Allegany College of Maryland

 45-220 Applied Pharmacology

Syllabus

 

 

Instructor: Javan Scheller

Office Location: AH 268

Office Hours:      By appointment

Meeting time/date:  Web Course

 

Phone: (301) 784-5566
E-mail: jscheller@allegany.edu

 

 

 

Course Description: This one credit elective pharmacology is designed to provide the nursing student with a basic understanding of pharmacology and its role as part of the treatment regimen of common diseases or health problems.  The nursing process is the tool used as the student addresses study of the classes of pharmacological agents learned throughout the program.  They are applied to specific clinical situations. 

 

Prerequisites:   None

Required Texts:

Abrams, A.C., Pennington, S.S. ,& Lammon, C.B., Clinical Drug Therapy Rationales for Nursing Practice,  8th edition, Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007

Course Outcomes:

This course is designed to assist the student in applying principles of pharmacology learned throughout the program to specific clinical situations.  It will enable the student to identify general principles of pharmacology and factors related to chemical composition of drugs, common routes, absorption and elimination patterns.  The student will also be capable of identifying the common indications, side effects and nursing implications for major classifications of drugs. 

           

            Course Requirements:

 

1.      Participation in Discussion Board – Herbal Supplements

2.      10 Exams

 

 

Technical requirements for the course:

 

 

Technical Requirements:

 

BEFORE THE COURSE STARTS
Technical Requirements

 

Please be sure that your computer systems

 meets the following technical requirements before you enroll in the course.

 

If you have never taken an online course before, this course will be different for you.  Our primary means of communication will be through the Internet, therefore, you should be comfortable with using the Internet and email. 

   

You are expected to have basic computer and Internet literacy skills. This includes the ability to work comfortably in a browser, send and receive email with attachments, use a search engine, and create and modify documents in MS Word.   Technical requirements include:

1 - You need a personal computer with access to the Internet.

 

2 – You will need to provide your own email account. 

Allegany College does not provide email accounts to students.  If you don’t already have an email account given to you from your Internet Service Provider please get a free email account by going to www.yahoo.com. or www.juno.com.

 

3 – You should take the online orientation.

It includes:

Prerequisites for Taking an Online Course (both technical and personal

What You Can Expect in an Online Course

Before Your Online Course Starts (includes Blackboard information)

Tips for Succeeding in an Online Course

Getting Started in Your Online Course

Technical Support

http://www.allegany.edu/dl/onlineorientation/oorientation.shtml

 

Please note: Technical difficulties do occur during a semester. However, technical difficulties do not excuse late or incomplete assignments.

 

Course content

 

The course calendar is located under the Course Information tab for a week-by-week list of what topics will be covered in the course.

How the course is conducted

 

Welcome to the online version of Applied Pharmacology.   This introductory page is intended to help you to get started.   Since there will be no face-to-face class lecture, it is imperative that you are conscientious, motivated and self-disciplined.    The premise of the course is that given a good book and a little help, you can learn without having to attend lectures at a fixed time during the day. While the course is very flexible in terms of when you put in the time, you can expect to average about the same amount of time as a normal lecture course -- about three hours total a week per credit. This comes out to some three hours per week.  A list of all assignments and their due dates is included in the course calendar located in the course information tab.  If you have difficulty with the assignments or have any questions, please contact me and I will be happy to assist you.  

 

You will have opportunities to interact with other students enrolled in the course.  Students are encouraged to communicate with other students in the course by email, by use of the discussion board or by phone. Interacting with other students in the course will enhance your learning experience.

Course Materials:

Textbook

 

Your primary resource is the textbook Abrams, A, Pennington, S., & Lammon, C., Clinical Drug Therapy Rationales for Nursing Practice, 8th edition, Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007.  If you don't want to come to campus to pick up the books, you can either order it from the Allegany College of Maryland bookstore and ask them to mail it to you (301-784-5348), there is an additional fee for shipping) or order it online from www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, or www.efollet.com .  If ordering online, use the ISBN # 0-7817-6263-4 to be sure you order the correct textbook.  If you choose this route, please be sure when you order that the textbook is in stock in order to avoid delays.

Getting Started

 

You may start on the course the first day of the semester, based upon the assignments indicated in the syllabus.  As soon as you begin the course you should document your personal data and make sure that the e-mail address listed in your personal information is the correct e-mail address where you can be contacted.  Please send me an e-mail  using your current e-mail address.  Without your e-mail address, I have no way of contacting you.  This must be done no later than the end of the second week of class, but the sooner the better.  My email address is jscheller@allegany.edu.    Please be sure to send me the e-mail from the account you will be using throughout the course.    

Please include in the subject line “Applied Pharmacology-Enrollment”.
In the body of the email include:

            Your full name

            Your full mailing address

            Your e-mail address

            Your preferred contact phone number

Grading and Testing

Assessment for the course will consist of exams taken online.   Exams may only be taken one time.  You may take the exams any time during the course,however, due dates are listed on the course calendar located under the Course Information tab to help to keep you on track. 

You will also be required to discuss two herbal supplements of your choice used as alternative therapy. These will be discussed with your peers on the Discussion Board.  Please look under the Assignment tab for more information on this assignment. 

 


The students final grade will be comprised of:

 

Exams = 190 points               

Herbal Supplement Discussion = 100 points

Total points = 290 points

 

A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 65-69%
F = Less than 65%

Late assignments

All Herbal Supplement discussions on the Discussion Board must be completed by Monday, May 5, 2008.  All exams must be completed by Monday, May 12, 2008.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Board

If you have a question or problem please check the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) discussion board first.  If the answer is not there (or the answer was not posted by me and you aren’t sure if it is correct), contact me by email at jscheller@allegany.edu.   I check email daily (weekdays only).  If the question is something that others may be wondering about I will also post the question and answer as an “Announcement.”  You may also ask your peers by posting your question on the “Help Forum” under the Discussion Board.

Contacting me

If you need to speak to me by phone please call my office number at (301) 784-5566.  My office hours vary, but I am almost always in the office on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays during the day.  You can also leave a message outlining the details of your concerns and I will get back to you as soon as possible.  If this is not convenient for you, please send me an e-mail and we can arrange a phone meeting at a mutually convenient time.
You may contact me by email at jscheller@allegany.edu.

E-Mail Policy

 

Always use the following guidelines when sending e-mail to me.
In the subject area, enter “Applied Pharmacology” and clearly identify the topic of your e-mail:

Example:    Applied Pharmacology– Question about …
                   Applied Pharmacology– Comments about….

I receive a lot of e-mail.  If you fail to put the word “Applied Pharmacology ” in your subject line it is possible that I may overlook your e-mail. Some e-mails also go to my “Junk Mail” and I will ignore it if it doesn’t say “Applied Pharmacology.” You also need to include your first and last name.  I have many students and I cannot identify students solely by their first name. I check my e-mail daily during weekdays.  If your question requires a lengthy explanation/response from me, I will respond within twenty- four hours.  If your e-mail is a quick question or comment, I will respond as soon as I read it.

*****Please send me e-mail from the account that you will use for this course and have listed under your Personal Information on Blackboard.   Also remember to put my e-mail address into your “Contacts” so that your computer will accept my e-mails!

Rules of conduct for participation in the Discussion Board

 

Students are encouraged to communicate with each other using the Discussion Board feature of Blackboard.  Just because you cannot physically be in the same room as your classmates doesn’t mean you can’t communicate with them!  The Discussion Board is provided so that students can get to know each other and discuss topics that are related to the course content.  It can be a valuable source of information and support.  However, please note that all messages are “public”, i.e. available for everyone in the class to view.  When posting messages on the Discussion Board please keep comments on a positive note and avoid “flaming” (verbally attacking someone else).  Please provide feedback to other students in a kind and constructive manner.  Also be careful about posting personal information about yourself that you would not normally provide to an acquaintance.

Student Conduct and Plagiarism

As a reminder, the college has a policy on academic dishonesty.  You are expected to abide by the policy as defined in the college catalog. Plagiarism is passing off someone else’s work or idea as your own.  Academic Dishonesty also includes failure on your part to keep your current and past assignments out of the hands of other students who may misinterpret their origins.  It is also suggested that you keep a record and/or rough draft of written or other work until you have received your final grade.

Accommodating Disabilities

Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me personally as soon as possible, so I can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your educational opportunity.

 

Office of Distance Learning and Special Programs

 

 

In the event that you experience an emergency and you are unable to contact me please contact Janet Murray, Coordinator of Distance Learning and Media Services.  Examples of emergencies would be errors in the official final grade report that would effect your graduation status or being accidentally dropped from the course and having that effect your financial aid.  In every case please try to contact me first, but if you cannot contact me and feel it is a situation that must be resolved immediately Janet Murray will be able to assist you.

Janet Murray

Coordinator of Distance Learning and Media Service

(301) 784-5376

            jmurray@allegany.edu

 

Online Student Study Guidelines

 

 

  1. Make a study schedule and stick to it! Maintain self-discipline and avoid procrastinating--don't "put it off" or wait until the last minute to do your work.
  2. Create a private space where you can study so that you're not distracted or interrupted frequently.
  3. Get the support of your colleagues, friends, and family. While they go off and have fun, you may have to study.
  4. Understand assignments and write them down (or print off the course calendar located in the course information tab) to avoid forgetting something.
  5. Buy the required text and READ IT!!  You CANNOT be successful in this course without reading and studying from the textbook.
  6. Be able to communicate through writing as this is the primary vehicle you'll be using to "talk" with your classmates and professors.
  7. Participate! Think before you contribute your ideas, comments, and perspectives on the subject you are studying and read what your classmates have to say. Be respectful of differing opinions as there is rarely only one way to do anything. Give positive feedback freely and negative feedback with kindness.
  8. Be open-minded about sharing life, work, and educational experiences as part of the learning experience. When you're online with your classmates, be open and friendly. You'll discover you'll know more about your online classmates than you ever knew about your in-person classmates.
  9. Communicate effectively with instructors--be willing to ask questions and "speak up" if you're having a problem. Remember, instructors can't see you or read your mind!
  10. Try to apply everything you learn as you learn it, or if you can't apply it, try "teaching" it to someone else. These techniques will help you remember the information more easily.
  11. CELEBRATE when you complete a course! You've worked hard and you deserve a time to relax and be proud!

Top

Copyright Allegany College of Maryland 2008