Pharmacology

Course Outline

Unit 1. Pharmacology and Nursing

  • Essential Principles of Pharmacology
  • Drug Administration and the Nurse’s Role

Unit 2. Drugs Associated With Cardiovascular Therapies

  • Cardiotonic Agents
  • Antiarrhythmic Agents
  • Antihypotensive Agents
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Beta Adrenergic Blockers
  • Nitrates
  • Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors
  • 0 Cerebral and Peripheral Vasodilating Agents
  • 1 Diuretics
  • 2 Lipid Lowering Agents
  • 3 Anticoagulant, Hemostatic, and Thrombolytic Agents

Unit 3. Drugs Associated With Respiratory Therapies

  • 4 Antihistamines, Decongestants, Antitussives, and Expectorants
  • 5 Bronchodilators

Unit 4. Drugs Associated With Gastrointestinal Therapies

  • Antiulcer, Antiemetic, and Emetic Agents
  • Laxative and Antidiarrheal Agents

Unit 5. Drugs Associated With Anesthesia and Pain Therapies

  • Anesthetic Agents
  • Narcotic Analgesics

Unit 6. Drugs Associated With Neurologic and Psychiatric Therapies

  • Cholinergic and Adrenergic Agents
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants
  • Antiepileptic Agents
  • Antiparkinson Agents
  • Antianxiety Agents, Sedatives, and Hypnotics
  • Antidepressant Agents
  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Skeletal Muscle Relaxants

Unit 7. Drugs Associated With Hormonal Therapies and Reproduction

  • Thyroid, Pituitary, and Parathyroid Agents
  • Antidiabetic Agents
  • Reproductive Hormones
  • Agents Used in Labor and Delivery and Postpartum

Unit 8. Drugs Associated With Anti-inflammatory Therapies

  • Corticosteroids
  • Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents
  • Immunosuppressant Agents
  • Antirheumatic and Antigout Agents

Unit 9. Drugs Associated With Cancer Therapies

  • Antineoplastic Agents

Unit 10. Drugs Associated With Anti-infective Therapies

  • Antibacterial Agents
  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Antifungal Agents
  • Antiviral Agents

Unit 11. Drugs Associated With Topical Agents

  • Ophthalmic and Otic Agents
  • Dermatologic Agents

Comprehensive Test–Questions

Answer Sheet for Comprehensive Exam

Comprehensive Test–Answer Key

Index


Learning Objectives

After completion of the course you’ll be able to:

Unit 1. Pharmacology and Nursing

Chapter 1. Essential Principles of Pharmacology
  1. List a schedule of controlled substances.
  2. Identify 7 essential principles of pharmacology.
  3. List factors that influence absorption of oral medications.
  4. Distinguish between absolute and relative contraindications.

Chapter 2. Drug Administration and the Nurse’s Role

  1. Describe the nursing process and medication administration.
  2. Explain 4 routes of medication administration.

Unit 2. Drugs Associated With Cardiovascular Therapies

Chapter 3. Cardiotonic Agents
  1. Explain the pharmacodynamics of digitalis glycosides and the nursing management thereof.

Chapter 4. Antiarrhythmic Agents

  1. Classify antiarrhythmic agents by their mechanism of action.

Chapter 5. Antihypotensive Agents

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, pharmacotherapeutics, contraindications, drug interactions and side adverse effects of antihypotensive agents.

Chapter 6. Calcium Channel Blockers

  1. List common calcium channel blockers and provide their nursing management.

Chapter 7. Beta Adrenergic Blockers

  1. List common ß-adrenergic blockers and provide their nursing management.

Chapter 8. Nitrates

  1. Explain the nursing management for nitrates

Chapter 9. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors

  1. List common ACE inhibitors and provide their nursing management.

Chapter 10. Cerebral and Peripheral Vasodilating Agents

  1. Provide nursing management for cerebral and peripheral vasodilating agents.

Chapter 11. Diuretics

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, contraindications, drug interactions and nursing management of osmotic diuretics, loop diuretics, thiazide diuretics and potassium-sparing diuretics.

Chapter 12. Lipid Lowering Agents

  1. Describe the action, indications, contraindications, drug interactions and side/adverse effects of bile acid-sequestering resins and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.

Chapter 13. Anticoagulant, Hemostatic, and Thrombolytic Agents

  1. List anticoagulants, thrombolytic agents and hemostatic agents.

Unit 3. Drugs Associated With Respiratory Therapies

Chapter 14. Antihistamines, Decongestants, Antitussives, and Expectorants
  1. Provide the pharmacodynamics, indication, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of antihistamines, decongestants, antitussives, and expectorants.

Chapter 15. Bronchodilators

  1. Provide nursing management for methylxanthine bronchidilators.

Unit 4. Drugs Associated With Gastrointestinal Therapies

Chapter 16. Antiulcer, Antiemetic, and Emetic Agents
  1. Describe antacids, gastric stimulants, antiemetic agents and emetic agents.

Chapter 17. Laxative and Antidiarrheal Agents

  1. Describe the action, indications and contraindications for bulk-forming agents, lubricants, hyperosmotic agents, stimulants, saline laxatives, stool softeners, and antidiarrheal agents.

Unit 5. Drugs Associated With Anesthesia and Pain Therapies

Chapter 18. Anesthetic Agents
  1. Provide an overview of anesthetic agents.

Chapter 19. Narcotic Analgesics

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of narcotic.

Unit 6. Drugs Associated With Neurologic and Psychiatric Therapies

Chapter 20. Cholinergic and Adrenergic Agents
  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of direct-acting cholinergic agents, anticholinesterase agents, anticholinergic agents, adrenergic agents and antiadrenergic agents.

Chapter 21. Central Nervous System Stimulants

  1. Describe the application of central nervous system stimulants.

Chapter 22. Antiepileptic Agents

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of antiepileptic agents, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines.

Chapter 23. Antiparkinson Agents

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of dopaminergic agents and centrally acting anticholinergic agents.

Chapter 24. Antianxiety Agents, Sedatives, and Hypnotics

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of antianxiety agents, sedatives, and hypnotics.

Chapter 25. Antidepressant Agents

  1. Describe the application of tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors and antimanic agents.

Chapter 26. Antipsychotic Agents

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of traditional and nontraditional antipsychotic agents.

Chapter 27. Skeletal Muscle Relaxants

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of centrally acting and peripherally acting skeletal muscle relaxants.

Unit 7. Drugs Associated With Hormonal Therapies and Reproduction

Chapter 28. Thyroid, Pituitary, and Parathyroid Agents
  1. Describe the application of pituitary, thyroid, and parathyroid agents.

Chapter 29. Antidiabetic Agents

  1. Compare various insulin preparations.

Chapter 30. Reproductive Hormones

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of estrogens, progestins, oral contraceptives, anabolic steroids, and androgen inhibitors.

Chapter 31. Agents Used in Labor and Delivery and Postpartum

  1. Describe the agents used in labor, delivery, and postpartum.

Unit 8. Drug Associated With Anti-inflammatory Therapies

Chapter 32. Corticosteroids
  1. List and describe the application of corticosteroids.

Chapter 33. Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents

  1. List and describe the application of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Chapter 34. Immunosuppressant Agents

  1. List and describe the application of immunosuppressant agents.

Chapter 35. Antirheumatic and Antigout Agents

  1. Describe antirheumatic and antigout agents.

Unit 9. Drugs Associated With Cancer Therapies

Chapter 36. Antineoplastic Agents
  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of antineoplastic agents.

Unit 10. Drugs Associated With Anti-infective Therapies

Chapter 37. Antibacterial Agents
  1. List and describe the application of antibacterial agents.

Chapter 38. Antitubercular Agents

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of systemic and topical antitubercular agents.

Chapter 39. Antifungal Agents

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of systemic and topical antifungal agents.

Chapter 40. Antiviral Agents

  1. Describe the pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side/adverse effects and nursing management of antiviral agents.

Unit 11.Drugs Associated With Topical Agents

Chapter 41. Ophthalmic and Otic Agents
  1. Describe the ophthalmic and otic agents.

Chapter 42. Dermatologic Agents

  1. List and describe the application of dermatologic agents.