1. Syllabus

Key Elements:

2.1. Patient-centered care – The graduate is able to provide patient-centered care as the medication expert (collect and interpret evidence, prioritize, formulate assessments and recommendations, implement, monitor and adjust plans, and document activities).

Standard 3: Approach to Practice and Care

The program imparts to the graduate the knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors, and attitudes necessary to solve problems; educate, advocate, and collaborate, working with a broad range of people; recognize social determinants of health; and effectively communicate verbally and nonverbally.

Key Elements:

3.1. Problem solving – The graduate is able to identify problems; explore and prioritize potential strategies; and design, implement, and evaluate a viable solution.

3.2. Education – The graduate is able to educate all audiences by determining the most effective and enduring ways to impart information and assess learning.

3.6. Communication – The graduate is able to effectively communicate verbally and nonverbally when interacting with individuals, groups, and organizations.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS:

1. The format of the course will change depending on the content being presented and the instructor. Instructional methods will include: assigned readings; lecture and demonstration videos (asynchronous); online tutorials; drug information searches that involve the use of literature databases, drug information resources, and internet searches; assignments; quizzes and problems sets.  Approximately half the course time (up to 14 class periods) will be devoted to student presentations of drug monographs .

2.  This class will require considerable time outside of recorded lectures and presentations for reading, studying, and completing assignments.

3.  A freely available, online textbook is required for the first half of the course:Schmidt CM. Introduction to Drug Information.  Updated 2024.  Available at: https://pressbooks.nebraska.edu/introtodi

4.  Student participation: The role of a faculty member is to facilitate student-learning.  Students are expected to review all lectures and to participate in discussions and demonstrations as appropriate.

5a.        Assignments, exams, quizzes, and the overall grading system are outlined below:

Lab Assignments                                                                  45 points

Online Drug Information Resources Quiz            25 points

Mid-term Examination                                                   150 points

Drug monograph Quizzes  (5)                                     125 points

Presentation Score (Presentation + Questions) 50 points

1. 1. 1. 1. Presentation (40 points)
         2. Submitted Questions (10 Points)

Monograph Score                                                                 50 points

Final Search Assignment                                                  50 points

            Total Points                                                               495 points

Final grade will be assigned based on the following scores. There is no rounding up of points.

A+                   97.0 – 100.0                A                     93.0 – 96.9

A-                    90.0 – 92.9                  B+                   87.0 – 89.9

B                     83.0 – 86.9                   B-                    80.0 – 82.9

C+                   77.0 – 79.9                  C                     73.0 – 76.9

C-                    70.0 – 72.9                  F                      < 70.0

5.  Assignment due dates:

Lab assignments:

The lab assignments are pass/fail, and students who initially submit a failing (zero point) assignment, may resubmit within one week and will be awarded full points if the resubmitted assignment is satisfactory. Points will not be granted for assignments submitted more than one week after the due date unless a reasonable excuse is submitted to the instructor and instructor (C. Schmidt) agrees to a new due date.

The online drug information resources quiz and the mid-term exam are due on the assigned date.  No unexcused, late submissions are accepted.  Those with excused, late submission deadlines may be given a different quiz or exam at instructor’s approval.

There are two major assignments:

1. 1. 1. The final search assignment (50 points)
      2. The monograph assignment. The monograph assignment includes three parts:
         1. A written monograph with in-text citations and reference list. (50 points)
         2. A list of 10, multiple choice questions (with answers) concerning the monograph drug. (10 points)
         3. A verbal monograph presentation with PowerPoint (or similar visual aid). (40 points)

The major assignment due dates are firm deadlines.  Unexcused late submissions will result in a 10% point deduction for each day late.  If an assignment is more than 3 days late, the instructor has the right to refuse to accept the assignment and to award a grade of zero points.

COURSE CONTENT:

I     Introduction and Background                                                                                                 (1 hour)

1. Course vision, goals, and learning objectives
2. Definitions and Overview.

II    Drug Information                                                                                                                     (17 hours)

A.  Background.

1. 1. Use of primary, secondary and tertiary literature
   2. Distinguishing characteristics of important tertiary resources

B.  On line Searching

1. 1. Internet.
   2. MEDLINE and unindexed PubMed records for items in PubMed Central (PMC)

III.  Principles and Practice of Drug Information                                                             (2 hours)

1. Handling questions from patients.
2. Handling questions from healthcare professionals

IV. Introduction to Scientific Writing and Scientific Presentation Delivery (2 hours)

1. Use and formatting of in-text citations and bibliographies
2. Use of citation management programs.
3. Scientific presentation tips

V.  Drug Monograph Presentations                                                                                  (21 hours)

1. Write and present a drug monograph –
2. Observe presentations of others and study the information presented.