Pharmacology for Nurses: Openstax

Pharmacology for Nurses aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the therapeutic use of drugs so the nurse can provide safe and effective care to the client. It is important for nursing students to comprehend not only the mechanisms by which drugs impact the human body, but also how the individual’s physiological factors influence drug responses. Along with a discussion of each body system, the text also reviews the pathophysiology of various disease processes and medications used in treatment. The textbook is intended for nursing students in an introductory program. Pharmacology for Nurses helps students prepare for the licensing exam by offering applicable, real-life content in short, manageable sections; it focuses on common client conditions that nurses will encounter throughout their career and embraces a skills orientation (what does a nurse do). Most importantly, Pharmacology for Nurses will give students the confidence to safely administer medications to clients as well as provide medication education to clients and their caregivers. Pharmacology is often considered one of the more challenging courses in nursing school; however, this book presents the information in a holistic manner that ties the disease process to its pharmacological treatment. This approach will assist students in connecting the pathophysiology of the disease process to the nursing care of the client. Being an effective caregiver requires the nurse to have a solid understanding of the disease process, allowing for the proper assessment and treatment of the client. Due to the number of drugs that are used in clinical practice, one drug is used for each class of medication as a representative drug prototype to help facilitate student learning.