The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to the basic principles of pharmacology applied to health care. Students are introduced to the major drug groups that affect the differing bodily systems. Throughout this unit, students are enabled to become self-directed learners; specifically, in relation to the most appropriate means of accessing information about individual drugs, their usages, contraindicates, dosages, and routes of administration.
This unit focuses on of antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals used in health care today. A history of the development these drug groups is given and linked to issues of drug resistance in micro-organisms. Content incorporates a range of protocols including pharmacological, surgical, clinical, and biomedical interventions. Pertinent topics will include intervention development, manual writing, administration, quality control, fidelity, dosage and dose-finding, adverse effects monitoring, inventory control treatment compliance and adherence, placebo effects, drop-out and ITT protocol, and clinical practice and monitoring.
Underpinning the above, the importance of the role of the carer in drug administration and evaluation of their effectiveness is emphasised and students are given specific instruction on drug calculations