NURS 144 - Pharmacology for Nurses IV

1 Credits: (1 lecture)

Course Description
This course teaches the nursing role in pharmacological treatment of advanced medical-surgical and life-threatening disorders. Emphasis is on applying critical thinking skills to the safe administration and monitoring of multiple medications and medications that require additional precautions and titration.

Prerequisite NURS 103, NURS 143, ENGL 101, and BIOL 201.Corequisite NURS 104, NURS 105, MATH 100, and COMM 201.

HESI Comprehensive Review for NCLEX-RN Exam, 5th ed., St. Louis: ELSEVIER, 2017.  

Frandsen, G., & Pennington, S. Abrams’ clinical drug therapy: Rationales for nursing practice.11thed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, Lippincott Course Point Plus, 2018. 

Hinkle, J., and Cheever, K. Brunner & Suddarth’s Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing, 14th ed., Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, Lippincott Course Point Plus, 2018. 

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.  Nursing 2019 Drug Handbook.  Philadelphia:  Wolters Kluwer, Lippincott, 2018. 

Buchholz, Susan. Henke’s Med-Math: Dosage Calculation, Preparation & Administration. 8th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, Lippincott, 2016. 

Lynn, Pamela: Skills Checklist for Taylor’s Clinical Nursing Skills, 5th ed., Philadelphia:  Wolters Kluwer, 2019. 

Taylor, C., Lynn, p., & Barlett, J. (2019). Fundamentals of Nursing: The Art and Science of Person-Centered Care (9th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer. 

Electronic Resources for NURS 144: 

DocuCare by Lippincott 

CoursePoint+ by Lippincott 

V-Sim by Lippincott 

CoursePoint+ for Fransden: Abrams clinical drug therapy 

Evolve: HESI RN Case Studies and patient reviews with Practice Test by HESI 

 

Objectives
The student will be able to: 

A.  Propose the nursing implications of medication administration for individuals with complex health problems. 

B.  Calculate safe dosages for medication administration of patients with complex medical-surgical disorders. 

C.  Apply concepts of pharmacology in the management of critical care patients. 

D.  Apply knowledge of interdisciplinary collaboration of pharmacological issues. 

 

Content
A. Pharmacotherapy for complex health problems 

B. Pharmacotherapy for critical care patients 

C. Pharmacotherapy for emergent situations 

D. Pharmacotherapy for resuscitative situations 

E. Pharmacotherapy for bioterrorism 

Student Evaluation
Course evaluation will be based on examinations, quizzes, and case studies.  

Bibliography
Adams, et al. Pharmacology for Nurses: A Pathophysiology Approach, 3rd ed. Upper Saddle  River:  Prentice Hall, 2011. 

Lehne, Richard. Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 7th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier, 2009.