Overview
In this unit, you will develop an understanding of the fundamental principles of pharmacology and pharmacotherapy relevant to your health profession. You will explore the mechanism of action of major drug classes used in pharmacological interventions or procedures in patient management relevant to your profession. You will be required to demonstrate critical analysis of this content and align this with current practice in your respective professions.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisites:Pre-requisite for all courses except CV69: BMSC11005 Foundations of BiochemistryPre-requisite for CV69: ECHO11004 Biochemistry for Cardiac Pharmacology
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2023
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit coordinator
The revision activities provided to students contributes to strong performance in assessment tasks.
Continue to implement effective revision resources/strategies.
Feedback from SUTE
The organisation and presentation of the unit content facilitates a systematic approach to learning.
Continue with this style of content delivery.
Feedback from Students; Unit coordinator
The wording of some questions in the End-of-Term online test could be improved.
Review the question bank and correct as appropriate.
- Discuss the basic principles of pharmacology, including pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and drug design
- Discuss the indications, pharmacological action, routes of administration, contraindications, side effects and precautions of the major medication groups used in your health profession
- Discuss pharmacological applications associated with common procedures undertaken with your health profession
- Critically analyse the scientific literature relating to drugs and medicines within your health profession.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||
| 2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20% | ||||
| 3 - Online Test - 50% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
Pharmacology for Health Professionals
6th Edition (2022)
Authors: Knights, Rowland, Darroch, Bushell, Hatje and Reinke
Elsevier
ISBN: 9780729544627
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
j.irwin@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Module 1 | Introduction to Pharmacology
Chapter
Module 1 of the Pharmacology Handbook (available on Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Unit Overview
Module/Topic
Module 2 | Introduction to Pharmacodynamics
Chapter
Module 2 of the Pharmacology Handbook (available on Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Module 1
Module/Topic
Module 3 | Introduction to Pharmacokinetics
Chapter
Module 3 of the Pharmacology Handbook (available on Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 4 | Introduction to Drug Development, Dosing Regimens and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
Chapter
Module 4 of the Pharmacology Handbook (available on Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Module 3
Module/Topic
Module 5 | Common Prescription Drugs I
Medications for cardiovascular diseases
Chapter
Module 5 of the Pharmacology Handbook (available on Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Module 4
Module/Topic
Vacation Week | Catch-up, Assessment Preparation, Revision
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Introductory Pharmacology Quiz Opens: Vacation Week Friday (14 Apr 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Module 6 | Pharmacology in Practice I
CG95/CM40: Cardiovascular drugs delivered by paramedics
CV69: Cardiovascular drugs used in echocardiography procedures
Chapter
Module 6 of the Pharmacology Handbook (available on Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Module 5
Introductory Pharmacology Quiz Due: Week 6 Tuesday (18 Apr 2023) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 7 | Common Prescription Drugs II
Medications for allergic reactions, inflammation and pain
Chapter
Module 7 of the Pharmacology Handbook (available on Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Module 6
Module/Topic
Module 8 | Common Prescription Drugs III
Medications for CNS and musculoskeletal disorders
Chapter
Module 8 of the Pharmacology Handbook (available on Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Module 7
Module/Topic
Module 9 | Pharmacology in Practice II
CG95/CM40: CNS drugs and antidotes delivered by paramedics
CV69: CNS drugs and reversal agents used in invasive echocardiography procedures
Chapter
Module 9 of the Pharmacology Handbook (available on Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Module 8
Case Study Drug Review Due: Week 9 Friday (12 May 2023) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 10 | Common Prescription Drugs IV
Medications for gastrointestinal disorders, glaucoma, urogenital conditions and infections
Chapter
Module 10 of the Pharmacology Handbook (available on Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Module 9
Module/Topic
Module 11 | Pharmacology in Practice III
CG95/CM40: Respiratory-, allergy-, gastrointestinal- and endocrine-related drugs delivered by paramedics
CV69: Drugs which cause cardiotoxicity
Chapter
Module 11 of the Pharmacology Handbook (available on Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Module 10
Module/Topic
Revision
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial on Module 11
Online Test Opens: Week 12 Friday (2 June 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Revision and Online Test
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Contact details for Teaching Staff
The Unit Coordinator for BMSC12014 is Jordon Irwin. Jordon can be reached via email (j.irwin@cqu.edu.au) and phone (07 4923 2550); however, the preferred method of contact is the Q&A forum on Moodle. Of course, if your query is of a personal nature, please contact Jordon directly.
Unit Modules
BMSC12014 is comprised of three main blocks of content: introductory pharmacology (which are covered in Modules 1 to 4), common prescription drugs (Modules 5, 7, 8 and 10) and pharmacology in practice (Modules 6, 9, and 11). Students from all courses cover the same content in the introductory pharmacology and prescription drug modules. In the pharmacology in practice modules, however, CG95/CM40 students will learn about the drugs delivered by paramedics while CV69 students will learn about drugs related to echocardiography procedures and cardiotoxicity. The unit content has been split in this way to ensure that you are learning material that is directly relevant to your healthcare profession.
Lectures and Tutorials
All lectures for this unit are pre-recorded and available on the unit’s Moodle site. Each week there is a live (recorded) tutorial which is delivered via Zoom, the timetable and links for these sessions are also provided on the unit's Moodle site. During the tutorials, we cover practice questions to help you become comfortable with the style of questions in the Online Quiz and Online Test. It is highly recommended that you complete the tutorial questions, even if you cannot attend the tutorials.
Readings in this Unit
All readings come from the unit-specific Pharmacology Handbook which is available on the Moodle site. If you would like to do some additional reading around the unit content, you are welcome to purchase the following textbook: Pharmacology for Health Professionals by Bryant, Knights, Darroch, & Rowland. It is completely optional to purchase this textbook, you do not need it for BMSC12014. All the resources that you will need to succeed in BMSC12014 are available for free on the Moodle site.
Unit Study Commitment
As per Australian education standards, this unit has a Study Commitment of 150 hours total engagement for the term. A suggestion for how you should allocate your weekly study commitment for BMSC12014 is as follows:
- 3-4 hours watching lectures and tutorials.
- 1-2 hours completing the Pharmacology Handbook readings.
- 2-3 hours completing the weekly tutorial quizzes and practice assessment activities.
- 2-3 hours preparing for the Introductory Pharmacology Quiz, Written Assessment or Online Test.
1 Online Quiz(zes)
A sound knowledge of molecular drug targets, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, drug development, dosing regimens and therapeutic drug monitoring is essential for understanding how drugs work and how they are used in healthcare. After learning about these concepts in Modules 1 to 4, you will complete an Online Quiz. You are permitted only one (1) attempt for this assessment task. Practice questions and exemplar responses will be worked through in the tutorials.
Your score from the Online Quiz will contribute 20% to your final grade. No collusion or teamwork is permitted. In the absence of an approved extension, there will be no opportunity to complete the Online Quiz after its closing date.
1
Other
Week 6 Tuesday (18 Apr 2023) 11:59 pm AEST
The Introductory Pharmacology Quiz will end once you click submit or when the time limit has been exhausted.
Week 8 Tuesday (2 May 2023)
The Introductory Pharmacology Quiz will be graded manually and feedback returned via Moodle.
Marks will be awarded for correct responses. No marks will be deducted for incorrect answers.
- Discuss the basic principles of pharmacology, including pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and drug design
2 Written Assessment
In this assessment task, you will use the scientific literature to answer a series of questions about a case study that is specific to your course of study. To answer the questions, you will need to appraise evidence from peer-reviewed journal articles and use specific trials/studies from the scientific literature. Using references from the scientific literature, and critically evaluating these sources, is essential for this assessment task. Further instructions and resources for completing this assignment are available on Moodle.
Your score from the Case Study Drug Review will contribute 30% to your final grade, and you must obtain at least 50% of the available marks to be eligible to pass the unit. This is an individual task, and as such, no collusion or teamwork is permitted when preparing your submission.
Week 9 Friday (12 May 2023) 11:59 pm AEST
In the absence of an approved extension, a 5% late penalty will be applied per day that the task remains unsubmitted.
Week 11 Friday (26 May 2023)
Results and feedback will be returned via Moodle.
The maximum grade for this assessment task is 60/60 marks. A brief overview of the assessment criteria is as follows:
- Accuracy and relevance of information (20 marks) – a clear understanding of the mechanism of action, routes of administration, indications, side effects, drug interactions, precautions and/or contraindications of drugs relevant to the case study should be demonstrated.
- Critical analysis of the scientific literature (20 marks) – scholarly sources must be used to support the responses, and these sources should be actively compared and contrasted.
- Presentation and writing (10 marks) – the responses should be coherent, cohesive and demonstrate correct spelling, grammar and paragraph structure.
- Referencing (10 marks) – in-text references must be used. Only scholarly sources (i.e., peer-reviewed journal articles) should be referenced, and their bibliographical details should be formatted correctly in a reference list. Vancouver, APA OR Harvard referencing can be used.
- Discuss the indications, pharmacological action, routes of administration, contraindications, side effects and precautions of the major medication groups used in your health profession
- Discuss pharmacological applications associated with common procedures undertaken with your health profession
- Critically analyse the scientific literature relating to drugs and medicines within your health profession.
3 Online Test
You will complete an Online Test which will evaluate your knowledge of the drugs presented in this unit (i.e., Modules 5 to 11). You are permitted only one (1) attempt for this assessment task. Practice questions and exemplar responses will be worked through in the tutorials.
Your score from the Online Test will contribute 50% to your final grade. No collusion or teamwork is permitted. In the absence of an approved extension, there will be no opportunity to complete the Online Test after its closing date.
Review/Exam Week Tuesday (6 June 2023) 11:59 pm AEST
The Online Test will end once you click submit or when the time limit has been exhausted.
Exam Week Friday (16 June 2023)
The Online Test will be manually graded and results returned via Moodle.
Marks will be awarded for correct responses. No marks will be deducted for incorrect answers.
- Discuss the basic principles of pharmacology, including pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and drug design
- Discuss the indications, pharmacological action, routes of administration, contraindications, side effects and precautions of the major medication groups used in your health profession
- Discuss pharmacological applications associated with common procedures undertaken with your health profession
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
