Course overview
This course aims to equip learners with advanced knowledge and skills of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics to inform advanced clinical practice for registered nurses and midwives. Through exploration of advanced concepts including the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of common drug categories, learners will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to make evidence-based decisions in the assessment and diagnosis, leading to pharmacological management in difference contexts and patient populations. By critically analysing case studies and current research, learners will develop their clinical reasoning and decision-making abilities. This course aligns with the program's goal of fostering advanced clinical practice by equipping learners with the expertise needed to deliver evidence-based, person-centred care healthcare.
Course learning outcomes
- Develop an advanced understanding of pharmacology principles and drug mechanisms including absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and drug-receptor interactions
- Apply pharmacological knowledge to the management of acute and chronic common medical conditions across the lifespan in accordance with national priorities
- Critically evaluate medicines information sources within an evidence-based practice framework to support advanced clinical reasoning and decision-making
- Identify common contraindications and recognise signs of adverse drug reactions
- Demonstrate application of evidence-based pharmacological mechanisms to clinical decision-making