AHL 728 - Pharmacology for AAD-ST

3.5 Continuing Education Units (CEU). This course is not for Credit(s).

This course is designed to provide the practicing surgical technologist in the Accelerated Alternate Delivery Distance
Learning Surgical Technology Program (AAD-ST) with basic knowledge of proper identification, actions and safe handling
of drugs used in the operating room. Topics to be covered include: drugs used for pain and as anesthetic agents for the
surgical patient, basic mathematical concepts related to dosage and drug calculation.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:

1.   demonstrate an understanding of the metric system and convert measurements from the household system to the metric system,
2.   correctly change percentages to doses in milligrams,
3.   monitor and add doses of medication routinely used in the operating room,
4.   read drug container labels,
5.   describe accurately how to mix medications and measure drugs,
6.   describe how to safely transfer drugs from an unsterile field to a sterile field,
7.   discuss the procedure of identifying drugs on the sterile field,
8.   describe the actions and possible reactions of drugs commonly used in the operating room,
9.   describe the significance of drug classifications,
10.   identify drugs that are commonly used for pain and anesthetics, and
11.   list uses and actions of drugs used in an emergency.