I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Medication Calculations for Health Care Careers

2. Course Prefix & Number:
PNUR 1140

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 1

Lecture Hours: 1

Lab Hours: 0

4. Course Description:

This course is to introduce students to medical dosage calculations and the terminology associated with medication orders. Theory, skill, and terminology related to calculating medication dosages will be the focus of this course. Students will learn how to perform conversions between measurement systems. Students will review basic mathematical concepts related to medication administration. This course is repeatable.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

Math Pre-College Level or Math Introductory College Level or Algebra College Level or Pre-Calculus College Level or Calculus College Level

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Pine Technical College, HEOP Medical Dosage, 1 credit

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Practical Nursing, Diploma
Medical Assistant, AAS

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate written communication skills	Demonstrate written communication skills by completing an assignment in finding a journal article on a medication error, and reflecting on the seven rights of medication administration and which was violated.
Demonstrate reading and listening skills	Using case studies identify and interpret medication orders.
Analyze and follow a sequence of operations	Solve equations related to medication dosages.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Explain medication safety measures related to dosage calculation;
• Discuss medication errors and prevention methods with dosage calculations;
• Identify the seven rights to medication administration;
• Identify medication terms related to dosage calculation;
• Correctly recognize components to a medication label;
• Solve mathematical problems converting decimals, percentages, and fractions;
• Solve equations related to medication dosages;
• Identify apothecary, metric, and household systems of measurement;
• Convert dosages from one measurement system to another; and
• Interpret medication orders.

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Arithmetic Review
• Arabic numbers and Roman numeral
• Fractions
• Add and subtract fractions
• Multiply and divide fractions
• Improper fractions and mixed numbers
• Reducing to the lowest fractional term
• Decimals
• Rounding
• Add and subtract decimals
• Multiply and divide fractions
• Converting fractions to decimals
• Decimals
• Calculate percentages
2. Measurement Systems, Drug orders and Labels
• Systems of measurements
• Metric System
• Apothecaries’ nystem
• Household nystem
• Common equivalents and converting between systems of measurements
• Temperature measurements Celsius and Fahrenheit, and converting between
• Military time
• Interpretations of medication orders
• Identifying and interpreting drug label information
• Generic and trade drug names
• Dosage and measurement
• Route/method fo administration
• Directions for storage and preparing the druge
• Checking expiration dates
3. Solving Basic Dosage Calculations
• Using dimensional analysis
• One factor medication problems
• Principles of rounding
• Dosage calculations based on route of administration; oral and parental
• Two factor medication problems
• Medication problems involving weight
• Medication problems involving reconstitution of powders and solutions
4. Safety Practices with Medication Dosage Calculation
• Seven rights to medication administration
• Correct patient identifiers for administrating medication
• Discuss medication errors related to medication dosage calculation, and prevention methods
• Documentation procedures for medication administration on a record