Fundamentals: Chapter 31 Flashcards
What is the chemical name of a medication?
An exact description of its composition and molecular structure
What is the generic name of a medication?
the name given to a medication by the manufacturer who first develops it
What is the trade name of a medication?
the name under which a manufacturer markets a medication
What is a medication classification?
indicates the effect of the medication on a body system, the symptoms the medication relieves, or its desired effect
What is the study of how medications enter the body, reach their site of action, metabolize, and exit the body?
pharmacokinetics
What is the passage of medication molecules into the blood from the site of medication administration?
absorption
What route of administration produces the most rapid absorption?
IV
When is medication absorption complete?
When it is absorbed into the blood
Which three factors effect the ability of a medication to dissolve?
Blood flow to the site of administration
Body surface area
Lipid solubility
How does body surface area effect absorption of medications?
large surface area = faster absorption rate
Which three factors effect the distribution of a medication?
Circulation
Membrane permeability
Protein binding
What kind of medications can pass through the blood-brain barrier?
fat-soluble
How does protein binding effect distribution of a medication?
medications bound to albumin cannot exert pharmacological activity
How does age effect protein binding?
Older adults have less protein, therefore less medication binds to protein which leads to increased med activity and/or toxicity.
What happens to medication once it reaches the site of action?
it becomes metabolized into a less active or inactive form that is easier to excrete
What is the term for the removal of the toxic quality of a substance?
detoxify
Where does most biotransformation occur?
liver
Where is a medication excreted after metabolism?
Kidneys, Liver, bowel, lungs, and exocrine glands
What is the purpose of deep breathing and coughing?
helps patients to eliminate anesthetic gases more rapidly
What is the main organ for medication excretion?
kidney
What are the types of medication actions?
Therapeutic
Adverse
Side
Toxic
Idiosyncratic
Allergic
What is the therapeutic effect?
the expected or predicted physiological response to a medication
What is a side effect?
predictable and often unavoidable secondary effects produced at a usual therapeutic dose
What are adverse effects?
unintended, undesirable, and often unpredictable severe responses to medications
What are idiosyncratic reactions?
patient overreacts or under-reacts to a medication has a reaction different from normal
What is a severe allergic reaction characterized by?
sudden constriction of bronchiolar muscles, edema of the pharynx and larynx, server wheezing, SOB
What is a synergistic effect?
when two medications have a combined effect that is greater than the effect of medications when given separately
What are time critical medications?
meds in which early or delayed administration of maintenance doses (30 min before/after) will most likely cause harm or result in sub-therapeutic responses in a patient.
What is the time it takes after a medication is administered for it to produce a response?
Onset
What is the time it takes for a medication to reach it’s highest effective concentration?
Peak
What is term for when the minimum blood serum concentration of a medication reached just before the next scheduled dose?
Trough
What is the time during which the medication is present in concentration great enough to produce a response?
Duration
What is the term for when the therapeutic blood serum concentration of a medication has been reached and is maintained after repeated doses?
Plateau
What is the easiest and most commonly used route for medication administration?
Oral
When giving a sublingual medication, what is an important nursing education for the patient?
Do not drink anything until the medication is completely dissolved
When giving buccal meddications, what is an important nursing education for the patient?
alternate cheeks with each subsequent dose, do not chew or swallow, do not take any liquids
Explain the epidural route:
medications administered in the epidural space via a catheter
Explain the intrathecal route:
medications administered through a catheter placed in the subarachnoid space or one of the the ventricles of the brain.
Explain the Intraosseous route:
infusion of medication directly into the bone marrow
Explain intraperitoneal route:
medications administered into the peritoneal cavity
Explain the intrapleural route:
a syringe and needle or a chest tube is used to administer medications directly into the pleural
What is the pleurodesis?
instilling medications through the intraplural route that help resolve persistent pleural effusion
Explain the intraarterial route:
medications adminstered directly into the arteries
What situations are intraarterial infusions common?
in patients who have arterial clots
What are the 5 ways nurses can administer medications to mucous membranes?
Direct via liquid or ointment
Inserting into body cavity
Instilling fluid into a body cavity
Irrigating a body cavity
Spraying into body cavity
Pediatric IM doses do not usually exceed ______ml in small children and ______ml in infants.
1ml
0.5ml
Pediatric subcutaneous doses do not usually exceed _____ml.
0.5ml
To what decimal places are pediatric doses usually rounded to?
thousandths
Who can write a medication order?
Physician
Nurse Practitioner
Physician’s Assistant
Within how much time of receiving a “now order” must the nurse administer the medication?
90 minutes
What are the 4 steps to medication reconciliation?
- Verify
- Clarify
- Reconcile
- Transmit
What are the best subcutaneous injection sites?
outer posterior aspect of the upper arms, the abdomen from below the costal margins to the iliac crests, and the anterior aspects of the thighs
What is the angle of insertion for IM injections?
90º
What is the angle of insertion for subcutaneous injections?
45º-90º
What is the angle of insertion for intradermal injections?
15º
What are the best intramuscular (IM) injection sites?
Ventrogluteal
Vastus Lateralis
Deltoid
What is the most dangerous route method for administering medications?
IV bolus, or “push”
When giving IM injections, what technique is used to protect subcutaneous tissues from irritating parenteral fluids?
Z-track method
