Study Guide

Objectives (course unit)

The course aims to develop essential skills in safe pharmacotherapy and medical calculations. The student will know the registered nurse's area of responsibility in pharmacotherapy and complete medical calculations correctly.

After completing the course, the student
• shows familiarity with legislation concerning pharmacotherapy in Finland
• is able to describe the stages of the medication process
• understands the requirements of safe medication management and their significance in patient safety
• is able to implement patients’ medication management safely and correctly under supervision
• knows the reliable databases used in pharmacotherapy in Finland and knows how to use them
• knows the basics of guiding medication management and basic terminology in Finnish
• is familiar with the essential medication management equipment in Finnish
• can complete medical calculations accurately

Content (course unit)

• norms and regulations guiding pharmacotherapy in Finland
• medication process
• medication safety
• forms of medication, routes of administration and essential vocabulary and terminology in Finnish
• practice giving subcutaneous and intramuscular injection and related equipment in Finnish
• patient guidance situations in Finnish according to their language
• planning the implementation of the patient's medication and measuring the medication into patient-specific doses
• the use of Finnish medication databases
• medical calculations

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2) (course unit)

The student
• is familiar with the basic principles of legislation guiding medication management
• understands the importance of safe medication management as part of overall patient care
• knows how to act responsibly in patient medication management
• knows the basics of the medication management process and is familiar with the nursing tasks related to medication management in patient care
• knows the basics of different dosage forms and routes of medication administration
• can safely administer injections into subcutaneous tissue and muscle
• is able to search for and utilize information from reliable medication databases
• can implement patient medication management safely and correctly
• understands the basics of the phases and effects of medications in the body
• can, under supervision, guide patients in medication management
• can accurately calculate medication dosages

Assessment criteria, good (3-4) (course unit)

In addition to the satisfactory level, the student
• is able to justify their actions in different phases of the medication management process
• can plan and implement patient medication guidance

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

In addition to the good level, the student
• can apply their skills in different phases of the medication management process
• is aware of the consequences of medication management and can respond to them appropriately as required by the situation
• can plan and implement individualized patient medication guidance

Location and time

Spring 2025 on campus.

Assessment methods and criteria

Pharmacotherapy and medical calculations course is graded 0-5. The course must be completed before clinical training 3.
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Pharmacotherapy: written test, requirement minimum of 75% of points for passing. Asessment graded, 0-5.
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Calculations: 100% correct. Asessment approved (S)/ failed (0).
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Skills stations: Preparatory tasks, presence and 100% active participation. Assessment approved (S)/ failed (0).
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Small group work: Presence and 100% active participation
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Mathematics: Everyone takes the preliminary math test (without a calculator) If all correct, approved mark for the math part. No retakes. If the test is failed, the student completes math tasks. Math part will be approved and completed when 100% of the tasks are correct by the set due date on Moodle-platform. There will be math classes (where guidance for the tasks is provided. Mathematics part is assessed pass/fail. (Mark S means passing and 0 failure.)

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Lectures, skills stations practice, small group work, independent studies on Moodle platform, flipped learning, seminar, preparatory tests, homework, exams.

Learning materials

Pharmacotherapy:

e-book. Kozier & Erb’s fundamentals of nursing: concepts,process, and practice. 2016 .Chapter 35 Medications

e-book. Understanding Pharmacology in Nursing Practice [electronic resource] / edited by Pauline Hood, Ehsan Khan., Cham :, Springer International Publishing :, 2020, 3-030-32004-9, ISBN. Pages below:

Part 1. Legal and ethical issues
Professionalism and Accountability and Duty of care, Consent and Ethical principles
Pages 4-13
Pages 17-20

Part 2. Pharmacology
Pharmacokinetics (ADME), Clearance, Pharmacodynamics, Drug interactions with their target
Pages 27-36
Pages 39-42
Pages 45-46
Pages 50-53

Part 3. Drug formulations
The necessity of different dosage forms, Pharmaceutical dosage forms, Routes of administration
Pages 57-59
Pages 66-86

Part 4. ADR and interactions
Pages 90-99
Pages 100-107

Medical calculations: Tyreman Chris. 2013.e-book: How to Master Nursing Calculations:Improve Your Maths and Make Sense of Drug Dosage Charts.Kogan Page

Lecture materials, moodle material, and other material appointed by teachers
Suomeksi:
Saano & Taam-Ukkonen, Lääkehoidon käsikirja.2020. Osa 1.
9. uudistettu painos. Sanoma Pro.

Student workload

108 hours

Content scheduling

Mathematics:
Preliminary exam 7.1.2025 (and tasks if the preliminary exam is failed)

Pharmacotherapy Theory:
Theory exam in the EXAM room: weeks 10-11.

Medical calculations:
Exam at school using your own calculator 20.2.2025

Skills lab s.c.
Clinical practice- mandatory participation

Skills lab i.m.
Clinical practice- mandatory participation

Small group work:
Participation in group work and seminar presentations

Lääkehoidon suomea työpajat (osallistuminen välttämätöntä)

Further information

Course Orientation, small groups, seminars, and skills stations, are mandatory for every participant. Absent students will not be approved to the course.
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Contents:
- Regulations governing medication management
- Medication databases
- Pharmacotherapy of outpatient and inpatient care
- Forms of medication and routes of administration
- Phases and effects of drugs in the body
- Aseptic practice in medication care
- Special features of pharmacotherapy throughout the life span
- Medication education
- Medication safety and prevention of adverse events
- Mathematics and calculations