RNSG 1140.828 - Pharmacology and Dosage Calculation ( version 201003L )
Standard Institutionally Developed College: Columbus Technical College
EDGE Compatible: No
Pre-requisites: All Required BIOL 2113 - Anatomy and Physiology I ( 201003L )
BIOL 2113L - Anatomy and Physiology Lab I ( 201003L )
BIOL 2114 - Anatomy and Physiology II ( 201003L )
BIOL 2114L - Anatomy and Physiology Lab II ( 201003L )
BIOL 2117 - Introductory Microbiology ( 201003L )
BIOL 2117L - Introductory Microbiology Lab ( 201003L )
COMP 1000 - Introduction to Computers ( 201003L )
ENGL 1101 - Composition and Rhetoric ( 201003L )
MATH 1111 - College Algebra ( 201003L )
PSYC 1101 - Introductory Psychology ( 201003L )
Co-requisites
Either RNSG 1110 or RNSG 1120 is required.
RNSG 1130.828 - Health Assessment throughout the Life Span ( 201003L )
Course Description
Introduces pharmacological principles, terms, standards and controls, characteristics of various classifications of medication, principles of
dosage calculation, and medication administration. Emphasis is placed on use of knowledge and skills through the nursing process to meet
the pharmacological needs of clients across the lifespan.
Course Length
Lecture:
Lab 2:
Lab 3:
Practicum/Internship:
Clinical:
Total:
Minutes
3000
0
2250
0
0
5250
Contact Hour
Semester Credit
60
0
45
0
0
105
5
Semester Credit Hours:
5
Competencies
Order
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Description
Introduction to Pharmacology and
Toxicology
Principles of Medication Administration
Implications of Fluid Balance in
Pharmacology
Pharmacological Therapy for Immune
System and Anti-infectives Across the
Lifespan
Pharmacological Therapy for Central
and Peripheral Nervous Systems Across
the Lifespan
Pharmacological Therapy for Mental
Health Across the Lifespan
Pharmacological Therapy for the
Reproductive and Endocrine Systems
across the Lifespan
Pharmacological Therapy for Cardiac
System across the Lifespan
Pharmacological Therapy for
Gastrointestinal System across the
Lifespan
Pharmacological Therapy for Renal
System across the Lifespan
Pharmacological Therapy for
Respiratory Across the Lifespan
Totals for Course RNSG 1140.828 Pharmacology and Dosage
Calculation ( version 201003L ):
Lecture
Lab2
Practicum/
Internship
Lab3
Total
Semester
Minutes Credit Hrs
Clinical
240
240
0
0
240
600
0
0
240
600
480
840
240
0
600
0
600
840
300
0
120
0
0
420
300
0
120
0
120
420
240
0
0
0
0
240
300
0
120
0
120
420
480
0
150
0
150
630
240
0
60
0
60
300
240
0
180
0
180
420
180
0
60
0
60
240
3000
0
2250
0
2130
5250
Learning Outcomes
Introduction to Pharmacology and Toxicology
Order
Description
Learning
Domain
Level of
Learning
5
Order
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Description
Describe pathophysiologic respond to the presence of cell altering medications.
List six factors that influence the effectiveness of medications in the body.
Describe the differences between therapeutic effect and adverse effect of medications.
Discuss the medication standards that ensure the uniform quality of medications.
Differentiate between generic and brand name medications, over-the-counter medications, and
prescription medications.
Explain the benefits and risks of over-the-counter medications in relation to client outcomes.
Explain the meaning and implication of half-life of a medication.
Identify and critique various resources for medication information text and online that is available
to health care providers and consumers.
List four types of allergic responses to drug therapy.
Discuss the five most common examples of drug-induced tissue damage.
Summarize the important factors that should be considered in situations of drug poisoning.
Learning
Domain
Cognitive
Cognitive
Cognitive
Cognitive
Cognitive
Level of
Learning
Comprehension
Knowledge
Comprehension
Comprehension
Analysis
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Knowledge
Cognitive Knowledge
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Comprehension
Principles of Medication Administration
Order
Description
1
Identify components and types of physician orders and nurses’ responsibility for medication
administration.
2
Identify the components and purpose of medication labels.
3
Identify and utilize the 5 (7) rights of medication administration for safe nurse practice.
4
Use the nursing process to administer medications effectively and safely.
5
Name the correct medication administration equipment and demonstrate correct administration
techniques.
6
Identify legal issues of medication administration.
7
Describe nurses' roles and responsibilities related to client education regarding medication
therapy.
Learning
Level of
Domain
Learning
Cognitive Knowledge
Cognitive
Cognitive
Cognitive
Cognitive
Knowledge
Knowledge
Application
Knowledge
Cognitive Knowledge
Cognitive Comprehension
Implications of Fluid Balance in Pharmacology
Order
Description
Learning
Domain
Level of
Learning
Order
Description
1
Identify the composition of the major fluid compartments of the body and differentiate processes
involved in the regulation of water and ions between body fluid compartments.
2
Compare and Contrast the diagnostic test findings, clinical manifestations and nursing
management of clients with fluid volume excess and fluid volume deficit.
3
Discuss the etiology, risk factors, basic pathophysiology, and clinical manifestations of major
fluid imbalances.
4
Recognize and convey to other health care providers critical changes in client fluid balance.
5
Assess the effects of intravenous fluid administration on fluid and electrolyte balance and
correlate the composition of common intravenous fluid solutions to the management of clients
with alterations in fluid balance.
6
Utilize the nursing process in providing care for the prevention, management and rehabilitation of
fluid imbalances.
7
Instruct clients about diet and medications used in the treatment of major fluid imbalances.
Learning
Level of
Domain
Learning
Cognitive Knowledge
Cognitive Evaluation
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Analysis
Cognitive Evaluation
Cognitive Application
Cognitive Application
Pharmacological Therapy for Immune System and Anti-infectives Across the Lifespan
Order
Description
1
Describe the pathophysiology in sites of action for various immune modulators and antiinflammatory agents.
2
Explain antibiotics are selected for use in a particular disease process.
3
Describe characteristics of common viruses, clinical presentation and pharmacologic methods of
treatment.
4
Describe the therapeutic action, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, most common
adverse reactions, and important drug-to-drug interactions associated with each class of immune
modulators, antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, antiprotozoals, and antithermic agents.
5
Characterize the nursing consideration including essential teaching needs for patients receiving
immune modulators, antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antineoplastic agents.
Learning
Level of
Domain
Learning
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Analysis
Pharmacological Therapy for Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems Across the Lifespan
Order
Description
1
Explain the anatomical function of the central, peripheral, autonomic, somatic nervous systems.
Learning
Level of
Domain
Learning
Cognitive Comprehension
Order
Description
2
Discuss feedback regulation in nervous system which maintains homeostasis.
3
Identify conditions in which sympathetic or parasympathetic responses would be initiated.
4
Identify the pharmacodynamic, therapeutic, and adverse effects of sympathetic blocking agents,
sympathetic stimulating agents, parasympathetic blocking agents, and parasympathetic
stimulating agents.
5
Distinguish between acute and chronic pain.
6
Characterize the gate theory of pain and explain therapeutic ways to block pain using the gate
theory.
7
Characterize the nursing considerations for effective pain management, including pain
assessment, rating scales, re-evaluation and important teaching needs for patients receiving
pain medication.
8
Identify receptor sites and correlate action of therapeutic effects to prescribed pain medications.
9
Describe the therapeutic actions, indications, pharmokinetics, contraindications, most common
adverse reactions, side effects, and important drug-drug interactions associated with opiate
agonists, antagonists, mixed agonist-antagonists, and antimigraine medications.
10 Characterize the nursing considerations of effective musculoskeletal medication administration,
including important teaching points for patients receiving musculoskeletal medication.
11 Describe the therapeutic actions, indications, pharmokinetics, contraindications, most common
adverse reactions, side effects, and important drug-drug interactions associated with
musculoskeletal medications.
Learning
Level of
Domain
Learning
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Knowledge
Cognitive Knowledge
Cognitive Analysis
Cognitive Analysis
Cognitive Analysis
Cognitive Knowledge
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Analysis
Cognitive Comprehension
Pharmacological Therapy for Mental Health Across the Lifespan
Order
Description
1
Explain the anatomical function of the central, peripheral, autonomic, somatic nervous systems
in relation to mental health.
2
Discuss feedback regulation in nervous system which affects thought processes.
3
Identify the pharmokinetics, indications, therapeutic actions, adverse effects and
contraindications of psychotropic medications.
4
Identify receptor sites and correlate action of therapeutic effects to prescribed medications.
5
Characterize the nursing considerations for psychotropic medication administration, including
important teaching needs for patients.
6
Learning
Level of
Domain
Learning
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Knowledge
Cognitive Knowledge
Cognitive Analysis
Cognitive Comprehension
Order
Description
Describe the therapeutic actions, indications, pharmokinetics, contraindications, most common
adverse reactions, side effects, and important drug-drug interactions associated with
musculoskeletal medications.
Learning
Domain
Level of
Learning
Pharmacological Therapy for the Reproductive and Endocrine Systems across the Lifespan
Order
Description
1
Describe the therapeutic action, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, most common
adverse reactions, and important drug-to-drug interactions associated with the hypothalamic,
pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenocortical agents.
2
Characterize the nursing considerations, including important teaching needs for patients
receiving endocrine, thyroid, diabetic, and adrenal medications.
3
Describe the therapeutic action, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, most common
adverse reactions, and important drug-to-drug interactions associated with insulin and other
antidiabetic and glucose-elevating agents.
4
Describe the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus, including alterations in metabolic pathways
and changes to basement membrane.
5
Describe the therapeutic actions, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, most common
adverse reactions, and important drug-drug interactions associated with medications affecting
both male and female reproductive systems.
6
Characterize nursing considerations, including important key teaching needs for patients
receiving medications that affect the reproductive system.
Learning
Level of
Domain
Learning
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Analysis
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Analysis
Pharmacological Therapy for Cardiac System across the Lifespan
Order
Description
1
Identify the pathophysiology of blood pressure and explain how the various medications used to
treat hypotension or hypertension work to provide therapeutic effects.
2
Review the pathophysiological process of heart failure, clinical signs and symptoms in relation to
compensatory mechanisms.
3
Correlate hyperlipidemia as a risk factor for coronary artery disease, to preventative medications
utilized in coronary artery disease.
4
Learning
Level of
Domain
Learning
Cognitive Knowledge
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Analysis
Cognitive Analysis
Order
5
6
7
Learning
Level of
Description
Domain
Learning
Characterize the mechanism by which blood clots dissolve in the body, correlating this
information with the actions of medications used to treat alterations in clotting.
Describe the therapeutic action, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, most common Cognitive Comprehension
adverse reactions, and important drug-to-drug interactions associated with angiotensinconverting inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, vasodilators,
ganglionic blockers, adrenergic blocking agents, the antihypotensive agent, cardiac glycoside,
phosphodiesterase inhibitors, digoxin antidote, nitrates, beta blockers, bile acid sequestrants,
HMG-CoA inhibitors, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, anti-platelet agents, anti-coagulants, low
molecular weight heparin’s, and diuretic agents.
Develop a teaching plan to reinforce compliance and safety for clients receiving antihypertensive Cognitive Application
agents, cardiotonic agents, anginal agents, lipid lowering agents, medications affecting blood
coagulation, and diuretic agents, erythropoietic agents, iron preparation, folic acid derivatives,
and vitamin B12.
Explain the process of process of erythropoiesis in relation to anemias and pharmacologic
Cognitive Comprehension
therapy.
Pharmacological Therapy for Gastrointestinal System across the Lifespan
Order
Description
1
Describe the therapeutic action, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, most common
adverse reactions, and important drug-to-drug interactions associated with histamine-2
antagonists, antacids, proton pump inhibitors, anti-peptic agents, and prostaglandins used to
affect gastrointestinal secretions, adsorbents, and digestive enzymes.
2
Characterize the nursing considerations, including important teaching needs for patients
receiving gastrointestinal medications. .
3
Describe the underlying pathophysiologic processes in diarrhea and constipation and correlate
this with medications used to treat these conditions.
4
Describe the therapeutic action, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, most common
adverse reactions, and drug-to-drug interactions associated with chemical stimulant laxatives,
bulk laxatives, lubricant laxatives, gastrointestinal stimulants, intestinal flora modifiers,
antiflatulents, and antidiarrheal medications.
5
Describe the therapeutic action, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, most common
adverse reactions, and important drug-to-drug interactions associated with antiemetic agents.
Pharmacological Therapy for Renal System across the Lifespan
Learning
Level of
Domain
Learning
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Analysis
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Comprehension
Cognitive Comprehension
Learning
Level of
Order
Description
Domain
Learning
1
Describe the therapeutic action, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, most common Cognitive Comprehension
adverse reactions, and important drug-to-drug interactions associated with thiazide and thiazidelike diuretics, loop diuretics, potassium-sparing diuretics and osmotic diuretics.
2
Characterize nursing implications and considerations, including important teaching needs for
Cognitive Analysis
patients receiving diuretic agents.
3
Characterize nursing considerations, including important teaching points for patients receiving
Cognitive Analysis
medications affecting the urinary tract and bladder.
Pharmacological Therapy for Respiratory Across the Lifespan
Learning
Level of
Order
Description
Domain
Learning
1
Describe the therapeutic action, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, most common Cognitive Comprehension
adverse reactions, and important drug-to-drug interactions associated with antitussives,
decongestants, topical nasal steroids, antihistamines, expectorants, mucolytics, xanthines,
sympathomimetic bronchodilators, anticholinergic bronchodilators, inhaled steroids, leukotrine
receptor antagonists, lung surfactants, and mast cell stabilizers.
2
Characterize the nursing considerations, including important teaching points, for patients
Cognitive Analysis
receiving respiratory medications.
References
Order
Reference Type
1
Book with Author(s)
Listed
2
Book with Author(s)
Listed
Description
Karch, A.. (2008). Focus on nursing pharmacology. (4th). Phildelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Gahart, B. L., Nazareno, A. R. . (2010). Intravenous medications. (26th). St. Louis: Mosby.