Medications and Pharmacology

Question 1

What are the 3 meds PCTs can administer per DaVita P&P?

Answer 1

Saline, Heparin (if allowed per state regulations), and lidocaine

Question 2

What are the six items included in documenting administered medications?

Answer 2

Time and date
Reason for giving
Administration route and reason
Medication dosage
Patient response

Question 3

At what times are medications containing preservative discarded?

Answer 3

28 days (except when the manufacturer specifies differently such as Epogen MDV at 21 days)

Question 4

What size needle with the appropriate sized syringe should be used when drawing up heparin?

Answer 4

21gx 1 inch

Question 5

How long do we wait after administering the heparin loading dose prior to treatment initiation?

Answer 5

3-5 min

Question 6

What is the time frame during which single use medications should be prepared and administered?

Answer 6

4 hours (unless your state specifies another time limit)

Question 7

How do you verify your needle is not in the access when administering lidocaine?

Answer 7

Aspiration (pull back) of syringe plunger

Question 8

Why would the nephrologist order a formulary exception of Citrasate or Citra Pure dialysate concentrate?

Answer 8

To use as part of anticoagulation therapy during the dialysis treatment when heparin is contraindicated

Question 9

Labelling and Expiration of multi-dose medication vials:

Answer 9

Must be labeled with the initials of the person opening the vial and the date it was opened (must be discarded within 28 days except when the manufacturer specifies differently such as Epogen at 21 days.)

Question 10

Can you use a multi dose vial more than once?

Answer 10

The vial may be entered more than once but requires a new sterile needles and syringe to puncture each medication vial to avoid pooling of medication from different vials.

Question 11

Single dose medication vials:

Answer 11

must be used for only one patient
Each vial should only be entered once and then discarded
The same syringe may be used to enter up to two single use vials of the same medication and the concentration to constitute the prescribed patient dose.

Question 12

What does TRAMP stand for? (6th one: documentation)

Answer 12

T: Time
R: Route
A: Amount
M: Medication
P: Patient
D: documentation