Nursing Pharmacology

Reviewed by Alicia Layne, RN, MSN, Assistant Professor, Massachusetts Bay Community College on 6/8/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The Nursing Pharmacology OER by the Wisconsin Technical College System authored by Chippewa Valley Technical College is comprehensive for entry level nursing students that covers areas aligned with our curriculum and end of program student learning outcomes in pharmacology. The Table of Content was easy to read and well organized. Each chapter covered the learning objectives, an introduction, basic concepts and principles, medication types, effects, considerations and safety in preparation and administration, module learning activities and interactive activities, critical thinking activities and a glossary. Answer keys were provided at the end of the book. The references were evidenced-based and comprehensive.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Information, figures, tables were found to be evidenced-based, error-free, and unbiased. Appropriate references are found in each section. Some references used were more than 5 years old which I am sure will be updated. I would recommend referencing the answer keys as well.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book is definitely a good resource for the first semester nursing students taking up pharmacology for the first time as well as graduate nurses seeking to review topics covered in the various chapters. The length of each chapter and subsections were not so lengthy to lose the interest of the reader, making it easy to understand and remember.

Clarity rating: 5

The language and glossary helped the reader to have a clear understanding of the technical terminology in pharmacology. The table of content and organization of topics were clearly mapped out. The book was easy to read and understand specially for first year nursing students as well as advancing students in nursing.

Consistency rating: 5

The consistency in the presentation of information in each chapter were formatted in the same way starting from learning objectives, introduction, basic concepts and principles, medication types, effects, considerations and safety in preparation and administration, module learning activities, interactive activities, critical thinking activities and a glossary. Answer keys were provided at the end of the book. References were evidenced-based and comprehensive.

Modularity rating: 5

The text in each chapter was easy to read, comprehend and divided into smaller reading sections. The modules can be easily subdivided for discussion and assignments. There is an excellent flow of topics from one module to the next.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics covered basic concepts and principles in pharmacology progressing to application of concepts in the nursing process with emphasis in safety, effects, patient education as well. The division of the modules into the various body systems and functions were logical and clear.

Interface rating: 4

I did not see any interface issues. It was easy to navigate and find specific topics through the table of contents and search button. The different formats of online, ebook, pdf were all well organized, and easy to use. I suggest seeing page numbers in the table of contents.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No issues found in grammar.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Relevant cultural and social determinations were included in each chapter. I did not see any culturally insensitive entries in the book. More examples could be included in the learning activities related to medication practices from other cultures or race.

Comments

I am so glad for the opportunity to explore and use OER resources. I will definitely promote this resource to my students and co-faculty.

Reviewed by Jennifer Turner, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Radford University on 6/8/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Excellent layout and depth of information for the entry level nursing student

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Reviewing the most up to date information, relevance to healthcare/nursing and medication information was accurate

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Modern, easy to read and pertinent for all nursing student educational plans

Clarity rating: 5

Simple yet on a level students will learn and can apply the knowledge in the classroom and clinical setting

Consistency rating: 5

The layout of the textbook and the chapters is systematic for the learner. I like the strategic design for my style of teaching.

Modularity rating: 5

Sections are arranged based on medication classes. Students can easily review the key topics and move to the next section with ease.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Great! I like the layout and would consider adopting this text for my pharmacology classes.

Interface rating: 5

Seamless navigation through sections, offering a variety of learning and visuals to aid in the learning process.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Appropriate use of grammar with no identified errors

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Evidence of inclusion of culturally relevant topics, no evidence of insensitive or offensive dialogue.

Reviewed by Alexander Lawson, Assistant Professor, North Shore Community College on 6/3/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The book is comprehensive throughout. The glossary and index make it easy to find subject matter. Most of the general material that I typically cover in my pharmacology course is covered within this textbook, though some specifics are missing (i.e. Types of oral medications and definitions of different portions of the formulary or more examples of different drug types)

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I looked through most of the material and I did not find anything that appeared erroneous.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The book was current with material that I cover in my course. Also the other videos and web content were current and easy to follow.

Clarity rating: 5

The text was extremely easy to read and clear. The depth of the text content itself was toward surface level, but the critical thinking exercises helped for deeper thinking.

Consistency rating: 4

I feel the text was very consistent, however, I do think there could have been more foundational terminology, specifically related to the formulary of drugs, even if it was just added to the glossary.

Modularity rating: 5

The modularity was great with this resource. It was well broken down in easy to read segments with different exercises and films intertwined.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

I felt this was well organized, with understanding the basics of pharmacology and then going more into direct drugs.

Interface rating: 5

Easy to navigate, and having the content easily accessible from the web or ebook interface was even more helpful.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I am not the best at spelling and grammar, but I did not notice anything incorrect with what I reviewed.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

I did not find the book to be culturally insensitive. I did not find very much regarding culture specifically in the sections which I reviewed.

Comments

I thought this book was a valuable resource. My biggest advice would be to include some more about the basics of pharmacology, including more on safe medication administration. Include drug formulation and more about standardization. Go into some pharmacological history, and how drugs are developed as well. Understanding development can be the basis of understanding drugs. In the future, if it could be linked with an OER drug guide for more medication profiles and examples, that would assist students greatly.

Reviewed by Nancyruth Leibold, Associate Professor, Southwest Minnesota State University on 2/6/21, updated 6/1/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This textbook is designed for entry-level undergraduate nursing students as a basic comprehensive pharmacology textbook. The book includes links to DailyMed for reference to information about medications from the National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health. Each chapter starts with learning objectives. Quizzes are found in each chapter with the answers and rationales provided at the end of the text. Critical thinking activities and interactive activities are included. A glossary is found at the end of each chapter. The source is comprehensive for an introductory nursing pharmacology text.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The textbook includes accurate nursing pharmacology information with supporting evidence citations and references. The content is without content errors, and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Any nursing pharmacology textbook would require frequent updating due to the rapid dynamic state of the topic. The Nursing Pharmacology textbook is up to date. Due to the comprehensiveness of the text, it will be a project to update, but doable.

Clarity rating: 5

The Nursing Pharmacology textbook content is clear. It includes figures, images, and tables to organize some content. Critical thinking activities and interactive activities are included to promote and check understanding. The answers to interactive knowledge checks are found in the answer key sections at the end of the book. There are many appropriate terms that are defined and described. Abbreviations are spelled out at the first use.

Consistency rating: 5

The format of the chapters throughout the Nursing Pharmacology text are consistent. Chapter features, such as interactive activities include a consistent format and terminology.

Modularity rating: 5

Each chapter of Nursing Pharmacology starts with learning objectives. The chapters include headings and subheadings to present the content in smaller chunks, using an organized fashion. Quizzes are found in each chapter with the answers and rationales provided at the end of text.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Nursing Pharmacology is a well-organized text that flows well. There are ten chapters in the text and answers to the quiz questions in each chapter are found at the end of book. The tables, images, and figures are helpful and point out the key ideas. A glossary is found at the end of each chapter.

Interface rating: 5

The navigation is consistent throughout the text. The links were all in working order. Good use of white space is present.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The Nursing Pharmacology book is free of grammar and spelling errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The Nursing Pharmacology textbook is free of culturally insensitive language or biases. The examples used are diverse. Names used in the case examples could be more inclusive of a variety of cultures.

Comments

Nursing Pharmacology is a well-written book that is a positive addition to the Open Textbook Library. Many thanks to the authors, editors, and reviewers for their work with this book!

Reviewed by Wanda Dooley, Director of Nursing, Coastal Carolina University on 8/18/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The text is comprehensive and at an appropriate level for pre-licensure students. The glossary is excellent, as is the Table of Contents.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text is mostly free of bias or errors and is up-to-date and accurate. I wondered why only the Wisconsin Nurse Practice Act was spelled out in detail, but perhaps this text is only planned for use in Wisconsin? A more general section on the Nurse Practice Act, which is different in every state, but meets the same purpose in every state, would make the text available to a broader audience. Also, in the section on peak and trough blood levels, the text said the peak level is drawn at the time the drug is administered. That is not usually the case for most drugs. Most peak levels are drawn 30 to 60 minutes AFTER administration, so that is an error that should be corrected in the next edition. Another phrase that is widely used, but not actually accurate, is the phrase "placental barrier". The placenta is not a true barrier and lets almost everything through in some level - sometimes the same blood level the mother has, so too high a level for a fetus or neonate. While pregnancy needs to be considered in medication administration, if a student learns the placenta is a barrier in their first semester, it is hard to reteach later that unlike the blood-brain barrier, the placenta is an organ, not a barrier. Students should know that every drug will have a pregnancy category listed in the prescribing information, so that could be addressed without labeling the placenta as a barrier.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Content is up-to-date, but not in a way that will quickly make the text obsolete within a short period of time. The text is written and/or arranged in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is well written and clear, and provides adequate context and/or explanations for any jargon/technical terminology used.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework. The inclusion of the glossary is a great addition.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is easily divided into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course. The text is not overly self-referential and can be easily reorganized and realigned with various subunits of a course without presenting much disruption to the reader.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion. The overview of the cardiac system and the coagulation cascade might be a bit much for novice students.

Interface rating: 5

The text is free of navigation problems, distortion of images/charts, and any other display features that may distract or confuse the reader. It offers a clear and straightforward read.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text contains no grammatical errors. A discussion of parenteral injections had an oddly worded sentence: "For example, injections are often painful and cause a break in the skin, an important barrier to infection." To students with lower literacy levels or for whom English is a second language, that sounds like the break in the skin is an important barrier to infection - which is backwards. Perhaps: The skin is an important barrier to infection, and injections, which can be painful, also break that barrier. Again, one sentence is easily addressed, so not a deterrent to using this textbook.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It makes use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. The section on ethics is a great addition to culturally sensitive nursing care.

Comments

This is an excellent introductory text. I think it could be enhanced near the end by adding a description of the two main methods of administering naloxone. The drug is discussed, but the text does not state how it can be administered. The section on Wisconsin law and the Wisconsin NPA is a little odd in a general textbook, but if specific state law has to be included for some reason, faculty can easily lead a discussion on the NPA in the state the course is taught in, as that is likely the state where pre-licensure students would administer medications in a clinical practice setting.