Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Fundamentals Of Nursing > Medications > Flashcards

Medications Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Nursing Pharmacology flashcards NCLEX-RN® flashcards Nursing Mental Health flashcards Nursing Fundamentals flashcards Nursing Safety & Infection flashcards Nursing Adult Health flashcards NCLEX-PN® flashcards Nursing Management of Care flashcards Nursing Pediatrics flashcards Nursing Maternity flashcards
1
Q

What is a Medication?

A

It is a substance that you administer for :
- Diagnosis
- Cure
- Treatment
- Relief of symptoms
- Prevention of disease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are drugs?

A

They can be medication or illicitly obtained substances

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is a prescription?

A

It is a written direction & orders for the preparation & administration of a drug

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the names used for Medications?

A
  1. Generic name
  2. Trade/brand name
  3. Official name
  4. Chemical name
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is pharmacology?

A

It is the study of the effects of drugs on living organisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the role of a pharmacy & pharmacist?

A

The preparation, making & dispensing of drugs as ordered

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the legal aspects of administering medications as a nurse?

A
  1. Recognising the limits of your own knowledge & skill as a nurse
  2. Taking responsibility for your actions
  3. Questioning any orders that seem unreasonable
  4. Refusing to give any medication until the order is clarified
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How are controlled substances (DDA) dealt with in health care agencies?

A
  • They are kept under a lock at all times
  • They have special inventory forms
  • Any action involving these substances is documented
  • They have specific procedures for discarding
  • End-of-shift counts are done to these controlled substances to ensure that nothing is out of place or missing
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the different effects of drugs?

A
  1. therapeutic effect (reason for prescription)
  2. side effect (secondary, unintended, predictable, may or may not be harmful)
  3. Adverse effect (severe & justifies discontinuation)
  4. Drug toxicity (overdose, wrong route, buildup in blood)
  5. Drug allergy (immunologic, anaphylactic)
  6. Drug interaction (a drug altering the effect of another)
  7. Potentiating effect (effect of one or both drugs is increased, usually taken together)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the two types of potentiating effects?

A

Additive - two of the same types of drugs that increase the action of each other, creating a stronger effect than either could achieve alone
Synergistic - two different drugs increase action of one another

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the misuse of drugs?

A

It is the improper use of common medications

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the types of drug misuse?

A

Drug abuse : intentional & harmful use for nonmedical purposes
Drug Dependence : physiological & psychological
Drug habituation : little to no withdrawal symptoms, taken as a routine
Illicit drugs : Illegal drugs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the routes of medication administration?

A
  1. Oral
  2. Sublingual
  3. Buccal
  4. Rectal
  5. Vaginal
  6. Topical
  7. Inhalation
  8. Parenteral
    - subcutaneous
    - intramuscular
    - intradermal
    - intravenous
    - intrathecal/intraspinal
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the different types of medication orders?

A
  1. Verbal
  2. Telephone
  3. Abbreviations, acronyms, symbols
  4. stat order
  5. single order
  6. standing order
  7. PRN order
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the essential parts of a drug order, where if one is missing, the drug shouldn’t be administered?

A
  1. full client name
  2. date & time
  3. name of drug
  4. dosage
  5. frequency
  6. route
  7. signature of person writing order
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the parts that make up a prescription order?

A
  1. Descriptive information about client
  2. date
  3. Rx symbol which means take thou
  4. medication name, dosage & strength
  5. route
  6. dispensing instructions for pharmacist
  7. Directions for administration to client
  8. refill & special labeling
  9. prescribers signature
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the ways to communicate medication orders?

A
  1. writing on chart
  2. providing by phone
  3. providing verbally
  4. copying onto kardex
  5. copying on a computer printout
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the steps that you must take as a nurse when an order seems inappropriate?

A
  1. contact primary care provider
  2. Document
    when PCP called,
    what was communicated
    & how PCP responded
  3. Document attempts to reach PCP
  4. Document reason for withholding administration of drug
  5. If the medication is given, document clients condition before & after dosage
  6. if any incident takes place, document factual information on incident report
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the things that we must take into account when calculating for individualized drug dosage?

A
  • whether client is receiving chemotherapy
  • whether client is critically ill
  • body weight
  • body surface area
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How do we ensure the administration of medications safely?

A
  1. assess client’s health status always
  2. take client’s medication history (OTC drugs, supplements, allergies, normal eating habits)
  3. include client’s illness or current condition & intended drug & route for confirmation
  4. Assess client’s ability to self administer
  5. assess the client’s socioeconomic factors
  6. Medication reconciliation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

How is medication reconciliation done?

A
  • taking the most accurate list possible of all drugs taken by client compared to the primary care provider’s orders to provide continuity of care
  • Inadequate communication during transitions accounts for 50% of med errors & 20% of adverse drug events, so proper communication is a must.
  • The completed list (final) must be provided to the client & the next health care provider
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the steps taken in the process of administering medication as a nurse?

A
  1. Identify client
  2. inform client on medication & method of administration
  3. administer drug as ordered
  4. provide adjunctive interventions as indicated
  5. record the drug administered
  6. evaluate the client’s response to the drug
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the ‘10 Rights’ of medication administration?

A
  1. Right medication
  2. Right dose
  3. Right time
  4. Right route
  5. Right client
  6. Right client education
  7. Right documentation
  8. Right to refuse
  9. Right assessment
  10. Right evaluation
23
Q

What are the considerations done when administering medication to an Infant?

A
  • they are most often provided with medications in a sweetened liquid form
  • DO NOT mix into milk or orange juice
24
Q

What do we consider when administering medication to children?

A
  • importance of honesty about injections hurting
25
Q

What are the considerations made when administering medication to older adults?

A
  • Altered memory
  • decreased visual acuity
  • decreased renal function
  • less complete & slower absorption from gastrointestinal tract
  • Decreased manual dexterity
  • Increased proportion of fat to lean body mass
  • Decreased liver function
  • Decreased organ sensitivity
  • altered quality of organ responsiveness
26
Q

What is NPO?

A

Not by mouth/oral

27
Q

What is the most common & preferred route for medication?

A

Oral

28
Q

What are the steps taken in the process of administering medications through a nasogastric/gastrostomy tube?

A
  1. Check with the pharmacist for a liquid form of the medication
  2. check to see if the medication can be crushed
  3. crush the tablet into fine powder & dissolve it in atleast 30mL of warm water
  4. Open capsules & mix contents with water ONLY if pharmacist says it is safe
  5. DO NOT administer whole or undissolved medications
  6. assess the tube placement through aspiration
  7. Aspirate stomach contents & measure residual volume
  8. Check agency policy if residual volume is more than 100mL (slow digestion)
  9. Remove plunger from syringe
  10. connect syringe to pinched or kinked tube
  11. put 15-30 mL of water into syringe barrel to flush tube. 5-10mL for children
  12. pour liquid or dissolved medication into syringe barrel & allow it to flow by gravity into the enteral tube
  13. administer each medication separately & flush with 15-30mL of tap water between each medication
29
Q

Why do we give parenteral medications?

A
  • because they’re absorbed more quickly than the oral route
  • because it’s a careful & accurate administration
  • because it’s an aseptic technique
30
Q

What are the characteristics of needles?

A
  • slant or length of bevel
  • length of shaft
  • gauge
31
Q

How are needle-stick injuries prevented?

A

Through:
Passive devices - which automatically retract
Active devices - which require the nurse to manually activate safety (ex. cover)

32
Q

What is the method used for mixing medications in one syringe?

A

1) withdraw amount of air equal to the sum of both medication doses
2) push an amount of air equal to dose into first vial
3) push amount of air equal to dose of second drug into second vial
4) withdraw correct amount of drug from second vial
5) switch out the needle into a new sterile one
6) carefully withdraw correct amount of drug from first vial
7) switch out the needle again into a sterile one before administration.

33
Q

Why & how do we administer intradermal medications?

A
  • can only administer up to 0.5 mL
  • administered in the epidermis layer
  • injected at a 15-degree angle
  • used for allergy & tuberculosis testing
  • it has the slowest absorption rate
34
Q

The sites of intradermal :

A

1) Anterior aspect of forearm
2) upper chest
3) upper back

35
Q

Why & how do we administer subcutaneous medications?

A
  • injected into the subcutaneous layer
  • used for vaccines, insulin, heparin
  • faster absorption than Id
  • the syringe chosen depends on medication given & thickness of skin fold
  • injected at a 45-degree angle for normal/skinny adults
  • injected at a 90-degree angle for overweight adults
  • pinch the site to inject
  • can administer up to 2mL
36
Q

The sites of subcutaneous :

A

1) biceps
2) back
3) Thighs
4) lower back
5) above pelvis

37
Q

why & how do we administer intramuscular medications?

A
  • absorbed faster than subcutaneous
  • injected at a 90 degree angle
  • administered into the muscle layer
  • can administer from 1-5mL depending on the muscle
  • size of syringe varies depending on :
    muscle
    type of solution
    adipose tissue
    age
  • z-track technique for injecting
38
Q

Why can we inject larger volumes in IM?

A

Due to the muscles beings more vascular, therefore can tolerate larger volumes

39
Q

Intramuscular sites :

A

1) ventrogluteal (lateral side of pelvis)
2) vastus lateralis (lateral side of thigh)
3) dorsogluteal (buttocks)
4) Rectusfemoris (frontal thigh)
5) Deltoid (below shoulder)

40
Q

What is the Z-track IM injection technique?

A

-skin pulled to the side using hand
- needle injected
- skin is released, creating a seal over the IM site

41
Q

Z-track technique benefits ⇒

A
  • less painful
  • decreases leakage of irritant medication into subcutaneous tissue
  • traps medication in muscle layer
42
Q

Why & how do we administer intravenous medications?

A
  • this route is appropriate for rapid effect since it’s injected directly into the blood stream
  • administered directly into vein
  • can be used for medications that irritate tissues
  • open dosage can be give
  • injected at a 45-degree angle at first, then move into a 15-degree angle
43
Q

What are the IV administration methods?

A

1) large volume infusions
2) intermittent intravenous infusions [piggyback]
3) volume-controlled infusions [children]
4) intravenous push or bolus [fast & direct]
5) intermittent infusion ports or devices [used for repeated access to a vein to minimize discomfort & vein damage]

44
Q

What are the percutaneous topical medications?

A
  • creams
  • ointments
  • gels
  • lotions
  • patches (transdermal)
45
Q

Topical medication’s application :

A
  • clean skin before applying
  • let skin dry
  • wear gloves
  • apply on clean, dry, hairless skin
46
Q

How & why do we administer ophthalmic medications?

A
  • optical = eyes
  • only liquids or ointments are used in the eye
  • for irrigation (rinse/clean)
  • for instillation (intermittent application for healing)
  • administered into the lower conjunctival sac of eye
47
Q

Why & how do we administer Otic medication?

A
  • otic = ear
  • administered to external auditory canal
  • for irrigation or instillation
  • positioning of canal caries with age
  • administered while patient is laying on their side
  • they must remain in the same position for at least 2 mins
  • gently pull earlobe out & up for adults and out & down for children
48
Q

Why & how do we administer Nasal medications?

A
  • Nasal = nose
  • to shrink swollen mucus membranes
  • to loosen secretions & facilitate drainage
  • to treat infections of nasal cavity & sinuses
49
Q

How to self administrate Nasal medications :

A

1) client should blow nose first to clear pathways
2) client should be positioned in a seated position with their head tilted downwards
3) client holds the tip of the container just inside the nares
4) they inhale as the spray enters the nasal passage
5) the position of the head instills the drops into the ethmoid & sphenoid sinuses

50
Q

How & why we administer vaginal medications?

A
  • they’re given in the following forms :
    creams
    jellies
    foams
    suppositories
  • given for infections or discomfort
  • place patient in dorsal recumbent position
  • suppositories are inserted 2–3 inches
  • client must remain lying down for 15–20 mins
  • best administrated at bedtime
51
Q

How do we insert rectal suppositories?

A

1) assist the client to a left lateral or left sims position
2) their upper leg should be flexed/bent
3) expose their buttocks
4) wear a glove on the hand used to insert the suppository
5) lubricate the smooth rounded end & gloved index finger
6) encourage the client to relax by breathing through the mouth
7) insert suppository gently into the anal canal, don’t push through resistance
8) press buttocks together for a few minutes
9) ask client to remain in left lateral or supine position for at least 5 mins

52
Q

How do you teach a client to use an inhaled medication [MDI] ?

A

1) remove mouthpiece cap
2) exhale comfortably
3) hold canister upside down & place in mouth with sealed lips
4) press down once & inhale slowly & deeply through the mouth
5) hold breath for minimum 10 secs or longer
6) remove inhaler away from mouth
7) exhale slowly through pursed lips
8) repeat inhalation if ordered
9) rinse mouth with tap water
10) clean MDI mouthpiece after each use

53
Q

Types of inhaled medications ⇒

A
  • Nebulizer
  • Metered dose inhaler
54
Q

Why do we perform irrigation [lavage]?

A
  • to remove foreign object or secretions
  • to apply heat or cold
  • to apply antiseptic
  • to reduce inflammation
  • to relieve discomfort
55
Q

What is irrigation/lavage?

A

It is a stream of water or other fluid used to clean body cavity

56
Q

What are the four syringes used for irrigation?

A

1) Asepto
2) Rubber bulb
3) piston syringe
4) pomeroy

Fundamentals Of Nursing (6 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions