Medical Administration vocab Flashcards
Adverse drug reaction
(ad-vers ree-ak-shun)
any noxious, unintended, and undesired result of taking a drug in appropriate doses; also called an adverse effect; often used synonymously with side effect, but side effects also include results that, although not the intended therapeutic effects, are harmless and possibly helpful
side effect
A side effect is a predictable and often unavoidable adverse effect produced at a usual therapeutic dose.
idiosyncratic reaction
- unpredictable
- a patient overreacts or underreacts to a medication or has a reaction different from normal.
- ex. a child who receives diphenhydramine (Benadryl), an antihistamine, becomes extremely agitated or excited instead of drowsy.
anaphylaxis
-Severe reactions, which are life threatening,
-characterized by sudden constriction of bronchiolar muscles, edema of the pharynx and larynx, and severe wheezing and shortness of breath. Immediate medical attention is required to treat anaphylactic reactions.
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synergistic effect
When two medications have a synergistic effect, their combined effect is greater than the effect of the medications when given separately. For example, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that has a synergistic effect on antihistamines, antidepressants, barbiturates, and narcotic analgesics.
therapeutic effect
The therapeutic effect is the expected or predicted physiological response caused by a medication.
ex- nitroglycerin reduces cardiac workload and increases myocardial oxygen supply.
-Some medications have more than one therapeutic effect.
toxic effect
Toxic effects often develop after prolonged intake of a medication or when a medication accumulates in the blood because of impaired metabolism or excretion.
medication administration record (MAR)
A Medication Administration Record or MAR (eMAR for electronic versions) is the report that serves as a legal record of the drugs administered to a patient at a facility by a health care professional. The MAR is a part of a patient’s permanent record on their medical chart.
unit dose system
A unit-dose system is a storage system that varies by health care agency. Pharmacists provide the medications in single-unit packages that contain the ordered dose of medication that a patient receives at one time. Nurses distribute the medications to patients. Each tablet or capsule is wrapped separately. Usually no more than a 24-hour supply of medication is available at any given time.
verbal order
If the order is given verbally to the nurse, it is called a verbal order. When a verbal or telephone order is received, the nurse who took the order writes the complete order or enters it into a computer, reads it back, and receives confirmation from the health care provider to confirm accuracy. The nurse indicates the time and name of the health care provider who gave the order, signs it, and follows agency policy to indicate that it was read back. The health care provider countersigns the order at a later time, usually within 24 hours after giving it. Follow guidelines for taking telephone or verbal orders for medications safely
NPO
nothing by mouth
OTC
Over the counter
-referring to drugs sold without a prescription
Parenteral
(puh-ren-tuh-rul)
via a route other than the gastrointestinal tract, such as subcutaneous, intramuscular, intrathecal, or intravenous
PRN
as needed, derived from the Latin words pro re nata
Oral medication/po
The oral route is the easiest and the most commonly used route of medication administration. Medications are given by mouth and swallowed with fluid. Oral medications have a slower onset of action and a more prolonged effect than parenteral medications. Patients generally prefer the oral route.
Suspension
- Finely dissolved drug particles diapered in liquid medium; when suspension is left standing , particles settle to the bottom of the container
- a suspension, the medicine is mixed with a liquid, usually water, in which it cannot dissolve and therefore remains intact in the form of small particles.
Sublingual/sl
Under the tongue
