administering medications Flashcards
what is a medication?
Any compound that changes the chemical activity within the body
what are the 2 types of medications?
- legend (RX)
- non-legend (OTC)
generic v.s product name
generic medications are the original name given to drugs; as soon as they are manufactured
product named drugs are the advertised name given to drugs
example:
Acetaminophen - Tylenol
Ibuprofen - Advil
Furosemide - Lasix
what 3 main things do medications do?
- treat/cure/control illness
- relieve symptoms (ex. pain)
- prevent disease
what are 6 characteristics that can cause a medication to be different in certain people?
- sex
- size
- physical condition
- emotional condition
- genetic inheritance
- age
what are other factors that can cause different side effects?
- environmental factors
- time of day medication is given
- route given
- number of medications given
- size of dose
what is a medication interaction?
when 2 or more medications are given and the effect of one or both medications are altered
(the effect of one or both medications can be increased or decreased)
what are the 8 routes of administration?
- oral
- sublingual
- topical
- injection
- rectal
- vaginal
- inhalation
- g-tube
types of packaging and labeling
- bottles/vials
- bubble packs/bingo cards
- organizers
- unit dose packaging
what is a side effect?
an unintended effect caused by the medication which was not the main goal of the medication therapy
what are the 6 rules of reading a medication label?
- Name of client
- name of medication/strength
- route
- correct dose
- schedule
- expiration date
assistance v.s administration
assistance includes:
- reminding client to take medication
- opening medication
- handing them the medication
- crushing/dissolving medication
administration includes:
- putting the medication into client mouth
- injecting
- g-tube
- applying topical cream
what are the 5 rights of administering medications?
- Right name
- Right medication
- Right dose
- Right time
- Right route
what is an allergic reaction?
the immune system reacts to the medication in a way that causes the body to create chemicals that will cause redness/itching/swelling/etc.
when should you NOT crush pills?
when the following are written on a label:
- LA: long acting
- SR: sustained release
- ER: extended release
- EC: enteric coated
what do you do if a client refuses their medication or if you discover an error made?
if the client refuses their medication, the first thing you do is ask them why they won’t take it. Try to find a simply solution to their issue, if they still refuse, report immediately to delegating RN.
If you discover an error made (whether it was you or someone else), immediately report it to the delegating RN
what is the administration process?
- assess the client
- prepare the medication
- administer the medication
- document the administration
- observe the client for any changes in condition
