NURS5100 Pharmacotherapeutics
Spring 2023
Course Credit
(4) semester hours
Estimated Learning Time (ELT)
To demonstrate compliance with U.S. Department of Education regulations
and standards established by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), all
Graceland University faculty have created a good faith estimate of the
learning time associated with each course they design, coordinate and lead.
Estimates of learning time are published in the syllabi for each course
offered. Regardless of the length of term or the mode of instruction, it is
expected that a student who is prepared for college-level work and
reasonably motivated to succeed will spend a minimum of 37.5 hours per
semester hour credit in course-related activity. ELT may include preparation
time, attendance, and active participation in course-related activities. The
conversion ratio for clinical practice hours (see below) to academic semester
hours (S.H.) credit varies across programs. It is calculated per the school of
nursing (SON) Assignment of Academic Credit for nursing courses.
Learning activities and distribution of ELT may vary from course to course
and student to student. Learning activities may include but are not limited
to, the following: reading assignments, literature & database searching;
literature & evidence analysis, live chats, asynchronous discussions; peer-
review, written assignments; group projects, case study analysis, practice
skill labs, quizzes/exams, individual & group presentations/demonstrations,
field experiences, clinical practice hours, practice projects, log & database
entries. ELT for this course is illustrated below.
Estimated NURS5100 Pharmacotherapeutics (4 S.H.)
Learning Time
(ELT) Learning Activities
Reading Assignments (text readings, database searching,
90
literature/evidence review & critical analysis, etc.)
24 Written Assignments (patient handouts reflective of research)
22 Discussions (prep & participation)
26 Quizzes / Exams (prep & completion)
Practice Hours (field experiences, clinical practicums, practice projects,
N/A
skill lab focus sessions)
N/A Clinical/practice prep, log & database entries
Other:
162 TOTAL
Course Schedule
Learning activities are completed within a 16-week trimester. Weeks begin
on Monday and end on Sunday. Participation in asynchronous discussions is
expected to occur throughout the week on multiple different days, as
directed in the Discussion Guidelines. Graded learning activities are due by
midnight Sunday at the end of the week. See the Assignment Guidelines
below.
Communication
There are various options for communication between faculty and students,
including asynchronous discussion boards, private communication via the
appropriate assignment area, Sting email, synchronous chat, and telephone
conferencing. Students should expect a response from faculty within three
business days for all 16- week courses. If a response is not received
within 72 hours, please get in touch with the SON Graduate Programs Office
at [email protected] or 816.423.4677 for assistance.
As a general rule, faculty log on to course sites at least 3-5 times each week
(Monday through Friday) to monitor student progress, respond to questions,
review, and score assignments. Evenings, weekends, and holidays are
reserved for personal and family activities, and faculty may not routinely log
on to the course sites. Asynchronous discussion boards are the primary and
preferred communication between faculty and students enrolled in online
courses.
A Virtual Office is provided for student-faculty communications about the
course. Please post all questions or comments related to the course in the
appropriate forum so all students can access the information.
Private communications between students and faculty are available via a
Private Communications for Faculty assignment area on the course site,
Sting email, or telephone. Private consultation by phone or synchronous chat
is available by appointment.
Students are responsible for all communications sent to their Sting email
accounts. It is imperative that you plan to check your Sting email frequently!
Emails sent to/from D2L Brightspace and all official communications from
the SON are sent to your Sting email
COURSE FACULTY
Diane Weinreich, MSN, FNP-BC
Lead Faculty, Clinical Instructor
[email protected]
Angela Martinez-Mills, MSN, FNP-BC
Section Faculty, Clinical Instructor
[email protected]REQUISITES AND PREREQUISITES
NURS5440 Advanced Pathophysiology
PLACE of COURSE in CURRICULUM
Typically, in the third trimester of the full-time MSN program of study .
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Provides the graduate advanced practice nursing student foundational
knowledge and application of pharmacotherapeutics to meet clients from
childhood through the older years. Content focuses on the principles of
pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. It provides an overview of
selected therapeutic drug classes and complementary/alternative
treatments, which allows students to evaluate client situations and
determine drug therapy within the context of the overall treatment plan.
PROGRAM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLO)
ADDRESSED
The following elements are addressed in this course:
MSN SLO-1: Synthesizes research, theory, and principles of scientific inquiry to
support evidence-based practice.
MSN SLO-2: Demonstrates advanced knowledge and skills in a selected functional
role.
MSN E-I: Background for Practice from Sciences and Humanities
MSN E-VIII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving Health
MSN E-IX: Masters-Level Nursing Practice
NP CC-4: Practice Inquiry Competencies
NP PC-I: Health Promotion, Health Protection Disease Prevention and Treatment
NP PC-III: Teaching-Coaching Function
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Apply the principles of pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution,
metabolism, and excretion) and pharmacodynamics to drug classes.
2. Analyze the relationship between pharmacologic agents and
physiologic/pathologic responses.
3. Safely prescribe pharmacologic and complementary/alternative
treatments.
Managing client health problems based on client variations, diagnosis,
co-morbid conditions, and cost-effectiveness.
4. Accurately calculate medication dosages and select dosage form,
routes, and frequency of administration of medications based on
relevant individual client characteristics (e.g., age, culture, gender,
illness).
5. Plan comprehensive and appropriate client education (including but not
limited to expected effects, potential adverse effects, administration,
and cost) concerning prescribed pharmacologic agents.
6. Synthesize ethical and legal standards and ramifications of
pharmacotherapeutics.
7. Contrast the various state legal requirements for advanced practice
nursing prescriptive authority.
8. Compare and contrast legal requirements for writing prescriptions as
an advanced practice nurse for all States.
COURSE MATERIALS
Arcangelo, V.P., Peterson, A.M., Wilbur, V., & Kang, T.M. (2022) Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced
practice: A practical approach. (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Gilbert, D.N., Chambers, H.F., Eliopoulos, G.M., Saag, M.S., & Pavia, A.T., Black, D., Freedman, D.O.,
Kim, K., & Schwartz, B.S. (2021). The Sanford Guide to antimicrobial therapy. (51st ed.).
Antimicrobial Therapy, Inc.
Other
1. Use your Pathophysiology textbook to discuss the pathophysiology-
related information required in the assignments.
2. Become familiar with the website from the National Guideline
Clearinghouse at http://www.guideline.gov/. This site provides essential
and basic information in the guidelines for most clinical health
evaluations. Be sure to find and use the full guidelines link
provided, usually located at the end of the policy. The Institute for
3. Uptodate.com is not primary evidence; it is peer-reviewed, evidence-
based, and considered an excellent resource in this course.
TECHNOLOGY
PCs are recommended. Macintosh computers may be used, but in some
situations, a Mac will not support the requirements of a specific online
course. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they can access a PC
in such situations.
Google Chrome or Firefox is recommended for use with D2L. If you have
difficulties using any course tools, don’t hesitate to contact D2L Technical
Support at 1-877-325-778.
COURSE METHODOLOGIES
Required Reading
Assigned readings from the textbook are noted each week under Learning
Assignments. Additional required reading will be noted in some weeks,
along with recommended reading.
Assignments
There are twelve open-book assignments in this course. Research is
required to complete these assignments successfully. Utilization will be
needed outside of course-required textbooks. There are Six medication form
assignments and discussions to promote additional learning opportunities.
Quizzes
There are ten timed quizzes. Quiz questions are Multiple-choice and
True/False. A random selection of exam questions from a large item bank
presents each student with a unique set of questions. Questions are based
on current and past reading assignments and are pathophysiology-
based. It is strictly prohibited to disclose, publish, reproduce, or
transmit quiz items in any form for any reason.
Be sure to plan your exam time wisely to avoid interruptions. If you have
any technical issues, call the IT help desk for assistance and a ticket number
if needed. Click on the Save Answers button OFTEN! Missed quiz
questions without the answers will be available for students to review once
the quiz is taken. The rationale for missed quizzes and assignment
questions is not provided, as this is part of the learning process
(researching for the appropriate answer). If answers cannot be
found in the designated texts, it is encouraged to utilize UpToDate or
the recommended resource stated in the question.
COURSE POLICIES
The amount of time and effort required to achieve expected outcomes will
vary among students. Less intensive course weeks may require 6-8 hours of
work, while more intense weeks require 16-20 hours.
Assignment Guidelines
1. Due dates for graded learning activities (participation, written
assignments, quizzes/exams, etc.) are posted by faculty on
the Course Schedule within each course.
2. The time stamp in D2L officially documents the date and time of
submission. Assignments, submissions, and posts are due
by midnight Central Standard Time (CST) of the posted due date.
Students are expected to adjust the time for their zone to avoid late
submissions. For example, students in Mountain Time Zone must
submit, post, etc., by 11 pm MT to meet the midnight CST deadline.
The date and time the faculty see for your submissions are in CST.
3. Submitting assignments for faculty to review before grading or for re-
grading is not permitted unless specified in the assignment guidelines.
4. Rubrics for evaluation are posted in the rubrics folder under the table
of contents. Feedback is provided for any deduction of points.
5. Students should generally expect feedback within seven days of the
posted due date. Feedback may be delayed up to 14 days from the
posted due date in certain circumstances, such as extended due dates
(see below). Graded assignments will be returned to students once all
assignments have been submitted. Faculty will notify students of any
expected delays in response time.
6. Students are expected to review feedback on graded assignments and
seek clarification of any questions within one week after the grade has
been posted.
7. Ten percent (10%) per day (or part thereof) will be deducted from the
earned score for all graded learning activities submitted past the
posted due date for up to a maximum of five (5) calendar days (this
includes weekends & public holidays).
8. Work submitted over five (5) days overdue will not be graded by
faculty, and a score of zero (0) points will be recorded. Timely
participation is crucial for meaningful and effective discussions.
Therefore, late submissions are not accepted, and zero points will be
recorded for posts made after the posted due date.
9. As a rule, faculty log on to course sites at least 3-5 times each week
(Monday through Friday) to monitor student progress, respond to
questions, review, and score assignments. Evenings, weekends, and
holidays are reserved for personal and family activities, and faculty
may not routinely log on to the course sites.
Due Date Extensions
1. Students should post questions related to assignments and
submit requests for due date extensions to faculty in writing by
noon on Friday before the due date.
2. Due date extensions will not be granted for peer responses, as
late responses do not contribute to peer learning.
3. Extensions are granted at the discretion of course faculty in an
emergency or extraordinary circumstances such as the
following:
a. Medical illness: a medical certificate may be
requested by faculty.
b. Compassionate grounds: those situations for which
compassionate leave is usually granted in
employment.
c. Unexpected misadventure, hardship, or trauma:
Faculty may request documentation.
4. Work or other study commitments, computer crashes, or printer
failures are NOT valid reasons for an extension.
5. No penalty will apply if an extension is sought and granted by
the responsible person or delegate. Established penalties will
apply if the assignment is handed in after the extension period.
6. Students whose circumstances require extensions longer than
one week are advised to meet with faculty to discuss available
options, including course withdrawal or incomplete grade
assignments.
Graduate Student Handbook
Students are responsible for the policies and procedures posted in the
Graduate Catalog and Graduate Student Handbook. The catalog and
handbook are updated regularly, so please refer to the online version for the
most current information. Links are also available on the myGU SON
Resources page.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Graceland University's School of Nursing values academic integrity and is
committed to preserving academic honesty among our faculty, students, and
graduates. Graceland University and the School of Nursing have academic
policies and procedures to ensure a safe and positive learning environment
for students and faculty. It is the student's responsibility to review and
familiarize themselves with these policies. View Graduate Student Academic
Policies.
Turnitin (TII)
Students agree that by taking this course, all written assignments, including
research papers, case studies, and discussion posts, may be subject to
submission, at the faculty member’s discretion, for text comparison by
Turnitin.com., a plagiarism detection service and other means of detecting
plagiarism. All papers submitted to Turnitin.com will be included as source
documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely to detect
plagiarism of future papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the
Terms and Conditions of Use posted on www.Turnitin.com.
Students with Disabilities
Graceland University is committed to full compliance with the Rehabilitation
Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Students
requesting accommodations should complete an Accommodations Request at
https://www.graceland.edu/academics/accommodation-request-for-
disabilities.
After completing an accommodations request, you must submit
documentation to the Student Disability Services (SDS) office.
Documentation can be submitted in person by visiting the SDS office in the
Newcom Student Union, room 31 (across from the game room), or by
emailing
[email protected]. Documentation guidelines can be found at
https://my.graceland.edu/ICS/Resources/Student_Disability_Services/ .
To provide appropriate academic accommodations promptly, it is
recommended that you complete the Accommodations Request form as early
in the semester as possible.
Rachel Johnson is in charge of accommodations and may be contacted via
email at
[email protected] or by phone at 815-423-4712.
Online Assessments
Maintaining the integrity of online assessments is a challenge and a
significant concern for both students and faculty working in online
environments. Students enrolled in this course are held to a professional
standard and must comply with the following regulations. Failure to comply
with these regulations directly violates the Graceland University Integrity
Policy.
1. It is expressly prohibited to disclose, publish, reproduce, or transmit any
part of a quiz/test/exam or written assignment in any form, by any means,
verbal or written, for any purpose.
2. The enrolled student logged on must complete graded learning and
assessment activities at the course site.
3. Completing any course requirement on behalf of someone else is strictly
prohibited.
4. You may not obtain improper access to any part of an assessment (quiz,
test, exam, etc.) or assignment (case analysis, research paper, etc.) before
completing the activity yourself (i.e., observing someone else complete the
assessment, reviewing work previously submitted by another student).
5. Using your notes during quizzes is permitted. Other resources, such as
textbooks and online resources, are not allowed. It is advised to have a
calculator and scratch paper available during quizzes to calculate drug
doses.
Iowa SBN Administrative Code
2.5(5), chapter 2, nursing educational programs, curriculum: Nursing
courses with a clinical component may not be taken by a person:
a. who has been denied licensure by the board,
b. whose license is currently suspended, surrendered, or revoked in any
United States jurisdiction,
c. whose license/registration is currently suspended, surrendered, or
revoked in another country due to disciplinary action
Learning Experiences and Evaluation
Grades are earned individually through the completion of course
requirements. Assessment scores will not be curved, and extra credit
activities are unavailable. Grades are earned through the completion of
course requirements. Points are awarded based on the level of achievement
of expected outcomes. The amount of time and effort required to achieve
expected outcomes will vary among students. Throughout the term, earning
points for each graded learning activity are posted in the grade book (see
tab at the top of this page). Students are responsible for tracking their
progress. Questions or concerns regarding points awarded for any graded
learning activity should be addressed to faculty within one week of the grade
posting.
Final grades will not be rounded up or down, i.e., 89.99% will be
assigned a B grade.
Grading Scale
A grade of B (80%) or better (above average work) is required to
pass graduate-level nursing courses. Final grades are computed
according to the following standard based on a total of 100%
100-
A =
90%
B = 89-80%
C = 79-70%
D = 69-60%
F = 59-0%
