A Nurse's Survival Guide to Drugs in Practice, 2nd Edition

• The book provides the underpinning current knowledge required for professional judgement and safer medication management.

• This will be an invaluable resource for those studying prescribing courses as well as being useful for paramedics, student nurses and all qualified staff.

• A more detailed account of medication management, including drug errors and strategies to mitigate against them occurring, is included.

• The multidisciplinary nature of drug administration from the naming of drugs, through drug preparation, administration and outcome are taken into account.

Section 1 Principles of pharmacology

1.1 Introduction to pharmacology; 1.2 The law, drugs and prescribing; 1.3 Medicines management; 1.4 Formulation and administration; 1.5 Pharmacokinetics; 1.6 Pharmacodynamics; 1.7 Adverse drug reactions

Section 2 Autonomic nervous system

2.1 Autonomic nervous system – overview; 2.2 Adrenergic pharmacology; 2.3 Cholinergic pharmacology

Section 3 Pain, analgesia and anaesthesia

3.1 Pain, analgesia and anaesthesia – overview; 3.2 Opioid analgesia; 3.3 Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and paracetamol; 3.4 Anaesthesia

Section 4 Central nervous system

4.1 Central nervous system – overview; 4.2 Chemical transmission in the brain; 4.3 Epilepsy; 4.4 Antipsychotics; 4.5 Antidepressants and mood stabilisers; 4.6 Anxiolytics and hypnotics; 4.7 Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); 4.8 Neurodegenerative disorders

Section 5 Cardiovascular system

5.1 Cardiovascular system – overview; 5.2 Hypertension; 5.3 Atherosclerosis and lipid-lowering drugs; 5.4 Ischaemic heart disease; 5.5 Cardiac arrhythmias; 5.6 Cardiac failure; 5.7 Antithrombotics

Section 6 Respiratory, renal and gastrointestinal systems

6.1 Respiratory system; 6.2 Renal system; 6.3 Gastrointestinal tract

Section 7 Endocrine system

7.1 Endocrine pancreas and diabetes mellitus; 7.2 Pituitary gland and adrenal cortex; 7.3 Disorders of bone and bone metabolism; 7.4 Sex hormones; 7.5 Pregnancy

Section 8 Chemotherapy, antimicrobials and the immune system

8.1 Cancer chemotherapy; 8.2 Antimicrobial drugs; 8.3 The Immune system

Section 9 Other areas of pharmacology

9.1 Herbal medicines; 9.2 Paediatric pharmacology; 9.3 Drugs and the elderly; 9.4 Topical drugs; 9.5 Emergency treatment of poisoning

References

Further reading

Useful Websites

Appendix: Drug measurement and calculations

Index

Ann Richards, BA(Hons), MSc DipN(Lon), RGN,RNT, Associate Lecturer, The Open University, UK and Sharon L. Edwards, EdD SFHEA NTF MSc PGCEA DipN(Lon) RN, Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing and Allied Health, Buckinghamshire New University, Uxbridge, UK