NUR2000 Medications: Theory and Practice

NUR	2000	79132	2, 2008	ONC	Medications: Theory and Practice	1.00	Toowoomba
Subject	Cat-nbr	Class	Term	Mode	Description	Units	Campus

Academic group:	FOSCI
Academic org:	FOS004
Student contribution band:	National Priority Nursing
ASCED code:	060301

Staffing
Requisites
Other requisites
Rationale
Synopsis
Objectives
Topics
Texts
Reference materials
Student workload
Assessment details
Important assessment information
Assessment notes
Production date
PDF version

STAFFING

Examiner: Joachim Ferrer
Moderator: Teresa Davis

REQUISITES

Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in Program: BNUR

OTHER REQUISITES

Recommended Prior Study: MAT1008 or NUR1090

RATIONALE

Medications are used in the treatment of both acute and chronic conditions. The responsibility of correct medication regimes has become increasingly important. Nurses must accept the responsibility and obligations which will ensure safe administration of medications.

SYNOPSIS

This course is designed to ensure that nursing students understand the basis of how medications are administered, absorbed, metabolized and excreted. The information is applied to the nurses' role in the therapeutic administration of drugs so that the student becomes familiar and competent in medication administration. The mathematical processes involved in medication calculations will be revised and assessed so that students will be able to calculate with a high level of accuracy. These two aspects of therapeutics will be integrated and complemented so that the student will become aware of the importance of the safe administration of medications and begin to be proficient in methods of drug administration.

OBJECTIVES

On completion of this course students will be able to:

demonstrate an ability to apply the basic principles of pharmacodynamics to a selected number of drugs and drug routes (Exam);
describe the routes of drug administration and the physiology involved in drug absorption and excretion (Exam);
identify correct principles of medication administration in simulated situations and in case studies on exams (Lab Attendance and Participation, Psychomotor Skills Assessment, Exam);
demonstrate under supervision the handling skills required to administer medications appropriately and accurately (Lab Attendance and Participation, Psychomotor Skills Assessment);
demonstrate 100% accuracy in calculating a range of medication calculations (Test).

TOPICS

	Description	Weighting (%)
1.	Calculations	25.00
2.	Pharmacodynamics	15.00
3.	Medication administration	60.00

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

Instructional guide for medications: theory and practice 2008, USQ, Toowoomba

Crisp, J & Taylor, C (Eds) 2005, Potter & Perry's fundamentals of nursing students, Elsevier Australia, Marrickville, NSW.
(Australian adaption)

Tiziani, Adriana 2006, Havard's nursing guide to drugs, 7th edn, Harcourt, Sydney.

Tollefson, J 2007, Clinical psychomotor skills: assessment tools for nursing students, 3rd edn, Social Science Press, Tuggerah, NSW.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Australian Medicines Handbook 2007, Australian medicines handbook, 8th edn, Australian Medicines Handbook, Adelaide.
(Available online via library catalogue)

Brown, D & Edwards, H (eds) 2005, Lewis's medical-surgical nursing: assessment and management of clinical problems, Elsevier, Australia.

Bryant, B, Knights, K & Salerno, E 2003, Pharmacology for health professional, Harcourt, Marrickville, NSW.

Bullock, S, Manias, E & Galbraith, A 2006, Fundamentals of pharmacology, 5th edn, Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest, NSW.

Jenkins, G, Kemnitz, C & Tortora, G 2006, Anatomy and physiology: from science to life, 6th edn, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, New York.
(ISBN: 047081280X (Pack includes textbook, DVD & WileyPlus Access card for onlline access))

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY	HOURS
Assessment	2.00
Drug Calculations Tests	5.00
Examinations	2.00
Laboratory	22.00
Lectures	22.00
Private Study	120.00

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description	Marks out of	Wtg(%)	Due date	Notes
DRUG CALCULATIONS 1	20.00	2.00	08 Aug 2008	(see note 1)
DRUG CALCULATIONS 2	20.00	2.00	22 Aug 2008
DRUG CALCULATIONS 3	20.00	2.00	05 Sep 2008
DRUG CALCULATIONS 4	20.00	2.00	26 Sep 2008
PSYCHOMOTOR SKILLS ASSESSMENT	20.00	20.00	10 Oct 2008	(see note 2)
DRUG CALCULATIONS 5	20.00	2.00	17 Oct 2008
LAB ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION	1.00	1.00	31 Oct 2008
PTA OF 2HR RESTRICTED EXAM CMA	35.00	35.00	END S2	(see note 3)
PTB OF 2HR RESTRICTED EXAM S/A	35.00	35.00	END S2

NOTES

1.: Drug calculations CMA's will be assessed online every second Friday from week 3. There will be a window of seven (7) hrs in which to log on. The test must be completed within one (1) hour from log in. Students must achieve a 100% pass in each CMA.
2.: Students will be scheduled for psychomotor skills assessment. Please see course overview.
3.: Examination dates will be available during the Semester. Please refer to the examination timetable when published.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Attendance requirements:
It is the students' responsibility to participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures and labs) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course. This extends to the notion that students will thus be informed of course-related activities and administration. The skills components of this course will be taught in on-campus laboratory sessions. During these Laboratory Sessions, students will engage in practice of techniques and application of knowledge in a variety of situations. Attendance at all the Laboratory Sessions and/or completion of one or more alternative activities at a standard judged to be appropriate by the examiner is required before the 1 mark for the workshops can be awarded. If unavoidable circumstances (medical or personal) prevent a student from attending, the student must contact the examiner to arrange an alternative activity. This will entail either a written assignment or demonstration of competence in a set activity (or both) based on the material covered in the missed session at a time to be arranged with the examiner. If no attempt is made to contact the examiner to arrange an alternate activity and/or to produce a medical certificate, the student will have deemed to FAIL the course.
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete the calculations examination 100% accuracy is required. To satisfactorily pass the psychomotor skills assessment, students will be assessed on-campus utilizing criteria specified and must achieve at least 50% of the total score. To pass the end of semester exam students must achieve 50% of the combined scores of Part A and Part B of the exam.
Penalties for late submission of required work:
If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval then a penalty of 10% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment will apply for each working day late.
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must a) attend all labs and b) pass all drug calculations CMA's at 100% and c) achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the psychomotor skills assessment and the exam. Students who do not qualify for a Passing grade may, at the discretion of the Examiner, be assigned additional work to demonstrate to the Examiner that they have achieved the required standard. It is expected that such students will have gained at least 45% of the total marks available for all summative assessment items. Lab attendance and drug calculations are linked to the practical skills which are fundamental of safe nursing practice. This has been recognised by Queensland Nursing Council and the Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care.
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
Examination information:
The final exam is 'restricted'. Candidates are allowed access only to specific materials during a Restricted Examination. The only materials that candidates may use in the restricted examination for this course are: writing materials (non-electronic and free from material which could give the student an unfair advantage in the examination); calculators which cannot hold textual information or be programmed (students must indicate on their examination paper the make and model of any calculator(s) they use during the examination). Students whose first language is not English, may, take an appropriate unmarked non-electronic translation dictionary (but not technical dictionary) into the examination. Dictionaries with any handwritten notes will not be permitted. Translation dictionaries will be subject to perusal and may be removed from the candidate's possession until appropriate disciplinary action is completed if found to contain material that could give the candidate an unfair advantage.
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.
University Regulations:
Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

Students who, for medical, family/personal, or employment-related reasons, are unable to complete an assignment or to sit for an examination at the scheduled time may apply to defer an assessment in a course. Such a request must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. One of the following temporary grades may be awarded IDS (Incomplete - Deferred Examination; IDM (Incomplete Deferred Make-up); IDB (Incomplete - Both Deferred Examination and Deferred Make-up).

10.

Students can expect that questions in assessment items in this course may draw upon knowledge and skills that they can reasonable be expected to have acquired before enrolling in the course. This includes knowledge contained in pre-requisite courses and appropriate communication, information literacy, analytical, critical thinking, problem solving or numeracy skills. Students who do not possess such knowledge and skills should not expect to achieve the same grades as those students who do possess them.

This version produced 20 Nov 2008.