NRS 237 Clinical Pharmacology for Nursing 1

This course introduces the theoretical background that enables students to provide safe and effective care related to drugs and natural products to persons throughout the lifespan. Students will learn to make selected clinical decisions regarding using current, reliable sources of information, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of drug therapy, teaching persons from diverse populations regarding safe and effective use of drugs and natural products, intervening to increase therapeutic benefits and reduce potential negative effects, and communicating appropriately with other health professionals regarding drug therapy. Drugs are studied by therapeutic or pharmacological class using an organized framework.

Credits

2

Prerequisite

BI 233, BI 234 (can be taken as a corequisite), both with C grades or higher; Admission into the Nursing Program

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Identify the necessary information to include in client education, including:

- safe and effective use of drugs and natural products

- self-management of specific classes of over-the-counter and prescription drugs that are used episodically

- self-management of specific classes of drugs that are taken for chronic conditions

- how the action of specific classes of drugs relates to developmental, maturational, aging, neurochemical, and pathophysiological processes or normal physiology

- which side/adverse effects of specific classes of drugs and natural products to self-manage and which ones to report to health professionals

- how to avoid or recognize drug-drug, drug-food, and drug-natural product interactions with specific classes of drugs

2. Identify appropriate nursing interventions to increase therapeutic benefits and reduce potential negative effects of drug therapy, including:

- identification of basic non-pharmacological nursing interventions that potentially enhance the effectiveness of specific classes of drugs

- assessment of barriers to adherence to drug therapy with specific classes of drugs

3. Identify appropriate assessments regarding safe medication administration and monitor for the effectiveness of drug therapy, including:

- therapeutic effects, side effects, and adverse reactions for specific classes of drugs

- drug-drug, drug-food, and drug-natural product interactions for specific classes of drugs

- vulnerability to negative effects of specific classes of drugs based on age, developmental physiology, and concurrent pathophysiology or other factors

4. Identify roles and responsibilities of the healthcare team regarding pharmacological therapy including:

- Drug mechanisms of action and their relationship to normal physiology

- Anticipated side effects and outcomes

5. Utilize appropriate communication skills with other professionals, clients, and families regarding pharmacological therapy, including:

- drug mechanisms of action and their relationship to normal physiology

- anticipated side effects and outcomes

- appropriate dosing and administration

6. Locate current, reliable sources of information to access pertinent information about drugs and natural products, including:

- reliable sources of information for specific nursing situations

- rapid retrieval of pertinent information from a current drug guide

- accurate retrieval of information from a comprehensive drug information source