| Effective Term: | 2025/08 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Nursing Context 5: Pharmacology for Nurses |
| Unit ID: | NURBN2020 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060301 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit provides students continuing from year 1, with a more in-depth study of the field of therapeutics, which plays a significant role in the prevention and management of disease. Nurses and Midwives must have a comprehensive knowledge of the actions and effects of medicines being taken by patients and childbearing/lactating women in their care to provide safe, competent and effective medication administration. Understanding medications and the role of therapeutics requires a strong foundation of pharmacologic principles to help establish the knowledge base to underpin safe practice. This unit examines fundamental knowledge and skills to promote the therapeutic application of medications in the clinical setting and to enhance the ability of the nurse or midwife to provide person/woman-centered care and education across the lifespan |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | |  | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Identify and explain various terminologies, characteristics and mechanisms of action of significant medication groups |
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| K2. | Identify and explain the indicators of adverse drug reactions |
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| K3. | Identify and describe therapeutic effect of and responses to medications and related life span issues from pre-conception to end of life. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Analyse and identify appropriate medication administration considerations |
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| S2. | Analyse and explain factors which determine the potency of medication responses |
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| S3. | Apply nursing or midwifery assessment principles and clinical reasoning to medication administration to promote quality patient/woman care |
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| S4. | Explore the use of complementary and alternative therapies in the health care setting and describe the implications for nursing and/or midwifery |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Explore the impact of polypharmacy and develop patient/woman-specific nursing and midwifery plans for patient/woman care |
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| A2. | Investigate factors and processes which may contribute to medication errors in professional practice |
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| A3. | Explore the effect of health technology/ informatics on prescribing, dispensing and administering medications |
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| A4. | Apply the knowledge and skills of therapeutic pharmacological intervention in a clinical based scenario(s) |
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| Unit Content: |
The current NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice, NMBA Code of Conduct for Nurses, Code of Ethics for Nurses, National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, Aged Care Quality Standards, National Health Priority Areas and where applicable the NMBA National Competency Standards for the Midwives, NMBA Code of Conduct for Midwives, ICM/NMBA Code of Ethics for Midwives have informed the content development of this unit. Pharmacodynamics Practice applications of pharmacodynamics Pharmacokinetics Practice applications of pharmacokinetics Polypharmacy and socio-cultural aspects Medication and WHO research Medication Groupings Medication terminology Lifespan issues and adverse drug reactions Implications of medication use during pre-conception, pregnancy and lactation Application of ethics and critical thinking to pharmacology scenarios Allergy and adverse drug reaction Cultural health issues relating to pharmaceuticals Pharmacological assessment & clinical decision making Assessment protocols/template applications Patient medication education (e.g. teach back method) Medication charting and errors, (RISK MAN and open disclosure) Complementary, alternative and Over the Counter (OTC) medications and therapies. Medication safety in mental health |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2, A3, A4 | Attendance at Active Learning Sessions | 80% Attendance at Active Learning Sessions | S/U Hurdle | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, A2, A4 | Patient education video on medication regime | Asynchronous oral presentation | 40-60% | | 3. | K1, K2, K3, S2, A1, A4 | Group poster presentation on quality use of medicines | Poster | 40-60% |
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