Pharmacotherapy and Medical Calculations (3 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
- 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

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

The student
- knows the basics of regulations governing medication treatment
- is able to act responsibly in the patient's medication treatment
- knows the basics of the medication treatment process and is aware of the responsibilities of medication-related tasks in nursing care
- knows the basics of different pharmaceutical forms and methods of administration, and knows how to safely and correctly implement a patient’s medication
- knows the basics of medication phases and effects in the body
- knows the basics of promoting the safety of medication treatment
- knows the basics of medication guidance
- is able to calculate medication correctly.

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

The student, in addition to a satisfactory level,
- is able to describe the different phases of the medication treatment process in different nursing environments
- is able to explain in detail and guide the patient and his/her significant other in the implementation of the medication
treatment.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

The student, in addition to a good level,
- is able to apply the different phases of the medication treatment process to the different operating environments of nursing
- knows the importance of patient safe medication as part of a patient’s holistic care
- is able to apply his/her knowledge of medication administration modes and path of administration to the specific patient and to guide the patient individually in medication treatment.

Exam schedules

Pharmacotherapy test on Moodle 2 October 2020.
Calculations test without a calculator week 41 via Zoom.

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: two compulsory lectures (on August 25th and 27th 2020), and four sets of tasks called Mathematical Fundamentals that must be 100% completed at the beginning of the course. 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, mandatory tasks, small group work and seminar (16.9. 2020)

Learning materials

1) Medicine Management Skills for Nurses : Student Survival Skills (e-book).2013.by Claire Boyd
pages 1-177.
2) Brady, Anne-Marie; McCabe, Catherine; McCann, Margaret
2014.Fundamentals of medical-surgical nursing: a systems approach, Chapter 2: Principles of Drug Administration ( by Jordan Sue), pages 48-58.
3) Calculation skills for nurses (e-book).2013. Boyd, Claire
Material provided by the teachers.

Student workload

Classes 28 hours
Independent study 53 hours
Mandatory orientation 25 August 2020 at 8:30 .
Mandatory Mathematics classes: 25 August at 12:30 and 27 August at 12:30

Further information

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 explain 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:
- is aware of applying medication process’s stages into varied contexts implementing medication administration
- knows the meaning of medication safety as a part of patients’ holistic care
- has knowledge on forms of medication and routes of administration, and is aware of carrying out personalized medication guidance individually.