Lecture: Medication Administration Flashcards
What should you always check before administering Lasix?
Potassium and blood pressure; hold medication if potassium or blood pressure are too low
What does a high INR mean? What does a low INR mean?
High INR = increased bleeding time; low INR = decreased bleeding time
What time of the day should administration of Lasix be avoided? Why?
Right before bedtime because it is a diuretic, which will cause a person to urinate
What time of the day is Lisinopril usually given? Why?
At night because it drops the patient’s BP; giving it at night prevents the patient from possible falls during the day due to low BP
How many times and when do you need to check your medications before you can administer?
3 times; before pulling out the medication, before going into the room, and before administering to the patient
What is the target INR for Warfarin?
Between 2.0 - 3.0 for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and between 2.5 - 3.5 for valvular atrial fibrillation
What is the normal range for serum potassium?
Between 3.5 - 5.0 mEq/L
What is the onset for rapid-acting insulin? When should you give it?
15 minutes; give 15 minutes before meals
What should you do if a patient who is prescribed rapid-acting insulin does not want to eat a meal?
Hold the dose of insulin
What happens if you give rapid-acting insulin without food?
Hypoglycemic rebound
What is the onset for regular insulin?
30 minutes
What is the onset of intermediate-acting insulin?
12 hours
What is the onset of long-acting insulin?
24 hours
What is the ideal range for blood glucose?
70 - 100 mg/dL
What should you always check before administering Digoxin?
Potassium and AP
What should you check before administering Coumadin?
INR and for any bleeding, especially blood in the urine
What are the most common symptoms of antibiotics?
GI distress, especially with IV antibiotics
What are the 3 major side effects of narcotics?
CNS effects, respiratory depression, constipation
What is the pure food and drug act?
Requires medications to be free from impure products; first American law to regulate medications
What is the medwatch program?
A program the encourages nurses to report when a medication, product or medical event causes serious harm to a patient
What is the primary organ for excretion?
The kidneys
What effect on medication occurs if the a person’s renal system is compromised?
Medication stays in the body for longer
What factors influence absorption?
Route of administration, ability to dissolve, blood flow to site of administration, body surface area, lipid solubility of medication
What factors affect distribution?
Physical and chemical properties of the medication and physiology of the person taking it (circulation, membrane permeability, protein binding)
