Acute and Critical Care Pharmacology Course Syllabus
All lessons incorporate a case study approach with patient updates throughout each lesson. Each lesson includes a post-test.
Lesson 1: Patient Safety in Critical Care Medication Administration
- Identifies standards from regulatory bodies
- Culture of safety
- Expanded the rights of medication administration
- Includes new Joint Commission National Performance Goals 2026
- Updated ISMP recommendations for look-alike sound-alike medications
- Emphasis on the crucial role of clinical pharmacist partners in critical patient care
Lesson 2: Introduction to Pharmacology Principles I: Pharmacokinetics
- New APRN consideration added on hormone therapy for transgender individuals
- Revised Consult the Pharmacist answers the question “What happens when a tablet or capsule is inappropriately altered?”
- Revised Safety Alert on transdermal medication to include FDA warnings on scopolamine patches
- Expanded information on intramuscular and subcutaneous injections
Lesson 3: Introduction to Pharmacology Principles II: Pharmacodynamics
- Pharmacodynamics
- Medication Actions
- Updated glossary definitions of peak and trough drug concentration levels, volume of distribution, steady state, and receptor
Lesson 4: Vasoactive Medications
- Expanded information on the safe peripheral administration of vasoactive medications and on the treatment of extravasation
- Updated information on the use of vasodilators in patients with traumatic brain injury
- Updated and clarified sepsis content based on current guidelines on Hour-1 Bundle elements
- Practice Pointer on the impact of skin tone on pulse oximetry added
Lesson 5: Antiarrhythmic Medications
- Cardiac Conduction
- Cardiac Hypoxia and Dysrhythmia Development
- Antidysrhythmic Medications
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Information on management of atrial fibrillation, including cardioversion, ablation, and anticoagulation, updated based on the 2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
- Revised resource document “Antiarrhythmic Medications by Classification”
Lesson 6: Neuromuscular Blocking Agents
- The minimized usage of neuromuscular blocking agents is emphasized except in narrow patient populations due to complications of neuromuscular blockade
- Eye care recommendations updated
- Added new content on prone positioning
Lesson 7: Medications for Pain and Sedation
- Clarified the difference between self-reported pain and behavioral assessments
- Added information on the importance of naloxone prescriptions for patients at high risk of opioid overdose
- Clarified concepts of opioid tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal
- Updated usage recommendations for dexmedetomidine and propofol
- Expanded information on non-medical use of prescription medicines
- Warning about ketamine dependence and misuse added
Lesson 8: Blood and Blood Products
- Updated statistics on the use of blood and blood products in the United States
- Myth vs. Fact updated to reflect current recommendations for the use of whole blood in patients with trauma
- Recommendations for platelets updated
- Safety Alert on tranexamic acid updated
- Updated guidance on permissive hypotension, crystalloids and fluid resuscitation, colloids, trauma resuscitation strategies, transfusion thresholds, and safe transfusion practices