Nov 23, 2024  
2017-2018 Course Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Course Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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MEDA 1030 - Pharmacology for Medical Assistants

Credits: 3
Hours/Week: Lecture 3Lab None
Course Description: This course is designed for persons interested in pursuing a career as a medical assistant or those entering or currently enrolled in a health related program. This course focuses on the principles of pharmacology and administration of medications relating to the medical assisting profession. Course content includes the classification, use, action, side effects, contraindications, and routes of administration of drugs most commonly administered and prescribed in the medical office. Emphasis is placed on the medical assistant¿s role in the calculation, preparation, administration, and documentation in the patient¿s medical record of various medications. Students will be required to show competency by returned demonstrations on all skills taught in this course.
MnTC Goals
None

Prerequisite(s): Assessment score placement in RDNG 1000  or completion of RDNG 0900  or RDNG 0950  with a grade of C or higher. Arithmetic assessment score of 64 or higher OR elementary algebra assessment score of 76 or higher OR assessment score/ACT score placement into MATH 0070  or above OR completion of MATH 0030  or MATH 0060  with a grade of C or higher. We strongly encourage students who score below 64 to meet with an advisor or counselor to discuss their review and course options PRIOR to Math assessment retesting or registering for a MATH course; BIOL 1024  OR BIOL 2031  AND BIOL 2032 ; HLTH 1001  with a grade of C or higher. Must be a current Medical Assistant, a current MEDA major, or have instructor consent.
Corequisite(s): None
Recommendation: MATH 1000  Restriction: Must be a current Medical Assistant, a current MEDA major, or instructor consent.

Major Content
  1. ¿ Legal and ethical aspects of pharmacology in the Medical Assisting profession ¿ Basics of pharmacology ¿ Drug information and drug forms ¿ Drug dosages for special populations ¿ Medication labels and orders
  2. ¿ Measuring systems and their equivalents ¿ Calculations of parenteral medications ¿ Safety and quality assurance of medication administration ¿ Medication administration ¿ Analgesics and antipyretics
  3. ¿ Immunizations and the immune system ¿ Antimicrobials, antifungals, and antivirals ¿ Nutritional supplements and alternative medicines ¿ Medications as they relate to different body systems ¿ Documentation

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course students will be able to:

  1. ¿ describe the registration and documentation process for compliance with the drug enforcement administration DEA with regard to administering, dispensing and prescribing controlled drugs. ¿ identify ethical procedures regarding prescriptions, including who may prescribe medications, and the use of protocol to ensure that these measures are followed. ¿ identify the legal aspects of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 and describe the five schedules for controlled substances found therein. ¿ identify common pathology related to each body system including: signs, s
  2. ¿ identify abbreviations and symbols used in calculating medication dosages. ¿ verify the rules of medication administration: right patient; right medication; right dose; right route; right time; right documentation. ¿ select proper sites for administering parenteral medication. ¿ administer oral medications. ¿ administer parenteral (excluding IV) medications.
  3. ¿ identify the classification of medications including: indications for use, desired effects, side effects and adverse reactions. ¿ demonstrate knowledge of basic math computations. ¿ apply mathematical computations to solve equations. ¿ define basic units of measurement in: the metric system and the household system. ¿ convert among measurement systems.
  4. ¿ calculate proper dosages of medication for administration. ¿ demonstrate proper disposal of biohazardous material: sharps. ¿ demonstrate proper use of: sharps disposal containers.


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