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Active as of Fall Semester 2016
I. General Information
1. Course Title:
Pharmacology
2. Course Prefix & Number:
MEDA 1142
3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:
Credits: 2
Lecture Hours: 2
4. Course Description:
This course develops the students' awareness of basic pharmacological concepts. It covers drug laws, standards and safe medication administration. Students learn about the actions of medications in the body; i.e., absorption, biotransformation, metabolism, and excretion. The various classifications of medications are discussed, along with how to use medication references.
5. Placement Tests Required:
6. Prerequisite Courses:
MEDA 1142 - Pharmacology
There are no prerequisites for this course.
7. Other Prerequisites
Admission to the Medical Assistant Program is required for this course.
9. Co-requisite Courses:
MEDA 1142 - Pharmacology
There are no corequisites for this course.
II. Transfer and Articulation
1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:
Pine Technical College, HEOP 1208 Med Dosages, 1 credit
Alexandria Technical College, PNSG 1607 Med Administration, 2 credits
St. Cloud Technical College, PRSG 2429 Essentials of Clinical Pharmacology, 2 credits
III. Course Purpose
Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):
Medical Assistant Diploma
Medical Assistant AAS
IV. Learning Outcomes
1. College-Wide Outcomes
College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies |
Students will be able to: |
Demonstrate oral communication skills |
Discuss and educate patients on the necessity for taking medications as directed by providing written and oral directions. |
Demonstrate written communication skills |
Review an article regarding medication errors and write a paper following rubric guidelines summarizing the error and how to avoid making similar errors. |
Analyze and follow a sequence of operations |
Correctly interpret and calculate a provider's medication order to administer the correct dosage and route of administration to be given to a patient. |
2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of
the course:
- Identify medication effect/action/contraindication;
- Utilize medication references;
- Identify pertinent medication information;
- Explain federal drug requirements;
- Explain medication safety measures;
- Identify medication terms;
- Interpret medication orders;
- Identify medication classification; and
- Discuss medication errors and prevention methods.
V. Topical Outline
Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.
1. Lecture Sessions
- Orientation to Medications
- Drug sources
- Drug uses
- Drug standards
- Drug names
- Drug references
- Drug legislation
- You and the Law
- Principles of Drug Action
- Pharmacokinietics
- Drug action
- Factors affecting drug action
- Drug effects
- Adverse reactions drug dependence or drug abuse?
- Administering Parenteral Medications
- Orientation to the parenteral route
- Standard precautions
- Medication Therapy
- Forms of medications
- Routes of administration
- The medication order
- Types of drug orders
- Questioning a drug order
- Standard medical abbreviations
- Ordering drugs from the pharmacy
- Drug packaging
- Storage and disposal of drugs
- The Seven Rights: rules for giving medications
- Reading and understanding a medication label
- Charting medications
- Principles of charting
- Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs
- RdA
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Electrolytes
- Herbs
- Antibiotics and Antifungals
- Infection and immunity
- Antibiotic drugs
- Antifungal drugs
- Antiviral drugs
- Drugs for the Eye and Ear
- Eye disorders
- Drug therapy for eye disorders
- Ear disorders
- Drug therapy for ear disorders
- Drugs for the Integumentary System
- Skin disorders
- Topical medications
- General instructions for medicating the skin
- Drugs for the Cardiovascular System
- Cardiovascular disorders
- Drugs for cardiovascular and blood disorders
- Giving cardiovascular medications
- Drugs for the Respiratory System
- Respiratory disorders
- Drugs for respiratory disorders
- Giving respiratory medications
- Drugs for the Gastrointestinal System
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Drugs for gastrointestinal disorders
- Giving gastrointestinal medications
- Drugs for the Urinary System and Fluid Balance
- Urinary disorders
- Imbalances of body fluids, electrolytes and pH
- Giving medications for urinary tract and fluid imbalances
- Medications that affect the urinary system
- Drugs for the Reproductive System
- Reproductive disorders
- Use of sex hormones in drug therapy
- Drugs for the Endocrine System
- Endocrine disorders
- Hormone therapy
- Drugs for the Musculoskeletal System
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Drug treatment of musculoskeletal disorders
- Care of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Drugs for the Nervous and Sensory Systems
- Nervous system disorders
- Drugs that affect the Central Nervous System (CNS)
- Giving medications for the nervous and sensory systems
- Psychotropic drugs
- Mental disorders
- Selection and use of psychotropic drugs
- Drugs for the Geriatric Patient
- Drugs and the older adult
- The aging grocess
- Pharmacokinetics in the older adult
- Obtaining a medical and medication history
- Administering medications to older adult patients
- Engaging patients in their care
I. General Information
1. Course Title:
Pharmacology
2. Course Prefix & Number:
MEDA 1142
3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:
Credits: 2
Lecture Hours: 2
4. Course Description:
This course develops the students' awareness of basic pharmacological concepts. It covers drug laws, standards and safe medication administration. Students learn about the actions of medications in the body; i.e., absorption, biotransformation, metabolism, and excretion. The various classifications of medications are discussed, along with how to use medication references.
5. Placement Tests Required:
6. Prerequisite Courses:
MEDA 1142 - Pharmacology
There are no prerequisites for this course.
7. Other Prerequisites
Admission to the Medical Assistant Program is required for this course.
9. Co-requisite Courses:
MEDA 1142 - Pharmacology
There are no corequisites for this course.
II. Transfer and Articulation
1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:
Pine Technical College, HEOP 1208 Med Dosages, 1 credit
Alexandria Technical College, PNSG 1607 Med Administration, 2 credits
St. Cloud Technical College, PRSG 2429 Essentials of Clinical Pharmacology, 2 credits
III. Course Purpose
1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):
Medical Assistant Diploma
Medical Assistant AAS
IV. Learning Outcomes
1. College-Wide Outcomes
College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies |
Students will be able to: |
Demonstrate oral communication skills |
Discuss and educate patients on the necessity for taking medications as directed by providing written and oral directions. |
Demonstrate written communication skills |
Review an article regarding medication errors and write a paper following rubric guidelines summarizing the error and how to avoid making similar errors. |
Analyze and follow a sequence of operations |
Correctly interpret and calculate a provider's medication order to administer the correct dosage and route of administration to be given to a patient. |
2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of
the course:
- Identify medication effect/action/contraindication;
- Utilize medication references;
- Identify pertinent medication information;
- Explain federal drug requirements;
- Explain medication safety measures;
- Identify medication terms;
- Interpret medication orders;
- Identify medication classification; and
- Discuss medication errors and prevention methods.
V. Topical Outline
Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.
1. Lecture Sessions
- Orientation to Medications
- Drug sources
- Drug uses
- Drug standards
- Drug names
- Drug references
- Drug legislation
- You and the Law
- Principles of Drug Action
- Pharmacokinietics
- Drug action
- Factors affecting drug action
- Drug effects
- Adverse reactions drug dependence or drug abuse?
- Administering Parenteral Medications
- Orientation to the parenteral route
- Standard precautions
- Medication Therapy
- Forms of medications
- Routes of administration
- The medication order
- Types of drug orders
- Questioning a drug order
- Standard medical abbreviations
- Ordering drugs from the pharmacy
- Drug packaging
- Storage and disposal of drugs
- The Seven Rights: rules for giving medications
- Reading and understanding a medication label
- Charting medications
- Principles of charting
- Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs
- RdA
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Electrolytes
- Herbs
- Antibiotics and Antifungals
- Infection and immunity
- Antibiotic drugs
- Antifungal drugs
- Antiviral drugs
- Drugs for the Eye and Ear
- Eye disorders
- Drug therapy for eye disorders
- Ear disorders
- Drug therapy for ear disorders
- Drugs for the Integumentary System
- Skin disorders
- Topical medications
- General instructions for medicating the skin
- Drugs for the Cardiovascular System
- Cardiovascular disorders
- Drugs for cardiovascular and blood disorders
- Giving cardiovascular medications
- Drugs for the Respiratory System
- Respiratory disorders
- Drugs for respiratory disorders
- Giving respiratory medications
- Drugs for the Gastrointestinal System
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Drugs for gastrointestinal disorders
- Giving gastrointestinal medications
- Drugs for the Urinary System and Fluid Balance
- Urinary disorders
- Imbalances of body fluids, electrolytes and pH
- Giving medications for urinary tract and fluid imbalances
- Medications that affect the urinary system
- Drugs for the Reproductive System
- Reproductive disorders
- Use of sex hormones in drug therapy
- Drugs for the Endocrine System
- Endocrine disorders
- Hormone therapy
- Drugs for the Musculoskeletal System
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Drug treatment of musculoskeletal disorders
- Care of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Drugs for the Nervous and Sensory Systems
- Nervous system disorders
- Drugs that affect the Central Nervous System (CNS)
- Giving medications for the nervous and sensory systems
- Psychotropic drugs
- Mental disorders
- Selection and use of psychotropic drugs
- Drugs for the Geriatric Patient
- Drugs and the older adult
- The aging grocess
- Pharmacokinetics in the older adult
- Obtaining a medical and medication history
- Administering medications to older adult patients
- Engaging patients in their care