Key Pediatric Nursing Interventions Flashcards
Eight Rights of Peds Medication
- right medication
- patient
- time
- route
- dose
- documentation
- right to be educated
- right to refuse
Pharmacodynamics
- behavior of medication at the cellular level
- affected by the physiologic immaturity of some body systems in a child
Pharmacokinetics
-movement of drugs throughout the body via absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
Factors Affecting Oral Medications
- slower gastric emptying
- increased intestinal motility
- proportionally larger small intestine surface area
- higher gastric pH
- decreased lipase and amylase secretion compared w/ adults
Factors Affecting Intramuscular Absorption
- amount of muscle mass
- muscle tone and perfusion
- vasomotor instability
Factors Affecting SubQ Absorption
decreased perfusion
Factors Affecting Topical Absorption
- increased due to greater body surface area
- greater permeability of infant’s skin
Factors Affecting Distribution of Medication
- higher percentage of body water
- more rapid extracellular fluid exchange
- decreased body fat
- liver immaturity
- decreased amounts of plasma protein
- immature blood-brain barrier
Factors Affecting Metabolism
- differences in hepatic enzyme production
- increased metabolic rate
- biotransformation
How do you determine the child’s dose?
- weigh the child
- check drug reference for safe dose range
- calculate low safe dose
- calculate high safe dose
- determine if dose order is in range
Pediatric dosage should what?
not exceed the minimum recommended adult dosage
Guidelines to Determine Body Surface Area
- measure height
- determine weight
- use nomogram
- determine where lines intersect in surface area column
Forms of Oral Medications
- Liquids
- powders
- tablets
- capsules
Forms of Liquid Meds
Elixirs
Syrups
Suspension
What should you use to measure liquid medications?
Calibrated equipment such as medicine cup, spoon, plastic oral syringe, or dropper
How do you give medicine w/ oral syringe or dropper to infants or young children?
- Direct liquid to posterior side of mouth
- Give drug slowly, in small amounts
- Allow child to swallow before more medication is given
You should always do what to liquid medication before administering?
Shake it
What can increase the risk of aspiration and prevent trusting relationships when giving medication?
- Forcing child to take oral meds
- Pinching the child’s nose
Guidelines for Administering Meds via Jtube
- verify correct placement
- give liquid meds directly into tube
- Mix powder w/ warm water first
- Verify if ok to crush pills and mix w/ warm water
- Open capsules and mix w/ warm water
- Label each syringe appropriately
- Flush tube w/ water after unless contraindicated
When giving a rectal suppository to a child under 3 what finger would you use?
Fifth finger
What finger would you use to give a suppository to an older child?
Index finger
What to do for Suppositories?
- use water soluble lubricant
- side-lying position
- gloves
- hold buttocks together for several minutes
If the patient has a bowel movement after a suppository what should you do?
inspect the poop
What to do for Ophthalmic Meds?
- Keep eyes closed until administration
- Room temperature
- Control the head
- Avoid injury to eye
- Supine
- Sterile technique
If the child is uncooperative for eye drops what can you do?
Administer on the inner canthus with eyes closed, then have child open eyes
How do you position the ear for drops of a child younger than 3?
Pull pinna down and back
How do you position the ear for drops of a child 4 and older?
Pull pinna up and back
Cold ear drops can cause what?
vertigo or vomiting