Pharmacology Syllabus for 2022-2023
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Instructor Information

Course Information

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As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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Course

VNSG-1231-001 Pharmacology

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: BIOL 2401 and HITT 1305 Corequisites: VNSG 1136, VNSG 1138, VNSG 1304, VNSG 1227, VNSG 1423, VNSG 1260 and VNSG 1400

Course Description

Fundamentals of medications and their diagnostic, therapeutic and curative effects. Including nursing interventions utilizing the nursing process.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(2 sem hrs; 2 lec, 1 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Introductory Clinical Pharmacology, Roach, Ford, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 12th Ed.

Nurse's Drug Handbook, Jones and Barlett Learning, Current Edition.

Supplies

Student Performance

The student will identify the roles and responsibilities of the nurse in administering pharmacological agents; and utilize knowledge of pharmacology to demonstrate safe administration of medications. The student will identify the unique psychological and sociological differences and health care practices within culturally perse individuals that affect the use of pharmacological agents

Provider of Care:  the student will:

1. Function as a beginning nursing student in the application of knowledge of the general characteristics exhibited by pharmaceutical agents within each drug classification when providing patient care.
2. Incorporate theoretical concepts such as adaptation and basic human needs as well as the principles from biological, psychological, and sociocultural sciences with knowledge of pharmaceutical agents to provide holistic nursing care for inpiduals.
3. Utilize the nursing process and critical thinking in understanding the specific characteristics of selected pharmaceutical agents within each of the major drug classifications.   
4. Identify the unique psychological and sociological differences and health care practices within culturally perse inpiduals.
5. Apply knowledge of the physiological, psychological, and sociological changes associated with normal aging process that influences the efficacy of drug therapy to the care of the patient throughout the developmental life continuum.
6. Identify the basic principles of teaching and learning in order to assist individuals to comply with medication regimen.
7. Identify community resources available to individuals requiring medication therapy.
8. Perform specific nursing procedures associated with the safe preparation and administration of pharmaceutical agents.

 Manager of Care: the student will:

1. Recognize appropriate communication skills for interaction with other healthcare workers.
2. Identify current technology being used in the management of pharmaceutical agents.
3. Identify the role of the nurse and other health care workers in the management of drug therapy for patients in the acute or extended care setting as well as individuals receiving medication therapy within the community.

Member Within the Discipline of Nursing: the student will:

1. Demonstrate adherence to ethical and legal standards of nursing practice as they relate to the administration of medications.
2. Identify personal strengths and weaknesses in providing medication therapy to individuals throughout the developmental life continuum.
3. Identify the effect of nursing research on the preparation and administration of pharmaceutical agents.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

The Vocational Nursing Program is an adult program. Adult and professional behavior is expected in both the classroom and clinical areas. Cell phones and pagers should be placed on silent while in class. Text messaging is not allowed in the classroom. Students are expected to participate in all activities. Assigned reading should be completed with the module, attend lectures to supplement the reading, and complete ATI assignments to be successful.

Instructors are available for assistance during office hours. Professional communication may be conducted through e-mail or in person.

Grading Criteria

VNSG 1231 Grading Criteria

The satisfactory grade average on examination is (75) or above

Six unit exams= 90% 

Required Assignments= 5%

ATI Pharmacology Exam= 5%

ATI Exam is graded according to the following levels:

Level 3=100

Level 2=88

Level 1=75

Below level 1= 65

 

Overall grade schema:

A:  90-100      B:  80-89     C:  75-79     D:  60-74     F:  59 & below

 

REQUIRED LAB TIME:

16 hours of lab hours are required in this course. Failure to complete required hours will result in failure of VNSG 1231. Activities that qualify as lab hours are:

• ATI: Time students are logged into ATI working on modules.
• PrepU: Time students are logged into PrepU to complete modules.
• Active learning activities.
• Other activities as determined by the instructor.

COURSE WORK

In order to succeed in this course, there will be required assignments. Assignments must be hand-written (unless otherwise specified) and submitted to the appropriate drop box in Blackboard. Typed assignments will not be accepted. Assignments must be compatible with Microsoft Office (Microsoft Word, etc.). Any submission that is incompatible with the campus computer system will not be accepted and will result in a zero for the assignment. 

Students must do their own individual work. There may be no sharing of answers for either of these programs. Cheating in any form will not be tolerated and may result in course failure. All unit assignments must be completed by the due date scheduled by the instructor. If not completed by the closing date listed on the lab sheet and/or the date given to you by the instructor, you will receive a zero for that specific unit. Students must achieve a 90% on all ATI assignments, and mastery level 5 on PrepU to receive credit. In order to receive full benefits from these modules, students must spend at least 30 minutes per module. Insufficient time will not receive credit.

If there are problems accessing and/or working within PrepU or ATI, the student must contact PrepU or ATI helpdesk. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor prior to the due date, explain the problem, and include the ticket number given by the helpdesk. 

PARTICIPATION

There will be active learning activities in class. Participation is required. Active learning may include group work. These activities are structured to provide a deeper understanding of the material and gain experience with collaboration. Collaboration is a necessary skill for nurses to provide safe care. 

TESTS AND MAKE-UP TESTS:

Tests are computerized and will be taken in the nursing testing center. Tests will begin on time; if students are late, they will not be allowed to enter and test. Cheating in any form will not be tolerated and may result in course failure. Measures are taken to avoid the opportunity of cheating:

• No cell phone or smart watches are allowed in the testing room
• Students should use the bathroom prior to the exam. If the student leaves the room during the test, the test will be stopped and the grade they earned at that point will be recorded.
• Instructors may screen for cheating opportunities prior to and during the exams.

Make-up tests may be essay/short answer questions and must be taken within one week of the scheduled test. It is the responsibility of the student to schedule the make-up test. Make-up exams may result in a deduction of 10 points (this will be at the instructor's discretion). Failure to notify the instructor via email prior to a missed exam may result in a grade of 0 for that exam.

REQUIRED TUTORING POLICY:

1. The West Campus Tutoring Center is located in Building D. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. The telephone number is 354-6020. The Tutoring Center is open to all nursing students. Any student may schedule an appointment at the center regardless of their academic progress in a course.
2. Students who do not achieve a minimum passing score of at least 75% on a unit exam are required to meet with the instructor and/or a tutor prior to the next scheduled exam. One hour of tutoring is required for a test grade of less than 75%. Remediation is required to help students improve their critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills and test-taking techniques. Both course syllabus and student contract include this requirement. Students who do not complete the required tutoring will receive a 5-point deduction on the exam. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure confirmation of the tutoring session is given to the instructor prior to the next exam.
3. Students may also be required to complete a Required Remediation Assignment prior to taking the next exam. The instructor will notify the student of the Assignment and the due date for the assignment. The next exam cannot be completed until this requirement is met.     

ASSESSMENT TECHNOLOGIES INSTITUTE (ATI)

ATI assessments will be done throughout the semester. These assessments are utilized to establish readiness for National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX). All students will be required to complete the focused review based on the results of these assessments.

The Focused Review must be completed by the due date listed on the respective course calendar(s) in which the student is enrolled. If the focused review is not completed, then the student will not be allowed to sit for the Final Exam and will receive a grade of zero (0) for the Final Exam. Please see the ATI grading and focused review requirement table below:

ATI GRADING TABLE/Focused Review Time:

Level	Conversion Score (%)	Focused Review Time
Level 3	100	1 hour
Level 2	88	2 hours
Level 1	75	3 hours
Below Level 1	65	4 hours

Attendance

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement, and mandated hours are required by the Texas State Board of Nursing.  Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class. 90% classroom attendance is required. Excessive absences will result in a conference and attendance contract. Exceeding the maximum absences may result in failure of the course.

Calendar

Additional Information

If you are in need of additional resource or need financial assisstance, please visit the following website www.actx.edu/resources

Grievances

Students may report grievances by following the proper chain of command.  First the student will contact: instructor, program director, Associate Dean of Health Sciences Kim Boyd 354-6060, Dean of Health Sciences Kim Crowley 354-6087, Associate VP of Academic Services Becky Burton 371-5122, and VP of Academic Affairs Dr. Tamara Clunis 371-5226.