Washtenaw Community College

NUR 115 Pharmacology Syllabus Spring/Summer 2020 Section: DF1

Instructor: Sherry M. MacDonald, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, CCM

Phone: (734) 973-3358 (Office Secretary)
Email: smmacdonald@wccnet.edu (Best Contact)
Office: TI 122
Office Hours: Online via Go to Meeting (GTM) or via phone on Wednesdays 10A-12P and
Thursdays via GTM 8pm – 9pm. Starts on Wednesday, May 13 th, 2020

Important Deadlines

10-Week Sessions starting week of May 8

Deadline to drop and get a refund: May 18
Last day to adjust schedule with Instructor permission OR change credit or audit status: May 21
Withdrawal deadline (NO REFUND): June 12

Classroom Policy Prohibiting Recording

No student may record any classroom activity without express written consent from me. If you have (or
think you may have) a disability such that you need to record classroom activities, you should contact
Learning Support Services (LSS) to request an appropriate accommodation. Until I have been
provided a copy of the approved accommodation by LSS or yourself, recording is not permitted.

Course Overview: In this course, students learn basic principles of pharmacology with a strong
emphasis on medication safety along with drug dosage calculations. Pharmacodynamics,
pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics of major drug classifications are discussed using a
pathophysiological approach and then applied to patient situations. Drug contraindications, drug
interactions, adverse effects, nursing management, and patient education are also discussed and then
applied to patient situations. Anatomy and physiology are a course pre-requisite with a B- or higher
grade. This is a required course in the WCC Nursing Programs, but may also be taken for transfer by
any pre-nursing or nursing student.

*Please note: If a student does not submit any assignments (or contact your instructor) for two
or more weeks, the student will be dropped from the course.

Course Goals
Upon successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:
 Recognize drug classifications and related prototypes using a pathophysiological approach.
 Recognize the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics of each
prototype and apply to patient situations.
 Recognize nursing considerations along with safety implications and drug dosage calculations
for prototypical drugs in each classification and apply to patient situation

Required Materials
OER for Pharm in powerpoint

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NUR 115 Pharmacology Syllabus Spring/Summer 2020 Section: DF1

VSIM for Pharmacology, Published: July 24, 2015 LWW ISBN: 9781469894362
Recommended but not required:
Picmonics, Picmonic Team, Pharmacology ed.
Picmonics software: http://www.picmonic.com/pathways/nursing/courses/standard/pharmacological-
nursing-324 Software
Picmonics software: http://www.picmonic.com/pathways/nursing/courses/standard/pharmacological-
nursing-324 Software

Technical Requirements

You need at least a Pentium 4 PC or equivalent Mac computer to take online or blended classes. It
should have a high-speed Internet connection, such as a DSL or cable connection, so you can watch
the video lectures.

The computer should have up-to-date versions of the following web browsers:

 Chrome
 Firefox
 Internet Explorer
 Safari

It also should have up-to-date versions of the following software:

 Adobe Acrobat Reader

 Adobe Flash Player
 Java
 Microsoft Office (or the ability to open Office documents in a program such as OpenOffice.org or
Office Web Apps through Microsoft)

Time Commitment
To meet the due dates on the schedule, expect to spend 14-18 hours per week for a 3-credit course.

Grading
 Grades are posted in Blackboard under My Grades.
 Grading is typically completed within 1-2 weeks of the assignment due date.

Determining Your Grade

Discussion Boards (10% of your grade)
Four Unit Exams & Four Quizzes (40% of your grade)
VSIM pre/post Tests/Guided Reflective Questions (30% of your grade)
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NUR 115 Pharmacology Syllabus Spring/Summer 2020 Section: DF1

Cumulative Final Exam (20% of your grade)

Please Note: C+ (78%) is the minimum passing grade for the average of all quizzes, unit exams, and
cumulative final exam (55% of your grade) before the VSIM’s and discussion questions percentage
(45% of your grade) is added for the Final Grade for all students in WCC’s nursing program or those
intending to apply or in the process of applying to the WCC’s nursing program. Your unit
exams/quizzes/final exam average will be your final grade for the course if less than 78% average.

Note: Knowledge Check Quizzes will be turned off prior to your exam opening
dates

Grading Scale
A= 94-100
(A-)=90-93.99
B+=87-89.99
B=84-86.99
(B-)=80-83.99
C+=78-79.99
C=75-79.99
(C-)=70-74.99
D+=67-69.99
D=64-66.99
(D-)=60-63.99
F=59.99-below

Course Deadlines
Modules usually open Mondays at 12:01 am. All work must be completed by the following Saturday
@11:59 pm unless otherwise noted in the NUR 115 course Syllabus or Schedule

Weekly Reminders
Reminders via email may be sent out

Late Assignments
No late assignments. You must contact the course facilitator with specific concerns.

Communication
Email Communication
o Please send emails from your WCC account to be in compliance with federal privacy
regulations.
o Provide a clear subject line.
o Always include your first and last name in the email message.

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NUR 115 Pharmacology Syllabus Spring/Summer 2020 Section: DF1

o Be professional in emails always

Expectations and Availability of Instructor

The instructor will usually respond to messages within 48-72 hours. Please note, do not leave concerns
to the last minute. Weekend responses may be delayed. Learners should make a habit of checking
your WCC email and Blackboard messages several times daily.

In addition, please review the material within the Washtenaw Community College Student Policies and
Support Information for additional policies and procedures that affect you and your course. Find this
information under the Syllabus and Schedule/Calendar area of this course site.

Classroom Policy Prohibiting Recording

No student may record any classroom activity without express written consent from me. If you have (or
think you may have) a disability such that you need to record classroom activities, you should contact
Learning Support Services (LSS) to request an appropriate accommodation. Until I have been
provided a copy of the approved accommodation by LSS or yourself, recording is not permitted.

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NUR 115 Pharmacology Syllabus Spring/Summer 2020 Section: DF1

Supplement for Summer 2020

First-Day Handout Info for Students
Important Deadlines, Safety Information, and General Information
No Credit Classes
WCC does not hold credit classes on these dates during the Summer semester so you may want to
paste the dates in your First-Day Handout.
No credit classes:
Memorial Day May 25 (College closed)
Independence Day July 3 (College closed)
Independence Day July 4-5
___________________________________________________________________
Important Deadlines

10-Week Sessions starting week of May 8

Deadline to drop and get a refund: May 18
Last day to adjust schedule with Instructor permission OR change credit or audit status: May 21
Withdrawal deadline (NO REFUND): June 12

_____________________________________________________________________________

Student Conduct
The Board of Trustee Policy 4095 provides information on overall Student Rights, Responsibilities, and
Conduct Code including Academic Dishonesty:

Academic Dishonesty: All forms of academic dishonesty including but not limited to collusion,
fabrication, cheating, and plagiarism will call for discipline.
 Collusion is defined as the unauthorized collaboration with any other person in preparing work
offered for individual credit.
 Fabrication is defined as intentionally falsifying or inventing any information or citation on any
academic exercise.
 Cheating is defined as intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials,
information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
 Plagiarism is defined as the appropriation of any other person’s work and the unacknowledged
incorporation of that work in one’s own work offered for credit.

The full policy is available at https://www.wccnet.edu/about/policies/4095.php

Counseling
Personal counseling is available to all currently enrolled students. Please call 734-677-5102 to
schedule an appointment. We also offer a 7 day/week, 365 days per year Counseling Assistance
Program (CAP) which includes up to 3 face-to-face or telephone short-term problem resolution
sessions. Call 1-866-227-3834.

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NUR 115 Pharmacology Syllabus Spring/Summer 2020 Section: DF1

Safety & Security

Your safety and security is important to us. Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Here are some
important safety tips for the upcoming semester. Also watch your WCC email for safety tips throughout
the semester.
 Emergency Notification Service: We encourage you to sign up for the Emergency Notification
Service in MyWCC. You will receive timely notifications if the College is closed due to weather or
other emergency.
 Fire: If there is a fire or other reason a building needs to be evacuated, the fire alarm will ring. Exit
the building using the nearest stairway. Do not use elevators. Make sure you stay at least 150 feet
from the building until the all clear signal is given.
 Tornado: If a tornado warning is issued for the WCC campus area, the tornado siren will activate
outside and an emergency message will broadcast throughout campus. Please seek shelter in the
closest room/area designated as a tornado shelter. If you are unable to find a marked tornado
shelter, seek shelter in an inner hallway or restroom, away from exterior windows.
 Property Security: Do not leave laptop computers, smart phones, tablets or other valuables
unattended. If parking on campus, roll up your windows, lock your doors and keep personal
belongings out of sight.
 Call Public Safety (734-973-3411 or 3411 from a College house phone) to report any suspicious
activity or safety concern. If you see something, say something!
_____________________________________________________________________________

Sexual Misconduct/Title IX Disclosure

Washtenaw Community College seeks to provide an environment free of sexual misconduct. If you
are, or have been, the victim of sexual misconduct on campus or within a WCC educational program or
activity – contact Joy Berry in the Dean of Students office at joyberry@wccnet.edu.

Information on sexual misconduct prevention, awareness, reporting methods, and victim resources are
available from the WCC website at:
https://www.wccnet.edu/succeed/personal/sexual-misconduct/

Faculty are Mandatory Reporters

Faculty are required to report any student disclosures concerning sexual assault, domestic/dating
violence, stalking, remarks of self-harm, or potential threats to others.

Report a Concern
Any member of the campus community can submit a concern at:
https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?WashtenawCC&layout_id=4
or use the Report a Concern link from the WCC home page.

Accommodations
If you have a documented disability or used an IEP in high school, contact Learning Support Services
(LSS) as soon as possible to discuss accommodations. Contact LSS at 734-973-3342.

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NUR 115 Pharmacology Syllabus Spring/Summer 2020 Section: DF1

Each semester complete an intake form and set up accommodations with a Program Specialist by
reviewing your accommodation request and needs, goals, assessment results, and academic progress.
Accommodations are not retroactive.

The Program Specialist prepares a letter confirming accommodations. Students are responsible to
notify their instructors of the need for accommodations by giving this letter to each instructor for each
class.
______________________________________________________________________________

Pregnant Students
The College recommends that pregnant students be proactive in communicating their situation with
their instructor and WCC support offices. Pregnant students should contact Joy Berry in the Dean of
Students office (joyberry@wccnet.edu) as soon as possible if they encounter medical situations that
are affecting their ability to attend classes. Options for adjustments become limited with time.

Pregnant students should contact Learning Support Services (LSS) to discuss accommodations, if
needed, during their pregnancy. Additional information is available at:
https://www.wccnet.edu/succeed/student-parents/pregnant-student-rights.php

__________________________________________________________
Lactation Room
In support of our students and employees who are nursing mothers, a lactation room is available for
your use. The room offers a secure and private place for the mother to express milk for their nursing
children.

Students may make arrangements to use the lactation room by contacting:

Student Resources Center (SRC) on the second floor of the Student Center building or via
phone at 734-677-5105.

Additional information is available at:

https://www.wccnet.edu/succeed/student-parents/lactation-room.php