NURSING 745 : Principles of Medication Management

Medical and Health Sciences

2025 Semester Two (1255) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Focuses on the principles and practice of medication management to improve and extend the knowledge and skills of registered nurses in clinical specialty roles and prepare them for delegated prescribing roles in partnership with clients and collaborating with medical colleagues and the health care team. It is not the intention of this course to prepare nurses for authorised prescribing (nurse practitioner).

Course Overview

This course focuses on the principles and practice of medication management to improve and extend the knowledge and skills of registered nurses in clinical nursing practice areas. There are a number of aspects to medication management, all of which are focused on making sure that medications are used appropriately, for the appropriate indications, providing the intended benefits and minimizing possible harm. Medication management is essential, and this includes evaluating for harmful drug interactions.

This course has a dual mode of delivery where students can choose to do fully oncampus (face-to-face) or fully online

Course Requirements

Restriction: NURSING 761

Course Contacts

COURSE DIRECTOR 
Associate Professor Gigi Lim
Email: g.lim@auckland.ac.nz
Phone: 09 9233782  

COURSE CO‐ORDINATORS
Adam Wright St. Clair
Email: adam.wright@auckland.ac.nz

Liam Anderson
Email: l.anderson@auckland.ac.nz
 
 COURSE ADMINISTRATOR Phone: 
Riz Sari
Email: r.sari@auckland.ac.nz

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Master of Nursing

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Apply the basic principles of pharmacology in relation to medication management (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.2 and 5.2)
  2. Demonstrate the application of principles in medication management, administration, monitoring and evaluation of medicines, whilst working with a defined formulary in collaboration with medical colleagues (Capability 3.3 and 4.2)
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of therapeutic principles in recognition of potential causes of drug interactions, adverse effects and potential for harm (Capability 3.3 and 7.1)
  4. Critically evaluate clinical decision making skills in relation to medication management including the potential for harm (Capability 4.1, 5.1 and 5.2)
  5. Critically evaluate and reflect on the evidence base for the use and administration of drug therapy for clients (Capability 4.1, 5.1 and 5.2)
  6. Analyse the meaning of concordance and adherence in client education (Capability 1.2 and 1.3)
  7. Develop and demonstrate an understanding of to the legal and professional boundaries of the RN scope of practice in medication management. (Capability 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3)
  8. Critically evaluate the partnership between nurse and client in medication management (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4)
  9. Demonstrate collaboration and shared decision making in medicine management with the multidisciplinary team (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 6.1 and 6.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Test 30% Individual Coursework
Presentation 30% Individual Coursework
Essay 40% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Test
Presentation
Essay

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard [30] point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 30-point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect [40] hours of lectures, a [20] hour tutorial, [100] hours of reading and thinking about the content and [140] hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

There are TWO Parts to the course:

Part 1: Pharmacology principles

Part 2: Medication Managment

On campus students:

Part 1: Completed Online

Part 2: Four compulsory attendances for on campus days to attend lectures and presentations

Online students:

Part 1: Completed Online

Part 2: Completed Online

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is [require] at scheduled activities including [tutorials/studios/clinics] to [complete/receive credit for] components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including [seminars/tutorials/labs/studios] will be available as recordings.
The course will include live online events including [group discussions/tutorials] and Zoom lectures.
Attendance on campus is required for the verbal presentation Assessment 2) for On campus students.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a block delivery.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Required Text:

McKenna, Lim, Mirkov: McKenna’s Pharmacology for Nursing and Health Science 3rd ANZ edition 2022


Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

The course will be delivered online and on campus - Dual mode.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.