NURS 735 - APPLIED TOXICOLOGY
(Note: This is a mirror website. The primary website for student paricipation
is through http://blackboard.umd.edu, and is available through priviledged
access only, i.e., you must be registered to participate).

Course Description:
Applied Toxicology will survey the principles of toxicology that pertain to human health and the environment. Course content will include an historical background of toxicology; principles of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination; effects of toxic agents, food additives and pollutants, with effects on general and susceptible populations; risk communication; outreach; and the integration of these principles into public health practice. The course is intended to empower students with knowledge and working insight into toxic environmental hazards that may affect the diverse human populations that are served by community health nurses and other public health professionals. Comparative effects on other animal groupings will also be covered. A multi-disciplinary, team teaching approach will be used to meet the course objectives. NURS 735 is a required course in the Community Environmental Health Nursing track, an emphasis within the graduate Community Health Nursing track at the School of Nursing. This new track is being developed with a three-year grant from the USDHHS, HRSA in response to the national need to prepare an essential cadre of nursing leaders for the critical and emerging issues in environmental health.

During this web-based course, you will spend a significant part of your online experience involved with each of the modules listed below. Each module corresponds to course topics that would be presented within a three-to-six class meeting timeframe. The module components consist of an overview of learning content, objectives/outcomes, Real Audio/Video movies, lecture notes/materials presented with PowerPoint slides, and other miscellaneous elements, including a variety of hyperlinks to internet websites to enhance your learning.

COURSE CONTENT:

Coursemaster: Andrew S. Kane, Ph.D. Email: akane@umaryland.edu Dr. Kane is an Associate Research Scientist in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Department of Veterinary Medicine at UM College Park, and has secondary appointments in the UM Baltimore Medical School, Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine and Department of Pathology. He is the Director of the University of Maryland's Aquatic Pathobiology Center, and is a full member of the UM Graduate School as well as faculty in the System-wide Program in Toxicology. Dr. Kane's research interests focus in the areas of environmental pathology and toxicology, with emphasis on mechanisms for species-selective toxicity and disease susceptibility. Dr. Kane is currently a principle investigator on three EPA grants that focus on the effects of environmental perturbation and toxic exposure. He is also working an investigator on several other Federal- and state-funded projects that deal with environmental endocrine disruption, histopathology and drug metabolism. Dr. Kane's interests also include the use of dynamic outreach and teaching modules using interactive, computer-based multimedia. This Applied Toxicology course will be team taught, and other faculty contributors will be introduced in their respective modules.

SYLLABUS for NURS 735, Applied Toxicology

Credits: 3 credit hours

Course Description: This interdisciplinary course will survey the principles of toxicology that pertain to the human health and the environment. Course content will include an historical background of toxicology; principles of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination; effects of toxic agents, food additives and pollutants, with effects on general and susceptible populations; risk communication; and the integration of these principles into public health practice.

Prerequisites: Enrollment in the University of Maryland Community Health Nursing Masters Program - Environmental Health Track, good standing in a recognized graduate-level program, or permission of the instructor (contact Dr. Kane).

Course Objectives: This course is designed to empower students with knowledge and working insight into toxic environmental hazards that may affect the diverse human populations that are served by community health nurses. Comparative effects on other animal groupings will also be covered. A multi-disciplinary approach will be used to meet the following objectives:

1. To understand the basic principles and applications within the science of toxicology;
2. To identify the different classes of environmental toxic substances and stressors that have known effects on individuals or populations;
3. To classify the different routes of toxic exposure, metabolic pathways, mechanisms of distribution within the body, and elimination processes;
4. To understand the effects of different toxicants and stressors in terms of target effect on the cellular-, organ system- and whole body-levels;
5. To recognize different populations at risk based on past history, age, geography, and occupational and environmental exposures;
6. To gain experience with library, on-line and other toxicology information resources;
7. To relate applied toxicology principles and community health practices; and
8. To review current concepts in risk communication and provide practical outreach experience.

Textbook Requirements:
Introduction to Toxicology, 3rd Edition. 2002. John Timbrell. Taylor and Francis Publishing. ISBN 0-415-247-632 (paperback, approximately $30 US). This text is available through a variety of on-line resources including amazon.com and bn.com. Mention of textbook sources does not constitute endorsement.

Recommended Reference Textbook:
Casarett & Doull's Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons, 6th Edition (2001).

Course Requirements:
1. Class "attendance" and discussion group participation;
2. Assigned readings;
3. Exercises and presentation(s); and
4. Mid-term and final examinations.

Evaluation and Grading:
Students will be evaluated by class participation, fulfillment and effort in exercises and presentations, and examination grades.

Criteria for Final Grade:
On-line discussion participation: 10%
Presentation: 20%
Mid-term Examination: 35%
Final Examination: 35%
Total: 100%

Policies:
Academic Integrity and Conduct: Students are referred to the University of Maryland School of Nursing Student Handbook for all policies regarding academic integrity and conduct. These include the University of Maryland System Policy on Faculty, Students and Institutional Rights and Responsibilities for Academic Integrity, the School of Nursing Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities, and the University of Maryland Graduate Policies and Procedures for Academic Misconduct.

Weather-related Cancellations: In order to facilitate student use of computers with higher connection speeds (i.e., institutional computers), particularly in the mid- and North Atlantic states, course deadlines may be extended due to extreme weather conditions at the discretion of the instructor. If in doubt, assume that this on-line course will operate independent of the weather conditions. Check course announcements frequently.

What's Different about this Web-Based Course?

Several features of this course make it different from the traditional NURS 735 - Applied Toxicology offered on-campus at the University of Maryland's School of Nursing. These differences are: 

• Course Meetings - This class will not meet in a designated classroom on campus, but rather in a virtual (Internet) classroom environment using the communication tools within BlackBoard. Face-to-Face Orientations at the beginning of the semester are scheduled for those wishing to attend. 
  
• Office Hours - No specific office hours set. Please use discussion board and email as primary means of communication. If urgent, my office phone is 301-314-6808, but leaving a mssg does not mean it was received.
  
• Technology - Although you do not need to be a computer expert to complete this course successfully, you do need to know the basics of operating a personal computer and navigating your way around the Internet. If you are inexperienced with using computers and are not familiar with "surfing" the Internet, you will likely have some difficulty at first and will need to devote several extra hours trying to improve your computer skills, exploring the Internet, and increase your typing speed.  
  
• My Role and Your Role in the Course -  Learner-driven, instead of teacher-driven, assignments and activities have been designed to create an engaged and active learning environment in this web-based course. You will frequently engage in learning activities independently of me, because learning and teaching in this online course are two-way ongoing processes.  You will collaborate with other students, when appropriate, to discuss and complete collaborative assignments and activities.  I will frequently monitor collaborative group team activities and independent activities. I will be available to provide assistance in your efforts to complete course assignments and activities.

What You Must Do Frequently in this Web-Based Course?

Following these guidelines will help you succeed:

• log onto the course on all dates and times that we will meet in the virtual classroom; 
  
• actively participate in class "asynchronous/synchronous" discussions. Your virtual presence in class is indicated by your written comments; therefore, you must actively participate in class by writing comments which indicate that you have read assignments for class and can discuss in detail the information provided in the assignments.
  

Following these steps will help you be successful in this web-based course.  Please also remember that, in addition to these actions above, you have other course responsibilities that will determine your course grade outcome. Please read the course syllabus for a specific discussion on additional course responsibilities.

Welcome and  I look forward to working with you this semester.