Medication Administration Flashcards
Parenteral
Administration other than through the alimentary tract - by injection using sterile technique
Subcutaneous
hypodermic/subcut
Injection into the subcutaneous tissue
Intramuscular
IM
Injection into the muscle
Intradermal
ID
Injection into the dermis
Intravenous
IV
Injection into a vein
Intra-Arterial
Injection into an artery
Intracardiac
Injection into heart muscle
Intra-osseous
Injection into a bone
Intrathecal
Intraspinal
Injection into the spinal cord
Three ways that parenteral medications are given?
Subcutaneously
Intramuscular
Intravenously
Three parts to a syringe
Tip
Barrel
Plunger
What sizes are syringes available in?
The range is from 0.3 to 60 mL
What types of needle connections are there?
Luer-Lock
Slip Tip
Luer-Lok
Threaded grooves that screw onto the needle hub and lock into place
Slip Tip
Smooth and slightly tapered tip that inserts into the needle hub and requires a slight twist to secure
Insulin Syringe
Non removable needle and measurements are in UNITS
U-100
Tuberculin Syringe
Also known as an intradermal syringe
-Narrow (1mL)
Syringe sizes
u-100
1mL
3mL
5mL
10mL
20mL
60mL
What are syringes used for?
Adding medication to IV solutions
Irrigate wounds
Administering IM or SC injections
Prefilled Syringe
Injectable medications frequently supplied in prefilled unit doses
Require special metal or plastic cartridge holder/syringe for administration
Three parts to a needle
Hub
Cannula
Bevel
Hub
Part of the needle that fits onto the syringe
Cannula
Also known as the shaft
Attached to the hub
Bevel
Slanted part at the tip of the needle
Three variable characteristics of needle
Slant/Length of the bevel (short/long)
Shaft length - Varies 1/2 to 2 inches
Gauge of shaft - Varies from 18 to 28
What are the benefits of a longer bevel?
Longer bevel provides the sharpest needles so it causes less discomfort
What are short bevels used for?
Intradermal and IV injections
Gauge (information)
The larger gauge number, the smaller the diameter of the shaft
-16g large for blood products and viscous medicines
-28g tiny needle for thin medications
Safety needles
Prevent needle stick injuries
Ampule
Glass container designed to hold a single dose of medication
Vial
A small glass bottle with sealed rubber cap
Vials come in single dose or multi dose
How many times do you check medications before administering?
Three checks
- off the shelf
- before withdrawing the medicine
- after putting it back on the shelf
Where do needles and used ampules get discarded?
In the sharps container
Insulin, how do you draw up regular and long acting?
Inject air into NPH
Inject air into regular
Draw up Regular
Draw up NPH
Clear before Cloudy
What insulin cant be mixed with any other?
Lantus and Levemir
(basal or long acting)
Which insulins are clear?
Very short acting
-Humalog
-Novolog
-Apidra
Short Acting
-Humulin R
-Novolin R
What insulins are cloudy?
Intermediate acting
-NPH
-Humulin N
-Novalin N
What sites can you do SUBCUT injection?
Abdomen (2in away from umbilicus)
Lateral and anterior of upper arm/thigh
Scapular area upper back
Upper buttocks
What is the only place Heparin can be administered?
In the abdomen
Why do you need to rotate injection sites?
To decrease tissue damage, aid in absorption, and decrease discomfort
Lipoatrophy
Breakdown of subcutaneous fat at the site of repeated injections
Lipohypertrophy
Build up of subcutaneous fat at the site of repeated injections
What angle do you do SUBCUT injections?
45-90 degrees
What medicines do you need to have a second nurse check the dose on?
Heparin and Insulin
What injection sites do you aspirate?
ONLY dorsogluteal
What is ID used for?
Allergy
TB testing
some vaccinations
Why is IM used?
Speed of absorption and larger medicine volumes
Do you massage the site after injection for any method?
NO
IM sites of injection?
Ventrogluteal
Vastus Lateralis
Dorsogluteal
Rectus Femoris
Deltoid
What is the maximum volume for an IM injection?
(based on site and PT’s muscle development)
Volume for large ventrogluteal injection
2-3mL
Volume for large vastus lateralis injection
2-3mL
Volume for ventrogluteal injection
1-2mL
Volume for vastus lateralis injection
1-2mL
Volume for rectus femoris injection
1-2mL
Volume for injection for small muscles in infants/small children
0.5-1mL
Volume for injection for deltoid in small children through older adults
0.5-1mL
What degree do you administer an ID shot?
5-15 degree angle
What angle do you administer a IM shot?
90 degree angle ONLY
ID
Intradermal
VG
Ventrogluteal
D
Deltoid
VL
Vastus Lateralis
RF
Rectus Femoris
DG
Dorsogluteal
