Course Number:
MA 136
Transcript Title:
Medications
Created:
Aug 15, 2022
Updated:
Aug 17, 2022
Total Credits:
2
Lecture Hours:
20
Lecture / Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
0
Satisfies Cultural Literacy requirement:
No
Satisfies General Education requirement:
No
Grading Options
A-F
Default Grading Options
A-F
Repeats available for credit:
0
Prerequisites

MP 111
MTH 65 or MTH 98 or equivalent placement

Course Description

Introduces drug therapy with emphasis on safety and classifications of common drugs and their actions, appropriate drug uses, therapeutic effects, adverse effects and contraindications. Correlates nutritional deficits with common diseases. Reviews common prescription abbreviations, forms of medications and drug regulations. Prerequisites: MP 111; MTH 65 or MTH 98 or equivalent placement.

Course Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  1. Read with understanding medical documentation regarding medications.
  2. Identify and describe the therapeutic actions of commonly prescribed drugs.
  3. Understand the benefits, limitations, adverse effects and contraindications of commonly prescribed drugs.
  4. Describe the benefits of proper nutrition as it relates to common diseases.
  5. Understand drug regulations as it applies to prescribing and administering common outpatient medications.
  6. Appreciate the legal impact and roles and responsibilities of the medical assistant regarding prescription medications.

Suggested Outcome Assessment Strategies

Students will demonstrate these learning outcomes by answering theoretical and application multiple choice questions on information covered in lecture and reading assignments. Students may complete a variety of assignments to demonstrate understanding, including group work, case studies, and homework assignments.

Course Activities and Design

The determination of teaching strategies used in the delivery of outcomes is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: lecture, small group/forum discussion, flipped classroom, dyads, oral presentation, role play, simulation scenarios, group projects, service learning projects, hands-on lab, peer review/workshops, cooperative learning (jigsaw, fishbowl), inquiry based instruction, differentiated instruction (learning centers), graphic organizers, etc.

Course Content

The following list outlines the concepts, themes, and issues students need to understand and be able to use appropriately. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate understanding in written and oral form, individually and in groups.

  1. INTRODUCTION TO MEDICATIONS
    • Introduce medication concepts, management and control, dosage calculation and injection types, sites and equipment.
    • Apply pharmacology principles to prepare and administer oral and parenteral medications.
    • Understand mathematical computations regarding the administration of drugs including the metric system, the household system, ratios and proportions and fractions.
    • Understand FDA regulations as it applies to prescribing and administering common outpatient medications.
    • Appreciate the legal impact and roles and responsibilities of the medical assistant  regarding prescription medications.
  2. MEDICATIONS ESSENTIALS
    • Understand drug sources, scheduled and dosages options
    • Understand the forms of drugs and how the act in the human body
    • Be familiar with the medication order
    • Be familiar with drug administration essentials including storage and documentation
    • Understand the seven rights of medication administrations
  3. ADMINISTRATION OF NONPARENTERAL DRUGS
    • Introduce the concepts of administering drugs that are not given parenterally; including oral, ophthalmic, otic, nasal, rectal, and inhaled drugs
    • Understand the concepts of administering oxygen in the outpatient setting
  4. ADMINISTRATIONOF PARENTERAL DRUGS
    • Be familiar with the equipment and supplies required to administer drugs parenterally
    • Apply principles of aseptic technique, site selection and proper technique to administer drugs parenterally.
  5. DRUGS AFFECTING THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
    • Introduce central nervous system medications indicating their uses, therapeutic effects; adverse reactions, side effects, contraindications, route of administration, usual adult dose, dangers and precautions.
  6. ADMINISTERING ALLERGY MEDICATIONS
    • Understand types of allergies and the medications used to treat allergies including uses, therapeutic effects, adverse reactions, side effects, contraindications, route of administration, usual adult dosages, dangers and precautions.
  7. ANTIBIOTIC MEDICATIONS
    • Understand types of antibiotic medications used to treat infections including uses, therapeutic effects, adverse reactions, side effects, contraindications, route of administration, usual adult dosages, dangers and precautions.
  8. ANTIFUNGAL, ANTIVIRAL AND IMMUNIZING AGENTS
    • Understand types of antifungal, antiviral and immunizing agents used to prevent fungal, viral and bacterial infections including uses, therapeutic effects, adverse reactions, side effects, contraindications, route of administration, usual adult dosages, dangers and precautions.
  9. ANTINEOPLASTIC MEDICATIONS
    • Introduce the antineoplastic medications, indicating their uses, therapeutic effects, adverse reactions, side effects, contraindications, routes of administrations, usual adult dosages, dangers and precautions.
    • Explain other types of treatments of cancer
  10. VITAMINS, MINERALS AND HERBALS
    • Introduce the concepts of nutrition and dietary supplements for patients with specific weight control issues or diagnoses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, lactose sensitivity, gluten sensitivities and food allergies.
    • Define the function of dietary nutrients
    • Understand the terms and function of carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, fiber and herbal supplements as they are used to enhance or substitute for missing elements necessary to maintain proper bodily function
  11. MEDICATIONS AFFECTING THE VARIOUS BODY SYSTEMS
    • Introduce the medications affecting the specific body systems, indicating their uses, therapeutic effects, adverse reactions, side effects, contraindications, routes of administrations, usual adult dosages, dangers and precautions.
    • Systems include autonomic nervous system, musculoskeletal system, gastrointestinal system, cardiovascular system,  respiratory system, urinary system, endocrine system, nervous system, reproductive system

Department Notes

This is a required course which fulfills a portion of the curriculum for the certificate in Medical Assisting. The extent of transferability or credit allowed for the course would be dependent upon the institution and the program to which the student is transferring.