Overview

This unit presents an overview of the pathophysiological and pharmacological foundations, principles and procedures of safe medication administration, as well as of adverse reactions related to medications, and the legal requirements for safe administration.

Requisites

Prerequisites
NUR10005 Foundations of Nursing
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025
Semester 1
Location
Wantirna
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Discuss Australian drug legislation and Quality Use of Medicines (QUM), impacting on nurses’ work in regard to medication administration
  • Describe the key pharmacokinetic processes and outline the major pharmacodynamic principles (e.g. agonist and antagonists, receptor-drug interactions)
  • Utilise an evidence based clinical reasoning framework to develop a plan focusing on strength based, safe and effective medication management
  • Identify and discuss the major pharmacology drug classes and related physiological effects
  • Demonstrate competence in safe calculation of medications

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Activity Type Activity Total Hours Number of Weeks Hours Per Week
Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning 8 8 weeks 1
On-campus Class 16 8 weeks 2
On-campus Practical 12 6 weeks 2
Specified Activities Various 16 8 weeks 2
Unspecified Activities Independent Learning 90 8 weeks 11.25
Online Lecture 8 8 weeks 1
Total Hours: 150 Total Hours (per week): 19.25

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Examination Individual  40%  1,2,3,4 
Medical Calculation Test Individual  Pass/Fail 1,5 
Competency Medication Assessment Individual  30%  1,2,4,5 
Assignment Individual  30%  2,3,4 

Content

  • Australian drug legislation and regulation
  • Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) policy
  • Drug nomenclature, types of drug preparations, drug classifications
  • Pharmacodynamics & Pharmacokinetics – absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion.
  • Adverse drug effects - allergy, intolerance, cumulative effect, idiosyncratic effect and interactions
  • Factors affecting drug action – developmental, weight, gender, culture, psychological factors, pathology, environment, timing of administration
  • Nursing responsibility in the pharmacological management of a person’s health inclusive of, perioperative nursing, and cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, neurological, renal, gastro-intestinal & musculoskeletal systems
  • Medication calculation

Graduate Attributes:

  • Communication 1 - Verbal Communication (GA1)
  • Communication 2 - Communicating using different media (GA2)
  • Teamwork 1 - Collaboration and negotiation (GA3)
  • Digital Literacies 1 - Information literacy (GA5)
  • Digital Literacies 2 - Technical literacy (GA6)

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.