SYLLABI
1.
North Arkansas College
Pharmacology ALDH 1051
3 credit hours
K C Jones Emergency Medical Sciences
North Campus N 17
Office 870-491-3125
Home 870-743-4315 (Please do not call after 10 PM.)
Office hours varied please call for appointment.
E-mail address kcjones@northark.edu
Emails answered in 24 hours
2. Catalog course description-ALDH 1051 Cardiac Arrhythmia (1) 1L
This sixteen-hour course introduces the interpretation of cardiac arrhythmias designed for health care
professionals. The purpose of the course is to assure that accurate interpretation of cardiac rhythms
will be made, that life-threatening situations will be recognized, and that appropriate interventions
will be initiated according to approved American Heart Association guidelines..
3. Rationale for course- This course is an introductory study of essentials of Cardiac arrhythmia
for Health Occupations, for allied health students who need to know the language of the heart,
basic structures, classifications of rhythms, rules of interpretation, dosage preparation of cardiac
drugs, and administration routes of cardiac medications. The class is divided into anatomy and
physiology of the heart, rhythm interpretation, the EKG, and cardiac drugs. The entry student
will gain the knowledge on how to read EKG’s and the overview of the cardiac drugs that
4. Audience for course- This is the introductory class for Allied Health Student or any student
who is looking to expand their knowledge in the area of Cardiac Arrhythmias.
5. Next course in sequence- None
6. General course goals- This course is designed to instruct a student in basic rhythms, EKG
Interpretation, and introduction of cardiac drugs. As a introductory study this will give the
student the foundation to interpretation of EKGs and use of cardiac drugs.
7. Specific course outcomes/objectives/competencies to include
After completion of this course, the student will be able to
1. Diagram the structures of the heart and explain the physiology of the heart.
2. Understand Cardiac drug actions and the rationale for using drugs to treat the heart
3. Understand Monitoring and telemetry and interpreting a rhythm strip
4. Distinguish between Sinus and atrial dysrhythmia.
5. Distinguish between the types of Heart Blocks
6. Identify the junctional and ventricular dysrhythmia.
7. Explore clinical applications and current drugs used to treat cardiac rhythms..
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8. Resources needed for the course
o Personal computer - The student is expected to have access to a computer with these system
requirements. If you have any problems with your computer, ie, computer crashes, internet
goes down, or etc., it is your responsibility to have a backup plan.
o Email Account—A Northark email account was issued to you automatically when you enrolled in
your classes. To access your email, navigate to Northark’s Web site at www.northark.edu. On
the Students tab, you should see a link Student Email. You may also access your email from
web.mail.northark.edu. Your email address will be your username@mail.northark.edu.
o
Textbooks and supplies – Introduction to Basic Cardiac Dysrhythmias 4th edition, Atwood,
Elsevier Publisher
9. Available on campus resources
o Resources on the north and south campus including the library, computer labs, and the
Learning Assistance Center (math & science tutors, writing lab, testing center)
o Access to a medical dictionary and a drug reference text like the PDR.
10. Assistance available for the course
If you are having any issues in your online course, the first person you should contact is your
instructor by email. If you need technical assistance for logon issues, contact Brenda Freitas
(Northark IT department) at bfreitas@northark.edu or 870.391.3275.
11. Instructional/teaching methods – Reading, end of chapter review questions, word lists, chapter
power points, discussion groups and drug cards.
12. Outline of course requirements
13. Course evaluation (grading) procedures including
Evaluations provide the instructor information concerning the student’s knowledge of material covered. These
evaluations will take several formats, quizzes, workbook completion, Internet projects, Drug Cards, and others as
deems necessary by the instructor. Final Exam will be proctored is a setting approved by the instructor. Most will
take the final exam on the South Campus of North Arkansas College in the learning Assistance Center Testing
Center. Testing will be in final 5 days of semester. Those requesting off site exam need make those arrangement by
contacting the instructor.
Each student will be required to complete a comprehensive final proctored exam.
Grading Scale:
90-100…………A
80-89…………..B
70-79…………..C*
60-69…………….D
<59………………F
14. Attendance policy
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o Students in online courses must take a proctored final/major exam. If you are unable to be on
Northark’s campus for the proctored final/major exam then it is your responsibility to find
your own test proctor and complete the Proctor Nomination form which can be obtained from
your instructor. Arrangements must be approved by your instructor at least 2 weeks before
the exam.
o Additional instructor requirements for physical attendance, ie, on-campus testing, labs, etc.
15. Online Participation Policy
The instructor may drop a student from a class when the student does not participate for 2
weeks. Participation may be in a variety of forms:
16.
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Submit an assignment
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Participate in discussion
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Respond to email
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Contact the instructor
Academic Dishonesty
Academic fraud and dishonesty are defined as follows:
Cheating: Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials,
information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
Facilitating academic dishonesty: Intentionally or knowingly helping or
attempting to help another commit an act of academic dishonesty.
Test tampering: Intentionally gaining access to restricted test booklets, banks,
questions, or answers before a test is given; or tampering with questions or
answers after a test is taken.
Plagiarism: Intentionally or knowingly representing the words and ideas of
another as one's own in any academic exercise.
Academic dishonesty will not be permitted. It shall be at the instructor’s discretion to fail
the student for that assignment, remove the student from the class, reduce the student’s
grade or petition to have the student suspended from the college.
17. Course calendar/schedule
Our assignments are divided into 15 weeks. You will be given your assignment on Thursday and it
will be due next Thursday. I will NOT allow late assignments. The assignments will be posted on
the calendar on the main Basic Cardiac Dysrhythmias portal page. If you want to work ahead it will
be acceptable. Please save all your work so if an assignment get “lost in the electronic underworld
you can resubmit it to me.
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Cardiac Dysrhythmias
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Chapter Assigned
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 -2
Chapter 2
Exam Chapter 1 & 2 Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
MIDTERM Chapter 1,2,3 & 4
Chapter 5
SPRING BREAK
Exam Chapter 5 Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Exam Chapter 6 Chapter 7
Chapter 9
Chapter 8 & 10
Interpertation Chapter 11
FINALS Chapter 1-9
18. Provision for changing the syllabus If there is a change in the syllabus it you will be notified by
campus email.
19. Lab requirements & Safety rules NONE
20. ADA statement: North Arkansas College complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Students with disabilities who need special
accommodations should make their requests in the following way: (1) talk to the instructor after class
or during office hours about their disability or special need related to classroom work; and/or (2)
contact Special Services in Room M188 and ask to speak to Kim Brecklein.
21. The syllabus acknowledgment must be returned via File Exchange by the 10th day of the
semester.
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