Principles of Drug Actions for Health Professionals

Unit code: HFB1207 | Study level: Undergraduate
Credit points
12
(Generally, 1 credit = 10 hours of classes and independent study.)
Location
St Albans
Prerequisites
HBM1001 - Anatomy and Physiology 1
(Or equivalent to be determined by unit coordinator)
Co-requisites
(Corequisite units must be studied concurrently with this unit)
Overview
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Overview

This unit provides an introduction to the study of pharmacology. Four important areas of pharmacology are covered: (1) an introduction to drugs and medicines; pharmacotherapy and the legal and ethical foundations of pharmacotherapy; (2) the principles of pharmacology-pharmacodynamics: the molecular aspects of drug action and fundamental concepts of drug-target interactions, receptor families and signalling pathways; (3) the principles of pharmacology-pharmacokinetics and routes of administration and (4) Drugs affecting the peripheral nervous system - an overview of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Explain how drugs are sourced, named and classified and discuss the quality use of medicines and authoritative sources for drug information;
  2. Articulate the basic principles of pharmacological concepts: pharmacokinetics & pharmacodynamics and associated medicinal chemistry;
  3. Apply knowledge from other scientific disciplines to explain the potential therapeutic and adverse effects of drugs;
  4. Interpret and explain the clinical indications for and adverse effects of autonomic nervous system agonists and antagonists and somatic agents.

Assessment

For Melbourne campuses

Assessment type: Assignment
|
Grade: 20%
Professional Website Based Module (120 mins)
Assessment type: Exercise
|
Grade: 25%
Worksheet
Assessment type: Test
|
Grade: 20%
Test 3 MCQ Test (40 minutes)
Assessment type: Presentation
|
Grade: 35%
Case Study Presentation (1000 words)

To obtain a passing grade or higher in this graded unit, students must achieve an overall accumulative mark of at least 50%.

Required reading

Pharmacology for health professionals.
Bryant, B. and Knights, K. (2018)| Sydney: Mosby Elsevier

As part of a course

This unit is not compulsory for any specific course. Depending on the course you study, this unit may be taken as an elective.

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