Pharmacotherapy and Medical Calculations (3cr)

Objectives (course unit)

The student
- shows familiarity with legislation concerning pharmacotherapy;
- is able to describe the stages of the medication process;
- is able to implement patients’ medication care safely under supervision;
- is able to complete medical calculations accurately.

Content (course unit)

- norms guiding pharmacotherapy
- medication process
- forms of medication and routes of administration
- medication safety
- medical calculations

Prerequisites (course unit)

none

Exam schedules

Calculations:18 Feb
Pharmacotherapy exam:4 March
1. retake calculations:4 March
1. retake Pharmacotherapy exam:25 - 29 March on Exam
2. retake calculations:18 March
2. retake Pharmacotherapy exam:23-30 April on Exam

Assessment methods and criteria

Pharmacotherapy and Medical Calculations form the grade for the course. Course must be fully completed before the first clinical training.
Pharmacotherapy: written, graded (0-5) exam. In order to have an approved grade, 75% of the points must be gained.
Medical Calculations: written test, graded pass/fail. In order to pass 100% correct calculations without calculator.
Mathematics: approved tasks. Graded pass/fail.
Small group work:active, 100% participation. In case of absence, tasks submitted to the teacher.

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Lectures, small group work, presentations, independent study

Learning materials

Medicine Management Skills for Nurses : Student Survival Skills (e-book).2013.by Claire Boyd
pages 1-177.
Calculation skills for nurses (e-book).2013. Boyd, Claire
Material provided by the teachers.
Recommended literature:
Downie,Mackenzie, Williams & Hind.Pharmacology and Medicines Management for Nurses.2008.
Gatford & Phillips. Nursing Calculations.2006.
Karch. Focus on Nursing Pharmacology.2011

Further information

Classes 28 hours
Independent study 53 hours
Mandatory orientation 8 January 2019.
Contents:
regulations governing medication management
- medication care of outpatient and inpatient care
- forms of medication and routes of administration
- pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
- aseptic practice in medication care
- pharmacotherapy throughout the life span
-medication education
- medication safety and prevention of adverse events
-mathematics and calculations

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student
- knows the basics of legislation and norms concerning medication management
- knows how to act with responsibility when participating in medication care
- knows the fundamentals of medication process’s stages and knows the nurses’ role in medication care of patients’ care
- knows the fundamentals of forms of medication and routes of administration, and can carry out safe and correct medication care
- knows the basics of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
- knows the fundamentals of promotion of medication care
- knows the fundamentals of medication education
- can calculate medical calculations correctly

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Besides the above mentioned the student:
-can describe medication process’s stages in varied nursing environments
-can carry out guidance on forms of medication and routes of administration with rationales

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Besides the above mentioned the student:
- can apply medication process’s stages into varied contexts implementing medication administration
- knows the meaning of medication safety as a part of patients’ holistic care
- can apply one’s knowledge on forms of medication and routes of administration individually, and carry out personalized medication guidance