The role of nurses in drug management is vital. They have been doing traditional job of indenting, storage and administration of drugs. At the same time, they form an important and indispensable link in health services to provide drug information services to end users, i.e. patients. The same may be of great benefit to the junior residents who need great back up from nursing staff while they institute drug treatment. Now, the omnipresent nurses have increasing share in emergency management of patient, drug safety issues and clinical research. Every day new formulations are coming up and nurses have to be acquainted with them. They can never be inert or impassionate to the drug they are administering.

This book not only highlights their roles and responsibilities in drug management and administration but also takes them to fundamental issues in pharmacology. Without this background, the mechanics of drug administration would be a deadly and dastardly exercise. Basic aspects of pharmacology have been dealt with the suffix of nursing implications at the end of almost every chapter. Some chapters have been elaborately designed keeping in mind the areas of interest to nursing fraternity, to mention a few of them—Drug Formulations, Drug Administration and Drug Storage. Clinical pharmacology, pharmacovigilance and recent developments, wherever necessary, are also covered to keep them appraised about the future trends in the subject. While every care has been taken to give the objective information about generic drugs, a few brand names are mentioned not to popularize the latter, but to make the reader comfortable with somewhat less known generic names via popular brands! The book may be useful not only for nursing students but also for all others who are interested in the discipline of pharmacology.

The interaction with nursing students, staff, tutors, matron of Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMC & H) and Indian Nursing Council's syllabus supplied by them acted as a useful baseline to decide contents of the book. The regular alarm calls from Shri Arun Gujar, Shri Benjamine Frank Joseph and other staff of Jaypee Brothers kept me going. I sincerely acknowledge the invaluable and unconditional twenty-four hour helpline from all my postgraduate students and Dr Sachin, Lecturer in Pharmacology, IGGMC & H, Nagpur. The ‘cozy cushion of comfort and ease’ provided by my children gave me new vigor and energy to see through the built up of the book. I humbly salute my innumerable students, friends, teachers and colleagues who shaped my career as pharmacologist and enriched my teaching experience.

Lastly, I must admit that writing a book on pharmacology for nurses has opened new doors of the treasure hunt for me. I realise with great pleasure that I have still so much to explore the wonderful and colourful world of PHARMACOLOGY.