Drug Administration

Question 0

What drug name do midwives use when administering medications?

Answer 0

The generic name = e.g. Paracetamol

NOT the brand name = e.g. Panadol

Question 1

What are the different responsibilities that are required of midwives when administering drugs?

Answer 1

• assessment, administration and evaluation of patients’ drug therapies
• educate patient about their drug therapy
• have a full understanding of the drug, it’s use and side effects
• fulfil legal requirements of administration

Question 2

OTC

Answer 2

Over the counter

Question 3

What is an Act?

Answer 3

Legislation which is law and therefor to not comply is illegal and a criminal act

Question 4

What is a Policy?

Answer 4

Something which is developed as an interpretation of the law by a specific agency

Question 5

What are protocols and procedures?

Answer 5

A model or structure based on rationale, to guide very specific practices

Question 6

Who may prescribe a drug?

Answer 6

Doctors
Dentists
Veterinarians 
Midwives
Nurse practitioners

Question 7

What do drug schedules do?

Answer 7

Divide drugs into categories according to:

Potency, therapeutic use, addictive or abuse potential, and mode of action

Question 8

What type of orders are there?

Answer 8

Written (prescription/ medication sheet)
Telephone orders
Standing orders
Stat orders
Single orders
PRN orders 
Nurse/midwife initiative

Question 9

What is a schedule 1 drug?

Answer 9

Poisons of plant origin

Question 10

What’s a schedule 2 drug?

Answer 10

Poisons for therapeutic use, available from pharmacies - open shelf OTC

Question 11

What’s a schedule 3 drug?

Answer 11

Pharmacy only. Poisons for therapeutic use. Liable to abuse.

Question 12

What’s a schedule 4 drug?

Answer 12

Prescription only. Restricted to veterinary, medical & dental prescription or supply. Intended for therapeutic use of which the safety & efficacy needs further evaluation.

Question 13

What’s a schedule 5 drug?

Answer 13

Poisons with low toxicity but require caution on handling, storage and use.

Question 14

What’s a schedule 6 drug?

Answer 14

Similar to schedule 5 however slightly more hazardous & readily available.

Question 15

What’s a schedule 7 drug?

Answer 15

Dangerous poison. Require special precautions in manufacture, handling, storage or use. Restricted use.

Question 16

What’s a schedule 8 drug?

Answer 16

Controlled drugs. Restrictions recommended for drugs of dependence.

Question 17

What is a schedule 9 drug?

Answer 17

Prohibited substances. Drugs of abuse. Manufacture, possession, sale and use are restricted to approved medical and scientific research.

Question 18

What types of routes can medications be administered?

Answer 18

Enternal (involve the GIT, oral)
Parenteral (injections)
Topical applications
Rectal administrations 
Inhalations 
Vaginal

Question 19

The route in which a drug may be administered can be determined by?

Answer 19

Physical & chemical properties of drug
Patient's general condition
Rapidity or response required
Site of desired response
Changes in the gut's pH
Fluctuations in GIT motility
Other drugs in GIT
Food in GIT

Question 20

What are some types of oral medications

Answer 20

• Solutions - drugs dissolved in a solvent (absorb quickly)
• suspensions - finely divided powder suspended in a liquid. Is dissolved in GIT before absorption (absorbed slower than solution)
• capsule - drugs encased in gelatine. (Disintegrates rapidly in stomach. Dissolves then rapidly absorbed)
• compressed tablets - mixture of drug and binders. (Disintegrates in GIT before dispersing and dissolving)
• enteric coated tablets - (resist breakdown in stomach. Protects drug from stomach & vise versa. Resists acid. Disintegration & absorption occurs in the duodenum)
• sustained release - (releases drug over several hours. Reduces number of daily doses)
• controlled release - (release drug over several hours. Reduces number of daily doses)

Question 21

What is a parenteral route?

Answer 21

Any method that avoids the GIT. Usually reserved for invasive methods. 
(Injections - Intradermal 
                    Subcutaneous 
                    Intramuscular
                    Intravenous
                    Epidural)

Question 22

What is a topical route of medication?

Answer 22

Application to an area of the body for direct treatment.
(Not restricted to hair or skin)
Drops, creams/ointments, pastes, gels and lotions.

Question 23

What are rectal and vaginal routes of medication?

Answer 23

Rectal -suppositories
Used when a patient is unconscious, unavailable to access oral route, difficult patient, nausea and vomiting.
Enemas 
Vaginal - pessaries
Best used at night.

Question 24

What is an inhalation medication?

Answer 24

Nebuliser and inhalers administer medications to the lower respiratory passages.
Metered doss inhalers.

Question 25

Placenta drug transfer depends on?

Answer 25

drug chemical properties
molecular weight of the drug
protein binding capabilities
lipid solubility

Question 26

Pregnancy categories
A, B, & C based on?
D, & X based on?

Answer 26

A, B, & C based on increasing risk to the fetus

D, & X based on risk versus potential benefit

Question 27

What are the 4 stages of pharmacokinetics?

Answer 27

Absorption
Distribution
Metabolism
Elimination

Question 28

Onset

Answer 28

time from administration to produce a response

Question 29

Peak

Answer 29

time to reach highest effective concentration

Question 30

Trough

Answer 30

lowest concentration of medication reached just before next does

Question 31

duration

Answer 31

time that medication is present and producing a response

Question 32

Plateau

Answer 32

concentration of medication in blood reached and maintained after repeated fixed doses