Course Syllabus

NURS 1106 Introduction to Pharmacology

Course Description

This course is a study of the fundamental principles of pharmacology, medication administration, and a review of drug dosage math principles. The major focus of this course is the identification of medicinal categories with the accompanying pharmacological actions, uses, precautions, and nursing implications. Students must have been accepted into the Registered Nursing program to enroll. This course is guided by the contemporary educational principles identified by the ACEN standards. This course is part of a required series to prepare students to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Justification

This course is an important component in the education of the Registered Nurse to understand the fundamental principles of pharmacology and drug administration when caring for the client. This course provides the pharmacology knowledge needed for the clinical components of NURS 1125.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to identify nursing responsibilities within the Health Care team related to preparation and administration of each class of drugs.
2. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to interpret the contradictions and adverse reactions of specific drugs and the indications for nursing.
3. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to determine the purpose, action, usual dosage, and method of administration of selected drugs or groups of drugs that affect the functional needs of clients.
4. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to prepare the information and instructions clients and their families need about their medications to take them safely.
5. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to make clinical decisions substantiated with evidence related to pharmacology to the nursing process for clients throughout their lifespan.

Course Content

The student will study and master the skills of safe and responsible medication administration in preparation for clinical experience in various health care settings. This course is completed in the classroom setting through learning modules and active learning strategies. Students will focus on understanding how medications work within the human body and explore nursing considerations associated with different classifications of medication. The course content includes an introduction to nursing pharmacology, how drugs work in the body, an overview of common medications organized by body system, and the nursing process and or clinical judgment model applied to nursing pharmacology.