Pharmacology in Nursing, 4th Edition

Pharmacology in Nursing focuses on the use of medications within the healthcare environment in Australia and New Zealand. Taking a body systems approach, this text is written specifically for nursing students and highlights the need for nurses to understand the science behind medications alongside clinical requirements for medication administration, safety, patient/client education and dosage calculation. Medication tables provide an overview of important medication information, including indications, active ingredients and nursing considerations. ‘Practical and professional application’ boxes ensure that the theory is shown in context, and the text layout is appealing to the reader. Emphasis is placed on clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and evidence-based research.

New to Edition

• Changes to national prescribing guidelines, such as asthma management in New Zealand, approaches to hypoglycaemia, chemotherapy, medicinal cannabis, and the accompanying ethical issues

• Current, topical case studies and pharmacology highlights provide authentic learning experiences in areas such as pharmacodynamic testing, intravenous therapy in aged care, organophosphate poisoning, sedation, ADHD, anaemia, atrial fibrillation, central nervous system, acute angina, vascular disease, hypertension, diuretics, Hyperlipidaemia, Hyperthyroidism, Immunosuppressants, colorectal cancer

• Developments related to COVID-19 vaccines, and the general importance of vaccines, as well as the addition of antiviral medications for COVID- 19. Up-to-date information about vaccines and anti-viral medications for COVID-19 equips learners with resources to understand new developments, as well as where and how to source accurate information

• Information concerning electronic medication charts, which are used in some but not all clinical contexts, in Chapter 4

• Medications added and removed from prescriber lists have been updated as per Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and National Prescribing Service (NPS)

• NEW co-author: Emilio Badoer from the School of Medical Sciences at RMIT University. He has played key roles in the development of courses in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Program at RMIT