Med Admin Flashcards
Define: Medication administration
preparing, giving and evaluating the effectiveness of prescription and non-prescription drugs
Role of the RPN: Med Admin
Be knowledgeable about your practice standards (BCCNM)
Educate yourself on the drug you are administering
what it does, how it works, normal dosage and why it was ordered?
Educate yourself on what could go wrong once you give it
potential side effects and contraindications for use
Identify any barriers to medication compliance
be aware of why people may want to discontinue their meds
Carry out the Nursing Process
BCCNM Medication Administration
- RPNs are responsible for administering medications within their scope of practice.
- RPNs are knowledgeable about the effects, side effects and interactions of medications and take action as necessary.
- RPN’s adhere to the “7 rights” of medication administration.
- RPNs administer only medications they themselves or a pharmacist have prepared, except in an emergency.
- RPNs do not pre-pour medication because it increases the likelihood of errors.
- RPNs take appropriate steps to resolve and report any medication administration error or near miss in a timely manner.
7 Rights of Medication Administration:
Right Medication
Right Client or Patient
Right Dose
Right Time
Right Route
Right Reason
Right Documentation
You may encounter practice settings that use ‘10 Rights’. The additional three are:
Right to refuse
Right patient education
Right evaluation
Define pharmacology
The study or science of drugs
The psychiatric nurse needs to know about pharmacological principles so they can understand how each drug given will affect the patient (both beneficial and adverse effects).
Drug names:
- generic name
- trade name
- chemical name
generic name of drug
the name given to the drug by the developer of the medication
Becomes the official name and is used in all formal publications
E.g. acetaminophen, ibuprofen, dimenhydrinate
trade name of drug
Also known as the brand name, this is the commercial name given to a drug by the manufacturer, can vary in different countries
E.g. Tylenol, Advil, Gravol
chemical name of drug
Describes the medication’s molecular structure
E.g. N-acetyl-para-aminophenol is acetaminophen (generic name)
or Tylenol (brand name)
drug classification
Indicates the desired effect on the body system.
Tells you what type of drug it is.
- E.g. Antipsychotic, antihypertensive
medication forms
The form of the med indicates the route of administration. Nurses must ensure they use the correct form of medication as this affects absorption and metabolization.
E.g. tablet, ointment, suppository
Pharmacodyamics:
The study of what the drug does to the body:
therapeutic effect
side effect
adverse effect
toxic effect
contraindication
Pharmaceutics:
How various medication forms/routes influence the way in which the body metabolizes a drug and the way in which the drug effects the body
Therapeutic Effect
intended or expected effect on the body
E.g. Tylenol will relieve a headache.
side effect
unintended secondary effects
adverse effect
serious, negative effects
toxic effect
a build-up or accumulation of medication in the body, to the point where it is poisonous.
Contraindication
any characteristic of the patient (disease state, other medication, pregnancy) which makes the use of the medication dangerous for them.
Pharmacokinetics:
How the medication moves into, through and out of the body (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion)
