Clinical Pharmacology for NPs & Adv Practice Clinicians

Instructors:      

Margaret A. Fitzgerald, DNP, FNP-BC, NP-C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC, FNAP 

Sally K. Miller, PhD, AGACNP-BC, AGPCNP-BC, FNP-BC, FAANP 

This course addresses the growing need for a thorough course in the principles of pharmacotherapeutics taught by highly skilled NP educators. 

The course is taught in an intensive format by two of the nation’s most respected NP educators. The material constitutes the equivalent of a 3-credit university course in pharmacology. 

Because states’ requirements vary, it is important that you contact your Board for details regarding educational requirements for prescriptive authority.          
 

• The Nurse Prescriber: Key legal and legislative issues
• Principles of Safe Prescribing: Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Pharmacogenomics, Drug Interactions 
• Prescribing in Special Populations: Older Adults, Pregnancy, Lactation, Children
• Pharmacological Management of Diabetes Mellitus
• Principles of Antimicrobial Therapy
• Management of Thyroid Disorders
• Vitamin, Mineral and Herbal Preparations: Issues of Safety and Efficacy
• Drugs that Affect the Respiratory System: Beta2 Agonist, Methylxanthines, Anticholinergics, Mast Cell Stabilizers, Inhaled and Systemic Corticosteroids, Leukotriene Modifiers, PEDE 4 Inhibitors, Cough and Cold Medications
• Intervention in Select Hematologic Conditions
• Hormonal Contraception and Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy 
• Laboratory Monitoring During Drug Therapy 
• Drugs That Affect the Cardiovascular System: Drugs used to treat hypertension, coronary artery disease, and heart failure
• Pharmacology of Lipid Management for ASCVD Risk Reduction
• Drugs That Affect Clotting 
• Drugs That Affect the Central Nervous System: Antidepressants, anxiolytics, adrenergic agonists, dopamine agonists 
• Drugs That Affect the GI System: H2 receptor antagonists, proton pump inhibitors, antacids, prokinetic, antidiarrheals, including over-the-counter medications 
• Management of Viral and Fungal Infection 
• Controlled Substance Opioid
• Pharmacologic Considerations for Topical Medications 
• Controlled Substance Non-opioid      

This course covers the content normally included in a graduate-level pharmacology course. It is intended to meet the additional pharmacology education requirements of many states for prescribing authority. Certificates will reflect actual hours earned.

This course is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and meets the required 45 hours of coursework specific to advanced pharmacology for Pennsylvania CRNP Prescriptive Authority.