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. - 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 help 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 boxes cultivate awareness of unique characteristics that may influence variations in drug effectiveness and patient perspectives on therapy. - Focus on Cultural Considerations boxes support 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 students avoid common misconceptions as identified by data from Lippincott Adaptive Learning powered by PrepU.