NC 616: Medication Safety I

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2026
Credits: 0
Total Contact Hours: 12
Lecture Hours : 12
Lab Hours: 0
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 24
Total Student Learning Hours: 36
Strongly Recommended: Intermediate to advanced English language proficiency and basic computer literacy.
Transferable to CSU: No
Transferable to UC: No
Grading Method: Non-Credit Course

Catalog Course Description

The course is an introduction to medication safety principles. Students will learn about common pharmacology terms, forms and routes of drug administration, the process of safe medication administration, interpreting drug labels, and system of measurement. The course is designed for healthcare workers and prospective or current nursing students. Open entry/exit. 12 lecture hours.

Course Objectives

  • Define common terms used in pharmacology.
  • Identify the various routes of drug administration and their forms.
  • Compare and contrast prescription, transcription, and administration.
  • Identify key components of drug labels.
  • Identify the three steps and the “seven rights” of drug administration.
  • Explain systems of measurement and their conversion factors.

Major Course Content

  1. Common terms
    1. ​Pharmacology  
    2. Therapeutic effects
    3. Adverse effects
    4. Contraindications 
    5. Teratogenic 
    6. Over the counter
  2. Various routes and forms of drug administration
    1. ​Enteral
      1. Oral 
    2. Parenteral  
      1. Injections 
  3. Medication administration principles 
    1. Interpreting drug labels 
    2. Checking label against MAR/EHR 
    3. Three checks 
    4. Seven rights 
  4. System of measurement
    1. Household 
    2. Metric 
      1. Conversions 
      2. Basic practice problems

Instruction Type(s)

Lecture, Online Education Lecture