The basic principles of pharmacology that nurses need to understand include: - Pharmacokinetics: This involves the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs. Nurses need to understand how drugs move through the body to anticipate therapeutic outcomes and potential side effects. - Pharmacodynamics: This refers to the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and their mechanisms of action. Knowing how drugs work helps nurses to predict effects and interactions. - Therapeutic Index: The therapeutic index indicates the safety margin of a drug. A narrow therapeutic index means there is a small margin between therapeutic and toxic doses, requiring close monitoring. - Half-Life: The half-life of a drug is the time it takes for its concentration in the blood to decrease by half. This helps determine dosing intervals.
