PHM 110 Pharmacy Calculations

Lecture Hours: 2
Lab Hours: 3
Credits: 3

Presents the essential mathematics concepts and skills used by a pharmacy technician to calculate medication dosages using the formula, ratio, and dimensional analysis methods. Includes medication, drug calculations, and administration; measurement of doses; drug orders; conversions; and reconstitution. Stresses the prevention of medication errors and details the implications of any error.

Prerequisite: Second-term standing in the Pharmacy Technician program.
Student Learning Outcomes:

Use mathematical calculations and formulas to measure drug doses.
Calculate medication dosing utilizing various analysis methods.
Identify common medical errors.
Explain possible implications of errors and describe preventative measures.
Practice, preparation, and utilization of institutional skills

Content Outline

Fractions, Decimals, Ratios, Proportions
Number Systems
- Roman numerals
- Arabic number system
- Scientific notation
Estimating Drug Dose
Percentage of Error
Elements of a Prescription, Prescription Direction, and Abbreviations
Patient Information
Metric Measurements and Calculating Doses
Household Measures and Conversions
Oral Dosing - Injectable Medications
- Subcutaneous
- Intramuscular
- Intravenous
Temperature Measurement: Celsius vs. Fahrenheit
Special Calculations in Compounding
Business Math in Pharmacy
Apothecary System
Written and Clinical Institutional Skills
- Medication cart, floor stock, crash cart preparation and documentation
- Automated storage and dispensing medication orders
- MTM, Medication reconciliation, investigation drug documentation
- Immunization preparation and documentation
- HIPAA rules and regulations