Essentials of pharmacology for nurses

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Nurses and midwives make up the largest proportion of frontline healthcare professionals, representing nearly half of the 43.5 million health workers worldwide. However, it is estimated that 50% more will be needed by 2030 to meet the growing demand for global healthcare. Although public awareness of the selfless dedication of our nursing professionals has increased during the novel COVID-19 global pandemic, it shouldn’t take a pandemic for us to realise the value of our nurses and midwives. The work they’re doing now is the work they do every day of the week, 365 days of the year, come rain, hail, shine or global catastrophe. The consistency in the presentation of information in each chapter were formatted in the same way starting from learning objectives, introduction, basic concepts and principles, medication types, effects, considerations and safety in preparation and administration, module learning activities, interactive activities, critical thinking activities and a glossary. Answer keys were provided at the end of the book. References were evidenced-based and comprehensive. I felt this was well organized, with understanding the basics of pharmacology and then going more into direct drugs. The endocrine chapter is terribly out of date , especially the antidiabetic section which does not include the newer insulins. It should at least include the newest drugs included as the first step according to the ADA guidelines. The sitagliptin picture is a Russian label. Only 1 DDP4 is mentioned but no GLP1 or SGLT2 classes which are so popular today. Osteoporosis drugs are also not up to date. Missing in the osteoporosis section are Risedronate (Actonel), Ibandronate (Boniva), aintravenous (IV) infusions Zoledronic acid (Reclast).

A nurse’s knowledge of pharmacokinetics (what the body does to the drug), and pharmacodynamics (what the drug does to the body) (Lecture notes, 2011) both subdivisions of pharmacology, allows them to choose the right route based on the assessment of the patient, the speed at which they want the drug to be absorbed at and the magnitude of the therapeutic response that results (Bryant & Knights, 2011). As well as these points nurses must use the five rights of medication administration to safely administer drugs. The five rights being, the right medication, right dose, right patient, right route, and right time. If you are studying nursing pharmacology, a great way of understanding and memorizing the use and function of medication is to familiarize yourself with its generic name stem. Usually, drugs of the same therapeutic class are given names with the same stem. These stems are mostly placed word-finally (suffix), but in some cases, word-initial (prefix) stems are also used. For example, new and novel medicines have followed the discovery of the role of serotonin in depressive illness, dopamine in schizophrenia and tissue necrosis factor in inflammatory diseases of the bowel and joints (Table 1).It is better to research pharmacology after discussing things with your classmates or friends than to learn alone without knowing what you’re learning because you fear that you might get something wrong, leading to failing the course. You can find in-depth online tutorials on youtube about your subject. Nursing Students Should Not Give Up

I am not the best at spelling and grammar, but I did not notice anything incorrect with what I reviewed. Royal Pharmaceutical Society (2018) Professional guidance on the safe and secure handling of medicines (SSHM). London: RPS.

Pharmacology is one of the most essential subjects in nursing school because nurses are the ones who dispense medicines to patients. Nurses are also the one who supervises how well the patient is tolerating certain medications. Recurrent natural disasters in countries such as Japan has even led to the establishment of a disaster-relief network of almost 10,000 nurses, who ensure care is delivered rapidly post-disaster to affected communities. The contribution nurses make as frontline responders for the provision of vital healthcare is priceless, and demand in primary healthcare will only increase as population health challenges grow. Support for nurses and midwifes has never been more necessary. After reading your lecture notes or your book for pharmacology, make outlines according to the topics covered by the teacher/professor during lectures or class discussions. These outlines will allow you to know what subtopics/chapters were discussed, including new terms and acronyms learned during the debate, which is vital for you to remember so that you don’t forget them when taking exams. Review Materials Before Taking the Test Relevant cultural and social determinations were included in each chapter. I did not see any culturally insensitive entries in the book. More examples could be included in the learning activities related to medication practices from other cultures or race.

Seamless navigation through sections, offering a variety of learning and visuals to aid in the learning process. This can also result in medication errors. The nurse’s understanding of pharmacology is important in her role of educating patients about their medications. The nurse must be able to answer any questions the patient may ask about their medications, such as why they are being taken, and consequences of not taking them. Knowledgeable nurse educators are able to make patients feel like experts with regards to their own medications. According to Barber and Robertson, “The nurse should be able to educate to the extent that they and the patient feel confident with their medication management”. The text was extremely easy to read and clear. The depth of the text content itself was toward surface level, but the critical thinking exercises helped for deeper thinking. The application of pharmacogenetic research by the pharmaceutical industry is likely to lead to more drugs that can be targeted at specific patients and diseases based on individual variations in genetic make-up. Research has already shown that patients with HIV experience varying degrees of hypersensitivity reactions to certain drugs directly as a consequence of genetic variations.The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework. The inclusion of the glossary is a great addition. Topics and sub-topics in the text are present in a uniform manner throughout the book. With in the sub-topics you can also consistently find medication considerations throughout the lifespan. Royal College of Nursing and Royal Pharmaceutical Society (2020) Guidance on prescribing, dispensing, supplying and administration of medicines: March 2020: position statement. London: RCN.

The recent marketing of trastuzumab (Herceptin) is evidence of this. The drug is only effective in cases of breast cancer where the tumour over-expresses human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER 2). Before taking it patients must be genetically tested to ensure the drug is appropriate. Those who test positive for the presence of the protein are judged eligible for treatment. As this is the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, let’s continue to raise awareness and champion the valuable contributions our nursing professionals make. Not just one day or one year, but every day in every year.

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Denosumab (Prolia, Xgeva) might be used in people who can't take a bisphosphonate, such as some people with reduced kidney function. Students should be able to at least recognize these drugs. Pharmacologists are different to pharmacists. Pharmacists prepare, give out and give advice about medicines that are already available. Information, figures, tables were found to be evidenced-based, error-free, and unbiased. Appropriate references are found in each section. Some references used were more than 5 years old which I am sure will be updated. I would recommend referencing the answer keys as well. Nursing students should not be afraid to ask professors questions if they find something confusing – professors will always answer your question with a clear explanation – instead of giving up studying altogether.