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Online

Unit description

Provides students with knowledge of pharmacological agents and their current use in the prevention and treatment of disease and with foundational knowledge of the principles of safe medication management.

Unit content

  • Therapeutic drugs in Australia/Principles of safe medication administration
  • Information systems, monitoring and recording of medications
  • Pharmacology of the autonomic nervous system
  • Major drugs affecting the nervous system
  • Major classes of drugs affecting the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, endocrine and reproductive systems
  • Anaesthetics, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal drugs
  • Psychotherapeutic drugs
  • Pharmacology in the elderly and polypharmacy
  • Over-the-counter drugs, drug toxicity and adverse drug reactions

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1discuss guidelines for the access and use of medicines within the Australian health care system
2describe the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
3describe the mechanisms of action, pharmacological effects, therapeutic uses, contraindications and adverse effects of major classes of drugs and selected specific drugs
4recall the effects of drug toxicity and polypharmacy on the human body
5develop the skills necessary to research medications and accurately present that information to others.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. discuss guidelines for the access and use of medicines within the Australian health care system
  2. describe the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
  3. describe the mechanisms of action, pharmacological effects, therapeutic uses, contraindications and adverse effects of major classes of drugs and selected specific drugs
  4. recall the effects of drug toxicity and polypharmacy on the human body
  5. develop the skills necessary to research medications and accurately present that information to others.

Prescribed Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts
  • Bullock, S, 2017, Fundamentals of Pharmacology , 8th edn, Pearson Australia. ISBN: 9781442563100.

Prescribed Texts
  • Bullock, S, 2017, Fundamentals of Pharmacology , 8th edn, Pearson Australia. ISBN: 9781442563100.
Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods

Teaching and assessment

Notice

Intensive offerings may or may not be scheduled in every teaching period. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Southern Cross University employs different teaching methods within units to provide students with the flexibility to choose the mode of learning that best suits them. SCU academics strive to use the latest approaches and, as a result, the learning modes and materials may change. The most current information regarding a unit will be provided to enrolled students at the beginning of the teaching period.

Fee information

Domestic

Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.

Fee paying courses
For postgraduate or undergraduate full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees

International

Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.

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