Karch’s Focus on Nursing Pharmacology

Created on the premise that students must master the principles of drug therapy before learning the details of individual drugs, Karch’s Focus on Nursing Pharmacology, 9th Edition, provides a concise, student-friendly approach to the concepts students need to know to pass their NCLEX® exams and establish a foundation for effective drug therapy in clinical practice. 
 
Author Rebecca Tucker builds on Amy M. Karch’s popular, streamlined writing style, integrating students’ knowledge of physiology, chemistry, and nursing fundamentals with a focus on essential information about each drug group. Extensively updated and full of engaging learning features, the 9th Edition keeps students at the forefront of nursing pharmacology while cultivating the critical thinking, clinical judgment, and patient communication skills students need to excel in their exams and on the job. 

New and Updated Features

• NEW! Vitamin, Minerals, Complementary/Alternative Medications chapter strengthens students’ mastery of this emerging priority for NCLEX preparation and clinical practice. 
• NEW! Ear Medications and Blood and Blood Products appendices provide fast access to coverage of recent advancements in these key pharmacology areas. 
• NEW! Expanded coverage of substance use and illicit substances keeps students current with the latest perspectives and approaches in nicotine and nicotine replacement, alcohol, and medications to treat withdrawal/abstinence medication. 
• UPDATED! Dosage Calculations chapter familiarizes students with equations and measurement systems they’ll encounter in clinical practice.   

Rebecca Tucker

PART 1 Introduction to Nursing Pharmacology
Chapter 1                Introduction to Drugs 
Chapter 2                Drugs and the Body 
Chapter 3                Toxic Effects of Drugs 
Chapter 4                The Nursing Process in Drug Therapy and Patient Safety 
Chapter 5                Dosage Calculations 
Chapter 6                Challenges to Effective Drug Therapy 
PART 2 Chemotherapeutic Agents 
Chapter 7                Introduction to Cell Physiology 
Chapter 8                Antiinfective Agents 
Chapter 9                Antibiotics 
Chapter 10              Antiviral Agents 
Chapter 11              Antifungal Agents 
Chapter 12              Antiprotozoal Agents 
Chapter 13              Anthelmintic Agents 
Chapter 14              Antineoplastic Agents 
PART 3 Drugs Acting on the Immune System 
Chapter 15              Introduction to the Immune Response and Inflammation 
Chapter 16              Antiinflammatory, Antiarthritis, and Related Agents 
Chapter 17              Immune Modulators 
Chapter 18              Vaccines and Sera 
PART 4 Drugs Acting on the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems
Chapter 19              Introduction to Nerves and the Nervous System 
Chapter 20              Anxiolytic and Hypnotic Agents 
Chapter 21              Antidepressant Agents 
Chapter 22              Psychotherapeutic Agents 
Chapter 23              Antiseizure Agents 
Chapter 24              Antiparkinsonism Agents 
Chapter 25              Muscle Relaxants 
Chapter 26              Opioid Agonists, Opioid Antagonists, and Antimigraine Agents
Chapter 27              General and Local Anesthetic Agents 
Chapter 28              Neuromuscular Junction Blocking Agents 
PART 5 Drugs Acting on the Autonomic Nervous System 
Chapter 29              Introduction to the Autonomic Nervous System 
Chapter 30              Adrenergic Agonists 
Chapter 31              Adrenergic Antagonists 
Chapter 32              Cholinergic Agonists 
Chapter 33              Anticholinergic Agents 
PART 6 Drugs Acting on the Endocrine System 
Chapter 34              Introduction to the Endocrine System 
Chapter 35              Hypothalamic and Pituitary Agents 
Chapter 36              Adrenocortical Agents 
Chapter 37              Thyroid and Parathyroid Agents 
Chapter 38              Agents to Control Blood Glucose Levels 
PART 7 Drugs Acting on the Reproductive System 
Chapter 39              Introduction to the Reproductive System 
Chapter 40              Drugs Affecting the Female Reproductive System 
Chapter 41              Drugs Affecting the Male Reproductive System 
PART 8 Drugs Acting on the Cardiovascular System 
Chapter 42              Introduction to the Cardiovascular System 
Chapter 43              Drugs Affecting Blood Pressure 
Chapter 44              Agents for Treating Heart Failure 
Chapter 45              Antiarrhythmic Agents 
Chapter 46              Antianginal Agents 
Chapter 47              Lipid-Lowering Agents 
Chapter 48              Drugs Affecting Blood Coagulation 
Chapter 49              Drugs Used to Treat Anemias 
PART 9 Drugs Acting on the Renal System 
Chapter 50              Introduction to the Renal System 
Chapter 51              Diuretic Agents 
Chapter 52              Drugs Affecting the Urinary Tract and the Bladder 
PART 10 Drugs Acting on the Respiratory System 
Chapter 53              Introduction to the Respiratory System 
Chapter 54              Drugs Acting on the Upper Respiratory Tract 
Chapter 55              Drugs Acting on the Lower Respiratory Tract 
PART 11 Drugs Acting on the Gastrointestinal System 
Chapter 56              Introduction to the Gastrointestinal System 
Chapter 57              Drugs Affecting Gastrointestinal Secretions 
Chapter 58              Drugs Affecting Gastrointestinal Motility 
Chapter 59              Antiemetic Agents 
Chapter 60              Vitamin, Minerals, and Complementary/Alternative Medications
Appendices 
A Fluids and Electrolytes and Other Parenteral Agents 
B Topical Agents 
C Ophthalmic Agents 
D Ear Medications
E Blood and Blood Products
F Diagnostic Agents 
G Tables of Normal Values 
Index

• NEW! Vitamin, Minerals, Complementary/Alternative Medications chapter strengthens students’ mastery of this emerging priority for NCLEX preparation and clinical practice. 
• NEW! Ear Medications and Blood and Blood Products appendices provide fast access to coverage of recent advancements in these key pharmacology areas. 
• NEW! Expanded coverage of substance use and illicit substances keeps students current with the latest perspectives and approaches in nicotine and nicotine replacement, alcohol, and medications to treat withdrawal/abstinence medication. 
• UPDATED! Dosage Calculations chapter familiarizes students with equations and measurement systems they’ll encounter in clinical practice.   
• Nursing Considerations detail the rationale behind each nursing intervention to enhance students’ clinical decision-making capabilities.
• Drug Lists at the beginning of each chapter enable fast identification of prototype drugs for each class.  
• Drugs in Focus tables provide at-a-glance access to generic and trade names, usual dosage, and indications for each drug within a class.
• Focus on Safe Medication Administration boxes helps students ensure patient safety and increase the therapeutic effectiveness of drugs.
• Focus on the Evidence boxes identify the best nursing practices associated with specific drugs based on available evidence.
• Focus on Herbal and Alternative Therapies boxes alert students to known interactions with specific herbs or alternative therapies that could affect drug actions.
• Focus on Calculations boxes refine students’ calculation and measurement skills.
• Focus on Drug Therapy Across the Lifespan boxes provide quick access to drug class considerations for use with children, adults, and older adults.
• Focus on Sex Differences feature encourages students to think about the patient as a unique individual with a special set of characteristics that can influence variations in drug effectiveness
• Focus on Cultural Considerations feature supports effective, culturally sensitive drug therapy across diverse populations.
• Critical Thinking Scenarios reinforce effective procedures for the collection and application of data for commonly encountered clinical interactions.
• Check Your Understanding sections prepare students for exams with NCLEX®-style review questions.
• Unfolding Patient Stories, written by the National League for Nursing, bring concepts to life through realistic clinical scenarios.
• Concept Mastery Alerts help prevent common misconceptions identified by Lippincott® Adaptive Learning powered by PrepU.