Course Syllabus

Fall 2024 | AHS-2470-VO01 - Fundamentals of Pharmacology

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Sarah Billings-Berg
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Danielle Lafleur Brooks

Course Description

This course provides an overview of pharmacology language, abbreviations, systems of measurement and conversions as they relate to medication administration. Students will learn the measurement of medication, dosage calculations, routes of administration, and commonly prescribed drugs in the medical office. Topics include legal implementations regarding controlled substances and other medications, forms of medications, patient care applications, drug classifications/interactions, and safety in medication administration and patient care. Basic algebra skills are required. Prerequisites: Human Biology and Medical Terminology.

Essential Objectives

1. Explain the responsibilities of support professionals, such as medical assistants and pharmacy technicians, regarding medication administration and the conditions under which such professionals may administer medication.
2. Understand the legal and ethical implications associated with controlled substances and prescription pads including the role of the FDA, function of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and purpose of the Controlled Substance Act.
3. Apply accurate medical terminology related to pharmacology and administration of medication.
4. Calculate doses accurately for oral and parenteral medications.
5. Interpret and document medication orders, including the parts of a prescription.
6. Identify classifications of drugs, factors that affect drug action, and the undesirable actions of given drugs.
7. Determine classification and application of routes of administration for oral and parenteral medications in relation to the target effect.
8. Demonstrate an understanding of medical recordkeeping, storage, safety, and quality assurance related to medications dispensed in the medical office.
9. Demonstrate the procedure for using a Physicians’ Desk Reference and other reference sources.
10. Identify and understand proper patient assessment skills prior to medication administration, and patient education regarding uses, interactions and adverse effects.
11. Distinguish different routes of medication administration and recognize precautions required for each to assure patient safety.
12. Demonstrate and practice professional conduct in the workplace and effective written and oral communication with patients, coworkers, and supervisors.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations.

Fall 2024 textbook details will be available on 2024-05-20. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

AHS-2470-VO01 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Methods

Methods:

• Discussion Board
• Recorded Lecture
• Online Homework Exercises
• Quizzes
• Midterm Exam
• Final Exam

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Criteria:

• Discussion Board= 30%
• Homework = 20%
• Quizzes = 20%
• Midterm Exam = 15%
• Final Exam = 15%

Grading Criteria:

A+ through A-: For any work to receive an "A," it must clearly be exceptional or outstanding work. It must demonstrate keen insight and original thinking. It must not only demonstrate full understanding of the topic or issues addressed, but it must also provide a critical analysis of these. In addition, an "A" grade reflects a student's ability to clearly and thoughtfully articulate his or her learning.

B+ through B-: For any work to receive a "B," it must be good to excellent work. It must demonstrate strong originality, comprehension, critical thinking, and attention to detail. In addition, a "B" grade reflects a student's ability to clearly articulate his or her learning.

C+ through C-: For any work to receive a "C," it must meet the expectations of the assignment. It must demonstrate solid comprehension, critical thinking, and attention to detail. In addition, a "C" grade reflects a student's ability to adequately articulate his or her learning.

D+ through D-: For any work to receive a "D," it must marginally meet the expectations of the assignment. It demonstrates minimal comprehension, critical thinking, and attention to detail. In addition, a "D" grade may reflect a student's difficulty in articulating his or her learning.

F: Work that receives an "F" grade does not meet the expectations or objectives of the assignment. It demonstrates consistent problems with comprehension, organization, critical thinking, and supporting details. In addition, an "F" grade reflects a student's inability to articulate his or her learning. Students are strongly urged to discuss this grade with their instructor and advisor.

A+= 98-100%B+= 88-89.9%C+= 78-79.9%D+= 68-69.9%

A= 93-97.9%B= 83-87.9%C= 73-77.9%D= 63-67.9%

A-= 90-92.9%B-= 80-82.9%C-= 70-72.9%D-= 60-62.9%

F= 59.9% and below

All graded assignments will be rounded to the nearest tenth. Final grades will be calculated based on the assignment evaluation percentages outlined in Evaluation Criteria.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

I expect all students to come to class prepared to participate. My classroom is a judgment-free zone and you will never be made to feel bad about asking questions or offering wrong answers. We are all here together to learn and that is best achieved (and most enjoyable) if everyone has a great attitude and participates in class.

Missing & Late Work Policy

I believe once you are learning at the college level you should be able to navigate a course site and be responsible for assignments and due dates. My courses are all teaching students who plan to enter the medical field where responsibility is of utmost importance. For this reason, I do not accept late work. If there are extenuating circumstances, I will consider a rare extension, ONLY if you communicate with me prior to the due date of the assignment.

I also expect all students to do their own work. Anyone caught cheating on any assignment in my class with automatically fail my course and receive an academic integrity violation.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity