25 Contact Hours Pharmacology CE for APRNs and Nurse Practitioners

After completing this 25-hour advanced pharmacology bundle, the learner will be able to:

• Optimise pharmacologic treatment of acute and chronic pain

1. Compare opioid and non-opioid analgesics, adjuvant agents, and multimodal strategies, and select appropriate regimens based on patient-specific factors.

• Prescribe and monitor controlled substances safely

1. Differentiate misuse, abuse, physical dependence, and addiction; apply best practices for prescribing, monitoring, documentation, and use of PDMPs to reduce diversion and patient harm.

• Utilise evidence-based medications for substance use disorders

1. Describe the pharmacology, indications, dosing, and monitoring of medications used to treat opioid and other substance use disorders, including buprenorphine and related agents.

• Apply advanced pharmacology of sedatives, anesthetics, and analgesics

1. Explain mechanisms of action, dosing strategies, adverse effects, and monitoring parameters for common sedatives, general and local anesthetics, and analgesics used in procedural and inpatient settings.

• Select and individualise antibiotic therapy

1. Choose appropriate antimicrobial regimens for complicated urinary tract infections and multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections, considering spectrum of activity, PK/PD, resistance patterns, and patient comorbidities.

• Manage common endocrine and cardiometabolic conditions pharmacologically

1. Develop and adjust medication plans for thyroid disorders, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and obesity in alignment with current clinical guidelines.

• Implement contemporary HIV pharmacotherapy

1. Identify recommended antiretroviral regimens, recognise key drug–drug interactions, and adjust therapy based on resistance, tolerability, and comorbid conditions.

• Use psychopharmacology effectively in primary care

1. Select and monitor pharmacologic treatments for anxiety and related disorders, balancing efficacy, side-effects, and comorbid physical health conditions.

• Prescribe disease-modifying therapy for rheumatoid arthritis

1. Compare conventional and biologic DMARDs and targeted agents, and outline appropriate initiation, monitoring, and safety considerations.

• Manage time-sensitive neurologic emergencies pharmacologically

1. Apply current evidence to the use of thrombolytic and adjunctive agents in acute ischaemic stroke, including inclusion/exclusion criteria, dosing, and monitoring.

• Use neuromuscular blocking agents safely in clinical practice

1. Describe indications, selection, dosing, monitoring, and reversal strategies for neuromuscular blockade, with attention to patient safety and interprofessional coordination.

• Integrate pharmacologic decisions into whole-patient care

1. Incorporate comorbidities, organ function, age, psychosocial factors, and patient preferences into medication selection, titration, and deprescribing decisions.