuss the rationale for the use of the various classes of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the management of the different forms of epilepsy.
27. Identify the various drugs in each of the following drug classes: iminostilbenes, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, hydantoins, and miscellaneous drugs.
28. Identify the mechanisms of action, indications, cautions, contraindications, and dosages, routes of administration, adverse effects, toxic effects, therapeutic blood levels, and drug interactions for each antiepileptic drug.
29. Develop a nursing care plan, including patient education, based on the nursing process for patients receiving AEDs.
30. Discuss the impact of acetylcholine and dopamine on the brain.
31. Describe the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease.
32. Identify the different classes of medications used to manage Parkinson’s disease, and list the drugs in each class.
33. Discuss the mechanisms of action, dosages, and indications, routes of administration, contraindications, cautions, drug interactions, adverse effects, and toxic effects of antiparkinson drugs.
34. Develop a nursing care plan that includes all phases of the nursing process for patients taking antiparkinson drugs.
Textbook Pharmacology and the Nursing Process; 7th Edition
Chapters 10-thru 15
Unit 4- Drug Classification- 2
On completion of this unit of study the student will be able to
1. Briefly discuss the various mental illnesses.
2. Identify the various psychotherapeutic drug classes, such as anxiolytic drugs, antidepressants, mood-stabilizing drugs, and antipsychotics.
3. Discuss the mechanisms of action, indications, therapeutic effects, adverse effects, toxic effects, drug interactions, contraindications, and cautions associated with the various psychotherapeutic drugs.
4. Develop a nursing care plan that includes all phases of the nursing process for patients taking psychotherapeutic drugs.
5. Develop patient education guidelines for patients taking psychotherapeutic drugs.
6. Discuss substance abuse and the significance of the problem in the United States.
7. Identify the drugs or chemicals that are most frequently abused.
8. Contrast the signs and symptoms of the most commonly abused drugs/chemicals.
9. Compare the treatments for drug withdrawal for the most commonly abused opioids (narcotics), central nervous system (CNS) depressants, amphetamines and other CNS stimulants, nicotine, and alcohol.
10. Describe alcohol abuse syndrome with a focus on signs and symptoms, mild to severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, and associated treatment.
11. Describe other drug abuse syndromes, signs and symptoms, withdrawal symptoms, and treatment regimens.
12. Identify various assessment tools used in the nursing assessment of substance abuse.
13. Develop a nursing care plan encompassing all phases of the nursing process for a patient undergoing treatment for substance abuse and dependency.
14. Briefly describe the functions of the sympathetic nervous system and the specific effects of adrenergic stimulation.
15. List the various drugs classified as adrenergic agonists or sympathomimetic.
16. Discuss the mechanisms of action, therapeutic effects, indications, adverse and toxic effects, cautions, contraindications, drug interactions, and available antidotes to over dosage for the various adrenergic agonists or sympathomimetic drugs.
17. Develop a nursing care plan that includes all phases of the nursing process for patients taking adrenergic agonists.
18. Briefly review the functions of the sympathetic nervous system and the specific effects of adrenergic-blocking drugs.
19. List the various drugs classified as adrenergic antagonists (blockers) or sympatholytic.
20. Discuss the mechanisms of action, therapeutic effects, indications, adverse and toxic effects, cautions, contraindications, drug interactions, dosages, routes of administration, and any antidotal management for the various alpha antagonists (blockers), beta nonselective blockers, and the beta1 and beta2 blockers.
21. Develop a nursing care plan that includes all phases of the nursing process for patients taking adrenergic antagonists.
22. Briefly review the functions of the autonomic nervous system and the impact of the parasympathetic division.
23. List the various drugs classified as cholinergic agonists (also called parasympathomimetics).
24. Discuss the mechanisms of action, therapeutic effects, indications, adverse and toxic effects, drug interactions, cautions, contraindications, dosages, routes of administration, and any antidotal management for the various cholinergic agonists (or parasympathomimetics).