HP 153 Introduction to Pharmacology

An overview of pharmacology for the health professions student with a framework to understand medications and their administration. Part I is a review of pharmacologic principles, introducing students to the subject of drugs, their sources, and their uses. Part II examines drug classifications through descriptions and characteristics of common drugs, their purposes, side effects, precautions or contraindications, side effects, and interactions. Patient education is highlighted for each classification of drug.

Credits

3

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. List the main sources for drugs, giving examples from each source
2. List the controlled substance schedules and cite examples of drugs listed in each
3. Classify drugs according to therapeutic action
4. Utilize accepted drug abbreviations and systems of measurements
5. Explain how to prevent needle stick injuries in health care settings
6. State the actions, uses, contraindications, adverse reactions, dosages, and routes for various classes of drugs
7. List the safety issues that apply when administering medications
8. Identify US consumer safety precautions and drug relations