Drug care of elderly people and clinical pharmacology
Structure Type:
Course
Code:
KFG11B032
Level:
Bachelor
Credits:
3.0 points
Responsible Teacher:
Hietaniemi, Elina
Teacher Team:
Ulvinen, Leena ; Lahti, Marita
Language of Instruction:
Finnish
Learning Outcomes
Students will become aware of their responsibilities in handling drugs, in the drug care of elderly clients and in providing counselling on medicines. Upon completion of the course, students will understand the basic mechanisms of how drugs work, and they will be familiar with the medical treatment of common diseases. Students will also be aware of the special problems in elderly people's medication and of the possible side-effects drugs may have. Students will learn the various forms and routes of medication, the relevant terminology and calculations. They will know how to handle drugs safely, how to implement pharmaceutical care and how to counsel elderly clients and their family care-givers.
Student's Workload
Will be announced at the beginning of the course.
Prerequisites / Recommended Optional Courses
No previous studies are required.
Contents
- Basic concepts in pharmacology
- The elderly and drugs
- Absorbtion, distribution, excretion, accumulation, cross-over effects and side effects
- Basic principles in drug treatment
- Needs for development in elderly people's pharmaceutical care
- Drug substance groups and drug treatment for various illnesses of the elderly
- Types of drugs, handling and administering drugs
- Drug mechanisms and combined effects
- Calculating dosage
- Special issues in the drug treatment and counselling of elderly people, areas of responsibility in drug treatment
- Unit-specific drug care plans
- Legislation pertaining to pharmaceutical services and drug care
- Learning to monitor one's competence in drug care, demonstration of the competence by means of the student's drug care certificate
Recommended or Required Reading
Veräjänkorva O. ym. 2006. Lääkehoito hoitotyössä, Kivelä, S-L. & Räihä, I. 2007. Iäkkäiden lääkehoito. Lääkelaitos. Kapseli 35, Laine, K. 2005. Lääkkeiden yhteisvaikutukset (sov. osin), Kivelä, S-L. 2003 Vanhuksen lääkehoito (sov. osin), Lääkelaki 395/1987; Lääkeasetus 18 ja 29§; Lääkintöhallituksen yleiskirje 1929/1987; STM. 2007. Turvallinen lääkehoito; Infektioiden torjunta sairaalassa. uusin painos (sov. osin), Geronomien Lääkehoitopassi. 2007.
- Lecture material
Mode of Delivery / Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Co-operative lectures, independent and group assignments, drug dosage calculations
Assessment Criteria
Grading will be announced during the course.
Assessment Methods
- Active participation in classroom activities
- Exams on the theory of pharmacology and drug treatment for elderly people
- Precisely calculated drug dosages: to be completed before practical training in health centres and home nursing
- Numerical grading 1-5