Medication Administration Flashcards
standing orders
hospital orders or specific HCP orders, may have an expiration date & time
PRN
only when pt needs it
one time order
specific time
ex. give antibiotic on call to OR
STAT
immediately & only once
NOW
quickly but not STAT
6 rights of medication
- the right med
- the right dose
- the right patient
- the right route
- the right time
- the right documentation
patient rights
- right to refuse
- right to be informed
- right to have qualified nurses & physicians
medication reconcilliation
errors that occur when a patient is transferred to or from another facility
for buccal/sublingual meds - do not give with
liquid - until fully dissolved
when administering liquid medications, what should you always do?
- shake before pouring
- cover label to avoid destruction
- pour at eye level
- do not pour back into bottle
- make sure it is clean before recapping
what position should your patient be in after administering meds through an artificial tube (NG, gastrostomy)
semi-fowlers or fowlers for at least 30 mins
what are metered dose inhalers for?
rapid absorption & relief for breathing difficulties
why would you use a spacer for a MDI?
so the patient has an easier time using it, also gets the medicine to the lungs better
if a patient is using multiple inhalers, what would you give first?
bronchodilator
what would you give last when a patient is on multiple inhalers?
corticosteroids
what instruction would you give to a patient on corticosteroids?
rinse out mouth after to prevent fungal infection
what are nebulizers?
liquid medicine placed in dispenser & inhaled through mask
how do you administer nasal drops?
- wear gloves
- tilt head back flat or supine
- stay for 1 to 2 mins
- not sterile, but maintain asepsis
- clean tip after use
how do you administer nasal sprays?
- pt sitting up or with head tilted
- spray during inhalation
- verify med admin based on drug
what are ear drops for?
treating ear infections & softens wax
how do you administer ear drops?
- make sure it’s room temp
- pt side lying, ear up, drops alongside the canal
- gently massage the tragus to move med if needed
- stay on side for 5 to 10 min
what should you never do with transdermal meds? (patches, ointments)
place on abrasions unless ordered; not wear gloves
what should you always do with transdermal meds?
rotate sites
how do you administer eye drops?
- wear gloves
- tilt head back
- wipe eyes for any secretions
- apply drops to conjunctival sac
- apply pressure to naso-lacrimal duct
how do you apply eye ointments?
- apply from inner canthus to outer
- apply pressure to inner canthus for a minute
- wipe any excess
- do not touch tip of applicator to eye
- if multiple: wait 5 mins inbetween
what are suppositories for?
quick relief for fever or constipation
how do you administer a suppository?
- position pt on left side w/ upper leg flexed
- wear gloves & unwrap suppository
- add lubricant to rounded end
- have pt take a deep breath & exhale first
- insert into rectum 1 inch past anal sphincter
three parts of a needle
hub, shaft, bevel
intradermal injection site
forearm & scapula
intradermal syringe size
1 mL
intradermal needle size
25-27 inch, 1/8-5/8 inch
what is the use for intradermal injections?
TB or allergy testing
intradermal needle insertion angle
5-15 degrees
subcutaneous injection sites
abdomen, lateral aspect of upper arms, thigh, upper gluteal area
where on the abdomen do you perform an injection?
2 inches away from umbilicus, incisions, stoma, or wound
where on the thigh do you perform an injection?
hand from groin & knee
subcutaneous needle size
1-3 mL
25-27 gauge
1/8 - 5/8 inches
subcutaneous needle insertion angle
90 (average size or obese)
45 (thin)
intramuscular injection sites
ventrogluteal, vastus lateralis, & deltoid
how do you administer an injection into the ventrogluteal muscle?
- on side, knees bent
- place non dominant palm on greater trochanter & index finger on anterior superior iliac spines
- thumb toward groin, fingers toward head
- spread middle fingers along iliac crest toward buttocks
- center of triangle
how do you administer an injection into the vastus lateralis muscle?
- one hand above knee
- one hand below greater trochanter
- middle of 3rd muscle
how do you administer injections into the deltoid muscle?
- 3 fingers below acromian process
- inject in center of triangle
- 0.5 mL
what is Z-track technique used for? what does it do?
injecting irritating substances; it decreases pain, irritation, or staining
z-track method
pull skin & subQ tissue to the side; inject at a 90 degree angle; pull out, then release skin
when should a deltoid injection not be done?
if the muscle is not well developed (injury risk)
how long does it take for an oral medication to peak?
1-3 hours
how do you administer vaginal suppositories?
- perform peri care first
- gloves
- position in lithotomy position on pad for secretions
- best to do at bedtime so it stays in place
- do not use tampons
what four things effect oral med administration?
- amount of food
- presence/absence of food
- changes in intestines (disease/surgery)
- decreased blood flow to stomach
intramuscular needle insertion angle
90 degrees
how long will it take for an iv route to peak?
10 minutes
intramuscular needle size
22-25 gauge, 1-1.5 inches
why are unbound meds bad?
medication will float into tissues. if they build up in the bloodstream, it can lead to toxicity
