PRNU 150:PN Basic Pharmacology

Credit Hours: 4
Lecture hours per week: 45
Lab hours per week: 45

This course explores the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of pharmacology. It includes terminology, abbreviations, and principles of medication administration. Safety precautions to decrease the incidence of errors in medication administration are stressed. Advanced medication calculations will be required to demonstrate knowledge of safe dosing parameters. Measurement requirements, system conversions, oral and parenteral dosage calculations, intravenous fluid therapy, and intravenous fluid flow rates are covered in detail. Nursing implications for drug administration and use of technology in documentation are emphasized in every unit including an overview of drug label interpretation. Basic Pharmacology emphasizes the importance of collaboration among team members to effectively, accurately and safely calculate dosages of medications. It also focuses on the legal implications of intravenous (IV) therapy, equipment and devices used, methods and techniques, infection control measures, complications, and other vital information related to intravenous therapy, blood administration, and parenteral nutrition. Supervised lab performance is an integral part of this course (45 hours lecture, 45 hours lab)

Enrollment in the program courses (PRNU) is limited to those students who have been selected and admitted to the program. Program courses are sequenced by semester and must be taken as a group each semester per program requirements and policies.