NS5904 - Applied Pharmacotherapeutics for Nurse Practitioners

[Offered in even-numbered years]

Credit points:	03
Year:	2010
Student Contribution Band:	Band 1
Administered by:	School of Nursing, Midwifery & Nutrition

Building on from NS5910 Principles of Pharmacotherapeutics for Nurse Practitioners, this subject will explore major drug classifications which Nurse Practitioners are likely to utilise within their own specialty or patient population group in treating specific pathophysiological conditions. It will examine professional and legal requirements for prescribing various medications within the scope of practice for Nurse Practitioners. This subject will also critically analyse the design and development of Nurse Practitioner pharmacotherapeutic protocols from the available drug formulary taking into account disease processes and the principles of 'Quality Use of Medicines'.

Learning Outcomes

• further develop and apply knowledge and skills required by Nurse Practitioners associated with the safe prescribing of medications.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to deploy critically evaluated information to practical ends;
• The acquisition of coherent and disciplined sets of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics from at least one discipline area;
• The ability to reflect on and evaluate learning, and to learn independently in a self directed manner;
• The ability to manage future career and personal development;
• The ability to read complex and demanding texts accurately, critically and insightfully;
• The ability to speak and write clearly, coherently and creatively;
• The ability to generate, calculate, interpret and communicate numerical information in ways appropriate to a given discipline or discourse;
• The ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
• The ability to lead, manage and contribute effectively to teams;
• The ability to work with people of different gender, age, ethnicity, culture, religion and political persuasion;
• The ability to work individually and independently;
• The ability to select and use appropriate tools and technologies;
• The ability to use online technologies effectively and ethically.

Prerequisites:

NS5910

Availabilities
External, Study Period 1
Census Date 25-Mar-2010
Coordinator:	Mr John Smithson
Lecturers:	Assoc. Professor David Lindsay, Dr Lea Budden.
Method of Delivery:	WWW - LearnJCU and Printed materials
Assessment:	end of semester exam (40%); assignments (40%); pharmacotherapeutic protocol development (20%).

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.