Preparing For Medication Administration

Question 1

Describe the antecedents and consequences of medication competence

Answer 1

In summary, the antecedents of medication competence focus on knowledge, cognitive and physical abilities, healthcare support, and access to resources, while the consequences include better adherence, improved health outcomes, reduced errors, increased independence, and cost savings.

Question 2

Describe various drug formulations

Answer 2

Enteral preparations including tablets (scored or non-scored), capsules, enteric-coasted preparations, sustained/slow release (SR) preparations, powders, linctus, elixirs and suspensions/emulsions;

Topical preparations including creams, lotions, transdermal (patches), eye drops, nose drops, and ear drops;

Other preparations including direct into the GIT (e.g. nasogastric tube), sublingual or buccal, suppositories (per rectal), pessaries (per vaginal), nebuliser, and metered dose inhaler;

Parental administration formulated for the route of administration e.g. intradermal, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intra-arterial, intrathecal, epidural.

Question 3

Use standardised and approved medication abbreviations appropriately

Question 4

Use standardised and approved medication abbreviations appropriately

Answer 4

1. Use Approved Abbreviations: Follow your institution’s or regulatory body’s approved abbreviation list.
   
   2. Avoid Dangerous Abbreviations: Don’t use abbreviations prone to errors, like “U” for units or “QD” for daily.
   3. Write Dosages Clearly: Use “mcg” for micrograms, “mL” for milliliters, and avoid using trailing zeros (e.g., write “5 mg” not “5.0 mg”).
   4. Stick to Standard Routes: Use clear abbreviations for how the medication is given, like PO for oral or IV for intravenous.
   5. Clarify Timing: Use common abbreviations for frequency, like Q6h (every 6 hours) and avoid confusion.
   6. Keep Learning: Stay updated on new guidelines and educate your team to avoid mistakes.

Question 5

What type of medications can be broken into smaller doses?

Answer 5

Scored Tablets - Allows an appropriate size. May be scored so they can be broken into
smaller doses (Disintegrated in Gl tract)

Question 6

What type of medication is delivered into the airway passages as a dose?

Answer 6

Metered Aerosols - Inhaled via the nose
and mouth (airways) (Delivered into airway passages via oxygen or
compressed air E.g. Salbutamol - Ventolin)

Question 7

What medication needs to be properly shaken before administration?

Answer 7

Suspensions - Relatively insoluble drugs are used without alcohol and the medicine is a solid - suspension; if the drug is a liquid - the term emulsion is used (Absorbed in GI tract) - often used in paediatrics

Question 8

Which tablets should you swallow whole?

Answer 8

Enteric Coated - Sugar coated to protect drug from HCL acid in
stomach (Disintegrated in intestine rather than
stomach) - Not to be crushed E.g. Cartia (aspirin)

Question 9

What type of medication usually comes in the form of a patch?

Answer 9

Transdermal (Patches) - Application of a drug to an area of the body for
direct treatment (Absorbed through the skin) - E.g. GTN patch (glyceryl trinitrate)

Question 10

Which tablets should never be crushed?

Answer 10

Sustained-release - SR is brought about by layers of drug enclosed in successive layers of inert coating or drug coated with an inert substance to produce pellets (Released slowly into Gl tract) - Increases patient
adherence (may only have to take tablet once or twice a day instead of every 4 to 6 hours) E.g. Oxycodone SR

Question 11

What tablets should not be broken into smaller pieces?

Answer 11

Non-scored -

Question 12

What type of medication is delivered into the airway passages via the use of oxygen or compressed air?

Answer 12

Inhalation - Inhaled via the nose and mouth (airways) (Delivered into airway passages via oxygen or compressed air E.g. Salbutamol (Ventolin)