Understanding Pharmacology: Essentials for Medication Safety, 3rd Edition uses a unique combination of simplified language, easy-to-follow headers, and engaging boxes and icons - such as Memory Joggers, Critical Points for Safety, Do Not Confuse, and Drug Alerts - to help you really understand how drugs work, instead of simply memorizing drug information. Updated drug tables with nursing implications ensure you are equipped with all the tools and information you need to safely prepare and administer drugs. Online case studies help you prepare for the Next Generation NCLEX-PN (R) and NCLEX-RN (R).



Sections on "Priority Actions to Take Before," "Priority Actions to Take After," and "Teaching Priorities for Patients" emphasize important aspects of drug administration, monitoring, follow-up, and patient teaching.



Life span considerations outline nursing implications for drugs used in children, older adults, and pregnant women.



Math and dosage calculations review reinforces medication preparation safety.
Get Ready for the NCLEX (R) Examination! sections at the end of each chapter summarize key points and provide review questions that reinforce important concepts learned in the chapter.
An array of marginal cartoon icons in Common Side Effects boxes help visual learners remember essential drug side effects.



Drug Alert and Do Not Confuse boxes highlight areas of common drug/dosage errors.



Memory Jogger boxes help you retain important drug information.



Try This! boxes in the math chapter allow you to practice dosage calculation concepts.



NEW! Clinical Judgment questions at the end of each clinical chapter offer additional self-assessment on pharmacology and medication administration.



NEW! Critical Point for Safety boxes emphasize very important pharmacologic concepts to remember.



NEW! Approximately 40 animations on the companion Evolve website supplement important concepts related to understanding pharmacology.



NEW! Printed answer key with rationales in the back of the book makes it easy to check your answers and assess your comprehension.



UPDATED! Revised drug tables provide adult dosages and nursing implications for individual drugs.


UNIT I GENERAL ASPECTS OF PHARMACOLOGY

1 Drug Therapy: Roles, Regulations, Actions, and Responses
2 Safely Preparing and Giving Drugs



UNIT II MATHEMATICS FOR PHARMACOLOGY AND DOSAGE CALCULATION

3 Mathematics Review and Introduction to Dosage Calculations
4 Medical Systems of Weights and Measures
5 Dosage Calculation of Intravenous Solutions and Drugs



UNIT III PHARMACOLOGY FOR MULTISYSTEM APPLICATION

6 Antiinfectives: Antibacterial Drugs
7 Antiinfectives: Antiviral Drugs
8 Antiinfectives: Antitubercular and Antifungal Drugs
9 Drugs for Pain Control, Migraines, and Skeletal Muscle Spasms
10 General Antiinflammatory Drugs
11 Immunizations and Immunosuppressant Drugs



UNIT IV DRUG THERAPY FOR PROBLEMS OF THE CIRCULATORY AND CARDIAC SYSTEMS

12 Drugs That Affect Urine Output
13 Drug Therapy for Hypertension
14 Drug Therapy for Heart Failure
15 Drug Therapy for Dysrhythmias
16 Drug Therapy for High Blood Lipids
17 Drugs That Affect Blood Clotting



UNIT V DRUG THERAPY FOR RESPIRATORY SYSTEM PROBLEMS

18 Drug Therapy for Asthma and Other Respiratory Problems



UNIT VI DRUG THERAPY FOR GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS

19 Drug Therapy for Gastrointestinal Problems
20 Drug Therapy for Gastric Ulcers, Reflux, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease



UNIT VII DRUG THERAPY FOR ENDOCRINE PROBLEMS

21 Drug Therapy for Diabetes
22 Drug Therapy for Thyroid and Adrenal Gland Problems



UNIT VIII DRUG THERAPY FOR NERVOUS SYSTEM PROBLEMS

23 Drug Therapy for Seizures
24 Drug Therapy for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases
25 Drug Therapy for Psychiatric Problems
26 Drug Therapy for Insomnia
27 Drug Therapy for Eye Problems



UNIT IX DRUG THERAPY FOR PROBLEMS OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

28 Drug Therapy for Male Reproductive Problems
29 Drug Therapy for Female Reproductive Problems



Appendices

Bibliography

Index