Exam 2- Medication Administration Flashcards
When do you perform your 3 key medications checks prior to administration?
1) First Check involves when the nurse reaches for the medication from the MAR. The nurse should compare the label to the computer screens label and order.
2) During preparation of the medication and before entering a patients room the nurse should always match the MAR to the drug label.
3)When scanning the drug for administration where the nurse (After ensuring the RIGHT patient identity) once again matches the MAR/drug label to the computer screen label.
What are the 6 rights of Medication Administration?
1) Right Patient; Name and DOB on arm band
2)Right Drug: Know the name of the drug AND it’s purpose.
3) Righ Dose: Know what is expcted or normal dose is.
4) Right Route: Either PO, Sub Q, IM, Sublingual, Buccal, Topical, and Rectal
5) Right Frequency/time: Such as BID/TID/QID, 1x only, Q 6 hours, Q 2 hours prn
6)Right Documentation: ONLY AFTER MEDIATION HAS BEEN GIVEN and note any other assessment findings
What should you assess prior to medication administration?
When getting ready to administer medication always asses that a patient is recieving the medication for the;
RIGHT REASON- do the symptoms/patients condition warrant the specific medication?
RIGHT ASSESSMENT DATA- Do you need to rechek vital signs or lab values?
RIGHT EDUCATION- Does the patient know why they are taking a drug and how to take it correctly?
RIGHT RESPONSE- Is the therapeutic effect as expected? If not what is deviating and why?
In the lecture example of Mr. Smith, who is a diabetic on insulin what are assessments that need to be performed before any medication administration?
Blood Glucose levels (does he need insulin), Blood Pressure and Heart rate (are they normal?), Potassium levels (do they threaten to strain the heart?), and Any allergies especially to iodine as he is getting ready to go through an angiogram.
What 2 things should you assess a patient for after medication administration?
You always want to assess for allergic reactions and any adverse reactions/ medication mixing adverse reactions after giving a patient a medication.
What are the 3 most common causes of medication administration errors?
1) Is nurse fatigue/exhaustion
2)Nurses distracted by clients, peers, and unit occurences
and
3)Nurse failure to verify MAR and client Armband.
What are “Blister Packs” in regards to medication? And what is the general DON’T when it comes to administering Blister Packs?
Blister Packs are a unit dose of medication.
And when it comes to the DON’Ts of Blister Packs, we are often referencing that we don’t remove the X amount of medication until you are bedside with the patient and have the MAR pulled up.
If a patient vomits immediatley or shortly after recieving oral medications what should you do?
Call the provider, assess the contents of the vomit for any sign of the medication so as to give the provider the whole picture, and clean the patient.
Other than documenting a patient refusal of medication, what nursing action should you perform?
Talk with the patient to discern why, so as to tell the provider the reasoning behind medication refusal. This will beter allow the Provider to find an alternate medication that will meet the clients needs.
What sort of medication administration routes fall under Parenteral classification? What are the 2 common characteristics of administering drugs throught Parenteral methods?
Parenteral Medication Adminsitration includes drugs that are administered via; IV, Sub-Q, IM, and Intradermal (ID). All of which require asepsis (clean) technique AND the use of needles and syringes.
What is the anatomy of a Medication Order?
A Medication Order is made up of;
Name of the Patient
Date and Time
Name of the drug
Dose
Route
Frequency and Time of Admin(s)
Finalized by a signed order
What are the advantages and disadvantages of PO medication administration?
Cheap, easy, less stressful to patients, and prolonged reaction which is good in the any onset of allergic reactions to administered medications.
What are the advantages of Sublingual Medication Admin over regular PO admin?
Sublingual medications have a faster absorption rate than typical PO medications and sit under the tongue.
How should you measure out liquid medications?
Liquid Medications should be measured at eye level.
What are Disadvantages to PO administerd medications?
Often associated with common adverse effects such as Naseau and vomitting, can’t be given to clients who are NPO or have dyspagia (difficulty swallowing).
