II. COURSE DESCRIPTION :

1. Describe the therapeutic reasons why specific classes of drugs (calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, diuretics, medications for patients with diabetes, antiarrhythmics, methylxanthines, sympathomimetics, mucolytics, antibiotics, immunosuppressives, etc.) are used for common diagnoses in the acute and chronically ill patient.
2. Describe the mechanisms of actions of drugs within a class of medications - how do these medications work - what is their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
3. Describe the negative side effects of drugs within a specific class of medications for specific populations of patients.
4. Evaluate the medications of the patient and determine if there are interactions that are antagonistic one to another and determine if the patient is suffering from polypharmacy.
5. Explain to the patient and the patient's family about drug interactions.
6. Explain and identify the hallmarks of the natural progression of wound healing by first and second intention as well as identify the stages of wound healing.
7. Explain the rationale for using a variety of wound care products and how they effect the development and growth of granulation tissue.
8. Demonstrate the use of specific primary and secondary dressings and explain how each effects wound healing.
9. Successfully create a sterile field. Properly don/doff isolation clothing. Describe when clean or sterile technique should be used in wound management.
10. Demonstrate the proper techniques for handling scissors, tweezers and scalpels when doing sharp debridement.
11. Explain the appropriate uses of chemical debriders commonly used in wound care.
12. Demonstrate the various ways to evaluate a wound such as : measuring the depth of wound, determining if there is tunneling and undermining present in the wound, determining its dimensions, determining the types of eschar present in the wound, document the amount of swelling present in the wound, how to stage a pressure ulcer, how much exudate or transudate is present in the wound, and how to properly document all of these findings using appropriate nomenclature and proper charting techniques.
13. Stage a pressure ulcer and determine which phase of healing the ulcer is present at the time of evaluation from serial slide pictures.
14. Using a patient case study format with slides and patient history, evaluate a wound and develop a treatment plan for its care.

• The exams and quizzes are comprehensive.
• Final grades are determined as a straight percentage - no curving.

  Final grades will be determined on the basis of the point breakdown listed below :

VI. WEB CHAT ROOM :

This web site has a Chat Room. We will experiment with the Chat Room and use it when there is a need to have more discussion about principles that have been discussed in class. Dates will be arranged in class based on need.