DAPH 850 : Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthesia Practice II

This doctoral-level course advances the student’s pharmacologic foundation toward the integrated, system-based drug management required in contemporary anesthesia practice. Building on prerequisite coursework in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, anesthetic, and analgesic agent classes, the course emphasizes application of pharmacologic principles in the delivery of safe, evidence-based anesthesia care. 

Students are prepared to apply knowledge to practice in decision making and problem solving, provide nurse anesthesia services based on evidence-based principles (D13), and formulate an anesthesia plan of care before providing anesthesia services (D17). 

Content focuses on cardiovascular, autonomic, pulmonary, renal, hematologic, and adjunct pharmacology essential for the student to recognize, evaluate, and manage physiological responses coincident to the provision of anesthesia services (D21) and recognize and appropriately manage complications that occur during anesthesia care (D22).  

Emphasis is placed on mechanisms of action, drug interactions, and evidence-based agent selection across the perioperative continuum, supporting the student's ability to interpret and utilize data obtained from noninvasive and invasive monitoring modalities (D19) and integrate pharmacologic strategies into comprehensive anesthesia management.  

The course culminates in synthesis of multimodal and opioid-sparing pharmacologic strategies within ERAS frameworks, promoting competencies in analyzing strategies to improve patient outcomes and quality of care (D44) and delivering cost-effective anesthesia services. DSLO: 13, 17, 19, 21, 22, 44