Pharmacotherapy and Medical Calculations (4 cr)

Objectives (course unit)

The student
- shows familiarity with legislation concerning pharmacotherapy
- is able to describe the stages of the medication process
- understands the requirements of safe medication and their importance in patient safety
- is able to implement patients’ medication care safely under supervision
- knows reliable databases of pharmacotherapy and is able to use them
- is able to complete medical calculations accurately.

Content (course unit)

- norms guiding pharmacotherapy
- medication process
- medication safety
- forms of medication and routes of administration
- practice subcutaneous and intramuscular injection
- planning the implementation of the patient's medication and measuring the medication into patient-specific doses
- using different medical databases in medication-related decision-making
- knows the basics of medication guidance
- medical calculations

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

The student
- knows the basics of regulations governing medication treatment
- knows the basics of the medication treatment process and is aware of the responsibilities of medication-related tasks in nursing care
- is able to act responsibly in the patient's medication treatment
- knows the basics of different pharmaceutical forms and methods of administration, and knows how to safely and correctly implement a patient’s medication
- is able to inject subcutaneously and intramuscularly safely
- is able to search and use information from reliable pharmacotherapy databases
- knows the basics of promoting the safety of medication treatment
- knows the basics of medication phases and effects in the body
- is able to guide the patient in medication under supervision
- is able to calculate medication correctly.

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

The student, in addition to a satisfactory level
- is able to justify his / her actions at different stages of the pharmacotherapy process
- is able to plan and implement patient medication guidance

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

The student, in addition to a good level,
- is able to apply his / her knowledge at different stages of the pharmacotherapy process
- knows the consequences of pharmacotherapy and is able to react to them as required by the situation
- is able to guide the patient individually in medication treatment

Exam schedules

Calculations test without a calculator week 44: 3.11.21
Pharmacotherapy test 12 November 2021.
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Calculations: 1. retake 18.11.21
Pharmacotherapy test (retake I) 13.12.21-15.1.22 Exam area
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Calculations: 2. retake 1.12.21
Pharmacotherapy test (retake II) 14.2.- 27.2.22 Exam area

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: written test without a calculator 100% correct. Asessment approved (S)/ failed (0).
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Skills stations: Preparatory tasks, presence and 100% active participation. Asessment 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) 3 September at 8:30-9. 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 (10.9,17.9.) 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, 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
and
Medicine Management Skills for Nurses : Student Survival Skills (e-book).2013.by Claire Boyd
pages 1-177.

- Laukkanen, E. & Ruokoniemi, P. ( toim.) 2021. Turvallinen lääkehoito. Opas lääkehoitosuunnitelman laatimiseen. Saatavilla www-osoitteessa https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/162847 Description sheet only!!

-lecture materials, moodle material, and other material appointed by teachers

Medical calculations: Tyreman Chris. 2013.e-book: How to Master Nursing Calculations:Improve Your Maths and Make Sense of Drug Dosage Charts.Kogan Page
Link to the book:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/tampere/detail.action?docID=5254520

(also as needed:Calculation skills for nurses (e-book).2013. Boyd, Claire)

Student workload

108 hours including contact lessons, small group work, seminar, skills stations, and independent work

Completion alternatives

none

Further information

Course Orientation 31.8.21, small groups 13.-15.10., seminar 7.10. and skills stations 1-3 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