Nursing Pharmacology
Orientation
• Course Code:
NCM 8 22 R
• Course Title:
PHARMACOLOGY
• Contact Hours:
1 UNIT(S) (54 HOURS): RLE
• Placement:
BSN – 2 , 2nd semester
• RLE Day / Time: Monday; 10a-1p
Introduction to Pharmacology
•What is the purpose of this pre-requisite
to Nursing?
Four Basic Terms
• Drug
• Pharmacology
• Clinical pharmacology
• Therapeutics
Drug
• Defined as any chemical that can affect living
processes.
All chemicals are considered drugs
NOTE:
It is beyond the scope of this context to
address all compounds that fit the definition of
drug.
We will focus primarily on drugs as medication
that have therapeutic applications.
PHARMACOLOGY
• Defined as the study of drugs & their
interactions with living systems.
• Encompasses the study of the physical and
chemical properties of drugs, as well as their
biochemical and physiologic effects.
• Includes knowledge of history, sources, uses of
drugs and knowledge of drug absorption,
distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
NOTE:
Pharmacology encompasses such as broad spectrum of
information, it would be impossible to address the
entire scope of pharmacology.
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
• Defined as the study of drugs in humans. This
discipline includes the study of drugs in
patients and in healthy volunteers.
NOTE:
Clinical pharmacology encompasses all aspects of
the interaction between drugs and people and
because primarily interests is the use of drugs
to treat patients, clinical pharmacology
includes information that is outside the scope
of this topic.
THERAPEUTICS
Also known as PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS
• Is defined as the use of drugs to diagnose, prevent, or
treat disease or to prevent pregnancy.
• Simply defined as the use of drugs.
NOTE:
Focuses on the basic science that underlies the clinical
use of drugs.
How drugs produce their therapeutic and adverse
(undesirable) effects; the reasons for giving a particular
drug to a particular patient; and the rationale underlying
the selection of dosage, route, and schedule of
administration.
This will also help you understand the strategies used to
History of PHARMACOLOGY
• SEATWORK or ASSIGNMENT
Sources of drug and drug information
• It is called drug
information, medication
information, or drug
informatics. It’s really
the discovery, use, and
management of information
in the use of medications.
• Drug information covers the
gamut from identification,
cost, and pharmacokinetics
to dosage and adverse
effects.
• May also need information
Sources of drug and drug information
DailyMed
An online resource provided by the US Library of Medicine via the National Institutes of
Health (NIH), DailyMed is a free database that provides an array of drug information for
products marketed in the United States. Many unapproved medicines, such as
vitamins, are also described in DailyMed.
MedlinePlus
• MedlinePlus is another credible and approachable resource provided by the US
Library of Medicine. A wide variety of information is available through this website, but
the “Drugs and Supplements” section is especially relevant. Information made
available through MedlinePlus is similar to information found in DailyMed (they are
both sourced from the US Library of Medicine), but information provided here tends to
be a bit more succinct than in DailyMed.
• Of special note, MedlinePlus has a thoughtful section of information on herbs and
supplements.
Package Inserts
• When the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approves a
drug product, it also produces a
detailed label for that product.
This is called a package insert.
Package inserts encompass
information derived from clinical
trial data and are reliable
sources of information about drug
products that stem directly from
the FDA and the product’s
manufacturer.
• There are a number of different
ways to access a package insert.
However, two of the easier ways
to do so are via the FDA Label
Drugs@FDA
• Drugs@FDA is a resource that breaks down which medicines are approved by the
FDA. This resource isn’t necessarily a go-to for clinical information, but rather this is a
useful resource if readers want information about approval dates, information about
labeling updates, or information about the different marketing statuses of drugs.
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)
• The ODS is one of the more robust resources available online that focuses solely
upon dietary supplements. Under the “Health Information” tab, readers can access
comprehensive fact sheets about different dietary supplements, watch videos about
what individuals should consider when looking to start a new dietary supplement,
there’s a frequently asked questions page, and readers can also learn what to look for
on labels of different products.
• Additionally, readers can even obtain an estimate for personal nutrient
recommendations based off of basic demographics data. This tool estimates BMI,
estimated caloric needs, macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Clearinghouse
• If you’re an individual who is interested in complementary and alternative medicine,
the NCCIH Clearinghouse is one of the best places to obtain information related to
that. This is essentially one-stop shopping for that.
• Complementary medicine and alternative medicine are similar in concept. Both are
not backed by traditional scientific evidence, but certain individuals are enthusiastic
about their usage in the treatment of the overall human experience. Complementary
refers to the incorporation of a non-traditional medicine
practice/substance alongside conventional therapy whereas alternative medicine uses
a non-traditional medicine practice/substance in place of conventional therapy.
PubMed
• To preface, PubMed is the one resource on this list that is best understood if you have
some sort of medical background. However, it is still free and accessible to everyone.
This is also a resource that is provided by the US Library of Medicine via the NIH.
• If you want to access information related to a trial, this is the source to utilize. All sorts
of published trials are included in this database – clinical trials, case
reports, retrospective analyses, etc. PubMed is a dynamic search engine for trials,
and this page details how to manage your search inquiries to maximize results from
the engine.
FDA CDER Division of Drug Information
• The FDA is comprised of many different divisions that form the
agency as a whole. One of the more helpful divisions for
obtaining drug information, from the public perspective, is
the Division of Drug Information (DDI).
Local Pharmacist
• Pharmacists are known as the most accessible healthcare provider, and this is for
good reason. The pharmacist at your local pharmacy and/or the pharmacist at your
mail-order facility endured intense education and training that allowed them to
become a registered pharmacist. Pharmacists are known for being able to provide
free medical guidance, so contacting your pharmacist via the phone, web, or inperson is an excellent course of action.
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9165
(June 7, 2002)
• AN ACT INSTITUTING THE COMPREHENSIVE DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT OF
2002, REPEALING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6425, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT OF 1972, AS AMENDED, PROVIDING FUNDS
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
• This Act shall be known and cited as the "Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of
2002".
"Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002".
• Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to safeguard the integrity of its
territory and the well-being of its citizenry particularly the youth, from the harmful
effects of dangerous drugs on their physical and mental well-being, and to defend the
same against acts or omissions detrimental to their development and preservation. In
view of the foregoing, the State needs to enhance further the efficacy of the law
against dangerous drugs, it being one of today's more serious social ills.
Nurse Practice Act
• Are laws and regulations passed by state governments that guide and
regulate every aspect of nursing practice.
Legal & Ethical issues
1900-1970
DRUG ACT OF 1906: first American law to regulate drugs.
Set standards for drug quality and purity in addition to
strength.
1938: Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act was passed.
1962: US Congress passed the HARRIS-KEFAUVER AMMENDMENTS to the
Food, Drug ,and Cosmetic Act.
1970: Congress passed the CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT
(Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act)
Rules for manufacture and distribution of drugs.
Legal & Ethical issues
1990 to PRESENT
• FDA regulations were changed to permit accelerated approval of
drugs for AIDS & cancer.
Hazardous Drug Exposure
HEALTH CARE WORKER SAFETY
NIOSH: established in 1970, has the responsibility to promote
and enhance worker safety.
NIOSH identifies which of the thousands of drugs are hazardous
for handling and publishes guidance on the safe handling of
these drugs.
Pharmacodynamics
Pharmacokinetics
PHARMACODYNAMICS
PHARMACOKINETICS
• The study of the biochemical and
physiologic effects of drugs on
the body and the molecular
mechanisms by which those
effects are produced.
“What drugs do to the body and
how they do it.”
• Is the body’s action on the drug or alteration
of a drug by the body.
• Is the study of drug absorption, distribution,
and elimination (metabolisms and excretion).
“what the body does to the drug”.
• Absorption: How a drug is absorbed from the
stomach and intestine into the body (if it is an
oral drug),
• Distribution: How the drug becomes
distributed through the body fluids and
tissues,
• Metabolisms: How and what extent a drug is
metabolized by the liver and other organs,
• Excretion: How the drug is excreted from the
body (usually in the urine, feces, skin, and
other routes).
Measurements, Conversion, &
Calculation
Common Measurements & Conversion