| Course | NR 566 Advanced Pharmacology for Care of the Family |
|---|---|
| Week | 2 |
| Paper type | Drug class comparison |
| Length | About 1,130 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Chamberlain University |
| Program | MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for NR 566 Week 2
Drug Class Comparison: Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Across One Household, With a Column for Who Cannot Be Given Each One
Student Name
College of Nursing, Chamberlain University
NR 566: Advanced Pharmacology for Care of the Family
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Drug Class Comparison: Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Across One Household, With a Column for Who Cannot Be Given Each One
The Job the Class Does
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes, reducing the prostaglandins that drive pain, fever and inflammation. In a family practice they are among the most common drugs used for musculoskeletal pain, fever in children, menstrual cramps and arthritis flares. The same inhibition that relieves pain also removes prostaglandins that protect the stomach lining, maintain kidney blood flow when circulation is under strain and keep the fetal ductus arteriosus open, which is why the exclusion column in this comparison matters more than the mechanism. The household used for this comparison is the composite family followed through the course: a grandparent of 82 who weighs 48 kg with an estimated creatinine clearance near 36 mL/min, a pregnant adult of 29, and a grandchild of four who weighs 16 kg.
Members in a Fixed Order
Table 1
Five Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in a Fixed Order
| Member | Usual adult oral dose | Pediatric use | Duration of action | Notable feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ibuprofen | 200 to 400 mg every 6 to 8 hours | From 6 months, 10 mg/kg per dose | Short | Liquid available; most flexible |
| Naproxen | 220 to 500 mg every 12 hours | Over-the-counter from age 12 | Longer | Twice-daily dosing |
| Diclofenac | 50 mg two or three times daily, or 1% topical gel | Not routine in young children | Short | Topical form limits systemic exposure |
| Celecoxib | 100 to 200 mg once or twice daily | Approved for juvenile arthritis from age 2 | Moderate | Less gastrointestinal injury; cardiovascular caution |
| Ketorolac | Short courses only, maximum 5 days | Not for routine pediatric outpatient use | Short | Strongest analgesic effect; highest risk |
Ibuprofen and naproxen are the members most families meet over the counter. Ibuprofen's short action and liquid form make it the most adjustable; naproxen's longer action suits twice-daily dosing for an adult with persistent pain but leaves less room to stop quickly if a problem appears. Diclofenac matters mainly as a topical gel, which delivers a fraction of the systemic dose and is useful for knee or hand osteoarthritis. Celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, causes less stomach injury but carries the class's cardiovascular warning. Ketorolac is reserved for short, severe pain and is the riskiest to the kidney and stomach.
The Exclusion Column
This is the column that decides prescribing in a household.
Pregnancy at 20 weeks or later. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2020) advised avoiding these drugs from about 20 weeks of pregnancy, because they can reduce fetal kidney function and lead to low amniotic fluid; after about 30 weeks they also risk premature closure of the ductus arteriosus. Earlier in pregnancy, occasional short use is less concerning but not preferred. For the pregnant family member, every member of the class is effectively excluded from mid-pregnancy onward, and acetaminophen becomes the first choice for pain and fever.
Older adults with reduced clearance or on certain drugs. The Beers Criteria advise avoiding chronic use of non-COX-2-selective agents in older adults unless alternatives fail and a gastroprotective agent is given, and keeping the whole class away from anyone whose clearance has dropped under 30 (American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria Update Expert Panel, 2023). The grandparent's clearance is 36 mL/min, with lisinopril and furosemide already on the list; adding a systemic drug from this class would create the combination most associated with acute kidney injury. Topical diclofenac on one knee is the only member reasonable for this patient.
Children under six months. Ibuprofen is not used below six months of age without specialist advice. The four-year-old is past that age, so ibuprofen liquid is appropriate at 10 mg/kg, which is 160 mg per dose.
Anyone on anticoagulants or with a past ulcer. The class increases bleeding risk with warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants and should be avoided or used with gastroprotection.
Formulation and Frequency
Formulation shapes who can take a drug. Ibuprofen suspension at 100 mg per 5 mL lets a parent measure 8 mL for the four-year-old, and ibuprofen can be repeated every six to eight hours with a maximum of four doses a day. Naproxen's twice-daily schedule suits an adult who forgets midday doses. Topical diclofenac 1% gel is applied four times daily to the painful joint and is the only option in this table that a frail older adult with kidney impairment can use with little systemic exposure. Celecoxib's once-daily option suits an adult with arthritis who cannot tolerate stomach effects, provided cardiovascular risk is low.
Monitoring
For an adult using a systemic drug from this class beyond a few days, blood pressure at the next visit and kidney function within two to four weeks, especially if the patient takes a renin-angiotensin blocker or diuretic. For older adults, a check for black stools or new indigestion at each visit. For children using ibuprofen for fever, the parent watches fluid intake, because dehydration raises the risk of kidney injury.
Cardiovascular Risk Across the Class
Every member of the class carries a warning about heart attack and stroke, and the size of the risk varies by agent, dose and duration. A large analysis of individual patient data found that the risk of myocardial infarction rose within the first week of use for common agents, including celecoxib, ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen, and was greatest at higher doses (Bally et al., 2017). For the household, this matters most for the grandparent, who has hypertension and is already excluded on kidney grounds, and it is a reason to keep any adult course short and at the lowest effective dose. It also means that celecoxib's gentler effect on the stomach does not make it a safe default for an older adult with cardiovascular disease.
The Paragraph That Chooses
For the grandparent's knee osteoarthritis, the choice is topical diclofenac 1% gel four times daily, with acetaminophen up to 3 g daily, and no systemic agent from the class because of the reduced clearance and the lisinopril and furosemide. For the pregnant adult's back pain, the choice is acetaminophen, with heat and physical therapy, and no drug from this class after 20 weeks (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2020). For the four-year-old's ear pain and fever, the choice is ibuprofen suspension, 8 mL of the 100 mg per 5 mL strength (160 mg), repeated no sooner than every six hours when needed, provided fluids are going down. One class, three members of one family and three different answers, each set by the exclusion column rather than by the mechanism.
References
American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria Update Expert Panel. (2023). American Geriatrics Society 2023 updated AGS Beers Criteria for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 71(7), 2052-2081. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.18372
Bally, M., Dendukuri, N., Rich, B., Nadeau, L., Helin-Salmivaara, A., Garbe, E., & Brophy, J. M. (2017). Risk of acute myocardial infarction with NSAIDs in real world use: Bayesian meta-analysis of individual patient data. BMJ, 357, Article j1909. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j1909
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2020). FDA recommends avoiding use of NSAIDs in pregnancy at 20 weeks or later because they can result in low amniotic fluid. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-recommends-avoiding-use-nsaids-pregnancy-20-weeks-or-later-because-they-can-result-low-amniotic
What the NR 566 Week 2 assignment asks for
The class comparison for this week usually asks you to compare several drugs within a class and explain how you would choose among them for different patients. Expect the prompt to ask for mechanism, members, differences, safety and patient selection. Keep the mechanism short. List members in a consistent order with their doses and formulations. Add a column for who should not receive each drug, with an age or condition attached rather than a vague warning. Use that column when you choose: a drug flagged for pregnancy cannot be recommended later for a pregnant patient. Give monitoring as a test and an interval. Close with a paragraph that picks a member for each patient you described and says why.
Inside the NR 566 Week 2 example
The sample states the shared mechanism and why the protective prostaglandins matter, then introduces the household. A table lists ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, celecoxib and ketorolac with adult doses, pediatric use, duration and a notable feature, followed by a paragraph on how the members differ. The exclusion column is written as four headed groups: pregnancy from 20 weeks with the federal warning, older adults under the Beers Criteria, infants under six months and anyone on anticoagulants. A formulation section explains why liquid ibuprofen and topical diclofenac change who can be treated. A section on cardiovascular risk cites a large analysis of heart attack risk. The final paragraph assigns topical diclofenac, acetaminophen and ibuprofen liquid to three family members.
NR 566 Week 2 rubric: what full points look like
Comparisons in this course are usually graded on whether the exclusion column exists and is used, whether members are distinguished, whether pediatric statements carry ages, whether monitoring is specific and whether the closing paragraph actually chooses. A mechanism table that never says who should not receive a drug earns the least, so the exclusion column here names a reason, a family member and a replacement. Checking the pregnancy exclusion against the later recommendation avoids the contradiction that costs many papers. Stating an age for ibuprofen in children replaces a vague claim of pediatric safety. Monitoring with intervals and harms shows reasoning. A closing paragraph with three different answers for one class demonstrates selection. Evidence and APA 7 citations support each exclusion.
Common NR 566 Week 2 mistakes, and how to avoid them
The biggest loss on this paper is a table of mechanisms and receptor targets that never says who should avoid each drug. Another is filling in an exclusion, such as pregnancy, and then recommending the same drug for a pregnant patient in the conclusion. Many papers call a drug safe in children without giving an age. Monitoring is often a list of tests without intervals. Some comparisons end with a summary rather than a choice. Build the exclusion column carefully, keep it in view as you choose, and finish with a named drug for each patient. If your assigned class is different, list it with the family members you need to cover, and a comparison can be drafted.
Get a NR 566 Week 2 example written to your instructions
Send the Week 2 prompt and the class your section assigned, along with any table template the classroom gives you, and a custom example is written to those instructions and returned inside 24 to 48 hours. The first one is free. Which agent you would actually reach for stays yours to argue.
More NR 566 papers and FNP samples
- NR 566 Week 1: Age and Clearance Discussion Post
- NR 566 Week 3: Prescribing Rationale
- NR 566 Week 4: Pediatric Dosing Write-up
- NR 566 Week 5: Case Analysis
- NR 566 Week 6: Medication Review
- NR 566 Week 7: Patient Teaching Handout
- NR 566 Week 8: Pharmacotherapy Case Paper
- NR 511 Week 2: Focused SOAP Note, Flashes, Floaters
NR 566 Week 2 questions, answered
How many drugs belong in the table?
Enough to show real contrast, which is commonly three or four, unless the classroom fixes a number. Four agents that differ only by half-life teach nothing, while three that differ in who they exclude carry the whole argument. Where a class has an outlier used for one narrow population, that outlier usually earns its row more than a second lookalike would.
Does the table need citations inside it?
Yes, and cell level citation is the safer habit. A dosing range, an age limit and a monitoring interval each come from somewhere, and a marker reading the table should not have to guess which source produced which figure. A single reference dropped beneath the whole table reads as decoration and is frequently marked as unsupported content.
Can pediatric and adult uses be split into two tables?
It is allowed and it usually weakens the paper. The point of this week is that one class behaves differently across a family, and separating the ages hides exactly that. One table with an age column keeps the contrast visible, and the closing paragraph then has something to argue about instead of restating what both tables said.
Where can I find a free NR 566 Week 2 sample paper?
The NSAID comparison above, with its exclusion column and three family-specific choices, is the complete NR 566 Week 2 sample. Another class can be compared on request.
When are NSAIDs avoided in pregnancy in the NR 566 Week 2 comparison?
From about 20 weeks, following a federal safety communication about fetal kidney effects and low amniotic fluid, with added concern after 30 weeks for the ductus arteriosus.