An on‐line graduate pharmacology course for doctor of nurse anesthesia practice students

Demand for advanced practice nurses is on the rise. To better prepare these nurses, accrediting boards are moving toward the doctor of nursing practice as the entry‐level degree. TWU has had an AANA‐accredited, completely on‐line nurse anesthesia doctoral completion program since 2008. The core science curriculum consists of two semesters of a 6 credit hour pharmacology, biochemistry and pathophysiology course, followed by evidence‐based practice courses, and a final project. Students in this program are experienced, practicing, masters‐prepared CRNA's from across the US. The pharmacology, biochemistry and pathophysiology courses integrate the physiology of various states with biochemical mediators, and available drug treatments. Together, the 2 courses cover 51 chapters from Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapuetics, among other resources. Research papers from the primary and review literature introduce select current concepts. To demonstrate synthesis of the material, and interpretation of the literature, students prepare a paper and lead an asynchronous discussion on a topic of their choice. Students are assessed based on exams, papers, discussion leadership, and discussion participation. A significant instructor presence and timely feedback are provided throughout the course. The course is delivered over the internet through a learning management system, BlackBoard 9.0, that is hosted by a service provider. Design and creation of the course site was performed by the instructor. The students enrolled in the course work full time, and are often on call. All of the course activities are asynchronous, and due dates are published before the beginning of the semesters. After adjusting to the learning management system, students report a great deal of satisfaction with the learning environment and the course.