MEDA 1530 Pharmacology for the Medical Assistant

This course introduces the principles of pharmacology related to the role of the medical assistant. Emphasis is placed on the correlation of drug therapy and pathophysiologic conditions, patient education regarding medications, and researching drugs using a drug reference. Instruction includes the usage, action, side effects, and contraindications of drugs commonly administered in ambulatory care. Routes of administration and the preparation and administration of medications using proper technique will be studied. Also covered are legal and ethical considerations related to the administration of drugs. Prerequisite: Completion of MEDA-1520. (1.5 lect., 3 lab)

Credits

3 credits

Major Topics

  • Role of the medical assistant in medication administration and patient teaching

  • Systems of measurement used in medication administration

  • Legal and ethical implications applied to medication administration

  • Prescription drug legal implications

  • Drug names, classifications, forms, and uses based on frequently prescribed medications

  • Mathematics applied to dosage calculations

  • Reading and interpreting medication orders

  • Sources of drug information

  • Safe medication administration

  • Routes of administration

Outcomes

In order to successfully complete this course, the student will:

1. Adhere to the legal role of the medical assistant in medication administration.

2. Describe principles of medication preparation, administration, and measurement.

3. Identify drug classifications, drug forms, drug actions, side effects, and emergency procedures with emphasis on commonly prescribed drugs.

4. Maintain accurate patient records and agency-specific documentation related to medication administration.

5. Demonstrate proper use of drug references.

6. Demonstrate accurate dosage calculations.

7. Interpret medication orders, abbreviations, and symbols when preparing medication dosages.

8. Demonstrate safe oral and parenteral (excluding intravenous) medication administration according to current standards of care.

9. Correlate common disorders of the body with common medications used in their management.

10. Reconcile patient drug profiles based on prescription and non-prescription medications and disorders being treated.