Outline

Overview

In this unit of study students will develop an understanding of basic pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics principles including the relationship between molecular structure and drug activity, drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination in the body. The relationship between kinetics and dynamic characteristics and drug use will also be explored. Students will start to examine the therapeutic use of medications in nursing practice for the treatment and comprehensive care of patients with common conditions. In tutorial and workshop sessions, students will be provided with an opportunity to apply the underlying principles of pharmacology to their nursing practice by learning to: - Search and use evidence-based drug information sources for relevant therapeutic information; - Apply and integrate evidence-based pharmacological information to simple case studies to optimise quality use of medicine and - Explore the clinical governance, legal, ethical and professional requirements associated with the quality use of medicines in nursing practice.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	NURS2001
Academic unit	Pharmacy
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	36 credit points of 1000 level units including NURS1001 and NURS1005
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Connie Van, connie.van@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Andrew McLachlan, andrew.mclachlan@sydney.edu.au
	Ronald Castelino, ronald.castelino@sydney.edu.au
	Connie Van, connie.van@sydney.edu.au
	Brent McParland, brent.mcparland@sydney.edu.au
	Jonathan Penm, jonathan.penm@sydney.edu.au
	Ludmila Ovchinikova, ludmila.ovchinikova@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Connie Van, connie.van@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Ludmila Ovchinikova, ludmila.ovchinikova@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Assessment 3: Final Exam Short answer	50%	Formal exam period	80 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Assessment 1: Quiz 1 In-class MCQ and short answer quiz	25%	Week 06	20 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Assessment 2: Quiz 2 In-class MCQ and short answer quiz	25%	Week 10	20 minutes
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Assessment 1: Quiz 1

Quiz 1 will be held in Week 6 during tutorial time.

It will consist of multiple choice, drug matching and short answer questions and students will have 20 minutes to complete the assessment. This is a closed book assessment and additional materials including, but not limited to, books, online resources and mobile phones will NOT be permitted.

The quiz may cover any lecture, tutorial and weekly reading content from week 1 to 5 (inclusive).

Assessment 2: Quiz 2

Quiz 2 will be held in Week 10 during tutorial time.

The quiz may cover any lecture, tutorial and weekly reading content from week 6 to 9 (inclusive).

Assessment 3: Final Exam

The Final Exam is a 1 hour 20 minute closed book exam comprising of:

drug recognition/matching questions
short answer questions
case based questions

Please note: Each student is required to submit all assessment items in order to pass this unit. Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

*Where an assignment is submitted late without an approved extension, a late penalty will apply. For every calendar day up to and including ten calendar days after the due date a penalty of 5% of the maximum awardable marks will be applied to late work. For work submitted more than ten calendar days after the due date a mark of zero marks will be awarded.*A replacement quiz/exam will be provided with special consideration approval.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction + Quality use of medicines	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	Drug information sources	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 02	Pharmacokinetics	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Medicine administration, classification and dosage forms	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 03	Pharmacodynamics	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Pharmacokinetics	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Autonomic nervous system	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Doing the drug round	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 05	Liver disease / Renal disease	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Pharmacodynamics / Autonomic nervous system	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	Renal disease	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Liver disease	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Gastrointestinal system	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Renal disease	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Urinary incontinence / Haematology and coagulation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Gastrointestinal	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	Musculoskeletal system	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Musculoskeletal system	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Urinary Incontinence	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	Antimicrobials	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Musculoskeletal	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	Exam preparation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Musculoskeletal	Tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Students undertaking this unit of study are required to attend 90% of tutorials/workshops which are supplemented with additional readings. Students are required to contact the unit of study coordinator if they know they will miss a class due to illness or misadventure and must provide evidence to explain their absence within 3 working days. It is expected that students will engage effectively in all components of the unit of study.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Australian Medicines Handbook

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. demonstrate an understanding of drug targets and drug actions at the molecular level and the relationship between molecular structure and drug activity
LO2. describe the mechanism of action of some common therapeutic drugs, and consider their associated risks and benefits
LO3. demonstrate an understanding of how drugs are metabolised and the factors affecting their deposition in the body
LO4. find and critically evaluate evidence-based drug information with respect to safety and quality, and relevance for informing decision making in nursing practice
LO5. identify where adjustments in dosage and management would be necessary due to age or organ failure
LO6. apply and integrate evidence-based pharmacotherapy knowledge to case studies involving patients with different pathologies in ways which optimise quality use of medicines
LO7. describe the clinical governance, legal, ethical and professional requirements associated with quality use of medicine as part of nursing practice in comprehensive care

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit was well received by students in 2023. There are no major changes to the unit structure or assessments.

Additional information

Sensitive materials in teaching: Please note that in this Unit of Study sensitive and potentially distressing or disturbing content might be presented and/or discussed from time to time. This may include reference to for example, discrimination, assault, suicide, illness, death and dying or culturally sensitive issues. These topics are relevant to your learning and your knowledge and skill development for nursing practice.

You will be advised before the information/topic is presented. If you are participating in the teaching session/activity online, you are advised to use headphones and ensure that anyone not participating in the session cannot see images that you may be watching on your device. If the nature of the content makes you feel uncomfortable or distressed, it is important that you contact the unit coordinator or another member of the academic team to discuss this with them.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

NURS2001: Pharmacology and Therapeutics 1

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect