Pharmacology in Nursing, Australian and New Zealand 2nd Edition, focuses on the use of drugs as medications within the healthcare environment in Australia and New Zealand. This text is a resource for nurses and health professionals in their understanding of drugs and their actions, especially with regard to the responsibilities of nurses in relation to medication administration and patient management.

The text introduces medications and medication therapies, and the principles and methods of medication administration, with an emphasis on the implications for nursing care. Specific medication therapy considerations for paediatric and aged-care clients are presented in separate chapters to highlight the special concerns for these groups. A review of dosage calculations is also included.

The text takes a body systems approach, focusing on the pharmacology of the medications that act on the various body systems and their disorders.

Section 1: Introduction to drugs and medication administration
1. Medications/agents and factors affecting their action
2. Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics
3. Calculating medication dosages
4. Principles and methods of medication administration
5. Intravenous medication therapy
6. Medication therapy for paediatric clients
7. Medication therapy for aged-care clients
8. Prevention of medication errors
9. Legal & ethical considerations for medication administration


Section 2: Agents that interfere with microbial growth
10. Antimicrobial therapy and antibacterial agents
11. Antiparasitic, antiviral and antifungal agents

Section 3: Agents used to control pain and inflammation
12. Anaesthetics
13. Analgesics and antipyretics
14. Anti-inflammatory agents
15. Agents used to treat hyperuricemia and gout


Section 4: Agents affecting the nervous system
16. Autonomic nervous system agents
17. Central nervous system sedatives and hypnotics
18. Antidepressant, antipsychotic and mood stabiliser agents
19. Agents used as central nervous system stimulants
20. Agents used to treat Alzheimer’s disease
21. Antiparkinson’s agents
22. Anticonvulsants
23. Agents used in musculoskeletal disorders
24. Substance abuse

Section 5: Agents used to treat haematological disorders
25. Agents used to treat anaemias
26. Agents affecting blood clotting

Section 6: Agents used to treat cardiovascular disorders
27. Cardiac stimulants and depressants
28. Agents that dilate blood vessels
29. Antihypertensives
30. Diuretics
31. Agents used in the treatment of hyperlipidaemia

Section 7: Agents used to treat respiratory disorders
32. Antihistamines and nasal decongestants
33. Antitussive agents and medications affecting respiratory secretions
34. Bronchodilators and prophylactic respiratory agents

Section 8: Agents used to treat gastrointestinal disorders
35. Vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional agents
36. Agents used to treat hyperacidity and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
37. Anti-emetics and emetics
38. Laxatives and antidiarrheals

Section 9: Agents used to correct endocrine imbalance
39. Agents affecting thyroid, parathyroid, and pituitary function
40. Agents used to treat hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia

Section 10: Agents affecting the reproductive system
41. Sex hormones
42. Agents used in obstetrical care

Section 11: Agents affecting immunity
43. Agents affecting immunity
44. Agents used in the treatment of cancer

Section 12: Agents used to treat eye, ear, and skin disorders
45. Agents used in the treatment of eye disorders
46. Agents used in the treatment of ear disorders
47. Agents used in the treatment of skin disorders

Section 13: Complementary medications
48. Common complementary medications

Pharmacology in Nursing, Australian and New Zealand 2nd Edition, focuses on the use of drugs as medications within the healthcare environment in Australia and New Zealand. This text is a resource for nurses and health professionals in their understanding of drugs and their actions, especially with regard to the responsibilities of nurses in relation to medication administration and patient management. The text introduces medications and medication therapies, and the principles and methods of medication administration, with an emphasis on the implications for nursing care. Specific medication therapy considerations for paediatric and aged-care clients are presented in separate chapters to highlight the special concerns for these groups. A review of dosage calculations is also included. The text takes a body systems approach, focusing on the pharmacology of the medications that act on the various body systems and their disorders. NEW end of chapter resources and appendix of solutions for more effective student revision. NEW Ethical and Legal Considerations boxes gives students examples, scenarios and discussions that explore the ethical and legal consideration for nurses in relation to medication administration. NEW CourseMate Express website which allows students and instructors easy access to to the interactive teaching and learning tools, including quizzes, nursing care plans, audio glossaries and more. NEW Pharmacology Highlight boxes that display useful information for students and makes key concepts and ideas easy to find throughout the text. A locally adapted text for Australia and New Zealand that uses real-life cases, regional statistics and examples, local medication trade names, and national guidelines and legislation relating to health, making it more relevant to students and their clinical experience. Systems approach: Organised by major drug classifications, the second half of the book progresses logically through medications and their actions, identifying them by clinical use or the body systems they affect. Learning Objectives at the beginning of each chapter help students identify what they will be learning and what they will be able to do after reading the chapter. CourseMate Express Icons throughout the text direct students to additional online material to help expand their knowledge and revise and test their understanding of the chapter content. Safety in Nursing Practice boxes throughout each chapter highlight the most important principles of drug therapy and their relationship to clinical nursing practice.