Prescribing, Procedures and Investigation Interpretation Flashcards
Things to think before prescribing drugs
Indication, contraindication, route, dose, interactions, adverse effects
What can metoclopramide cause in young women
Oculogyric crises are defined as spasmodic movements of the eyeballs into a fixed position, usually upwards. These episodes generally last minutes, but can range from seconds to hours. At the same time there is often increased blinking of the eyes and these episodes are frequently accompanied by pain.
Key parts to writing a prescription
Type of drug - PRN, regular, once off etc
Allergy box
Labelling kardex
Think of common abbreviations
Cross out any change in prescription with a reason and signed.
When to use verbal prescriptions
When emergency
Give 8 dirty drugs
Digoxin, warfarin, antiepileptics, antibiotics, antidepressants, antipscyhotics, theophylline and amidarone.
What can liver disease do to drug dosing
Can alter P450 enzymes
Reduce the amount of protein so decreases binding of drug making more drug free
Fluid overload due to low albumin
Avoid IM as increased bleeding
What can renal disease do to drug dosing
Dont give nephrotoxic drugs without speaking to specialist.
What drugs should never be given to children
Tetracyclines - bone staining
Aspirin - reye syndrome
What drugs are controlled drugs
Strong opioids
Amphetamine-like agents (ritalin and cocaine LA)
Ketamine
Benzodiazepines
Anabolic steroids
Give some causes of insomnia
Anxiety, stress, depression, mania, alcohol, pain, coughing, diuretics, restless leg syndrome, steroids SSRIs, aminophylline, benzos/opioids withdrawal, poor sleep hygiene
How to manage insomnia
Treat cause
Dose stimulants at the start of the day - steroids, SSRIs, aminophylline
Give sedatives at night - tricyclics, anti-histamines
Ear plugs, sleep hygiene, eye shades
Avoid caffeine late on
If persistent, treat with - hypnotics (zopiclone) for 5 or less days
How to manage insomnia
Treat cause
Dose stimulants at the start of the day - steroids, SSRIs, aminophylline
Give sedatives at night - tricyclics, anti-histamines
Ear plugs, sleep hygiene, eye shades
Avoid caffeine late on
If persistent, treat with - hypnotics (zopiclone) for 5 or less days
How to manage insomnia
Treat cause
Dose stimulants at the start of the day - steroids, SSRIs, aminophylline
Give sedatives at night - tricyclics, anti-histamines
Ear plugs, sleep hygiene, eye shades
Avoid caffeine late on
If persistent, treat with - hypnotics (zopiclone) for 5 or less days. Dont let them go home on them
When do steroids become long term and thus a addisonian crisis risk
> 3 weeks
Steroid conversion for 5mg of pred
Hydrocortisone 20mg
Methylpred - 4mg
dexamethasone 750 micrograms
How to reduce steroid therapy
5-10mg a week until 10mg then reduce by 5mg a week thereafter.
Presentation of C. diff
Usually older adults with unexplained fever
Recent C abx
Abdo pain
Watery diarrhoea
What scan should be considered in C. diff along with stool cultures
AXR - toxic megacolon
How is C.diff treated
Vanc or metronidazole then fidaxomicin if fail to repsond
ACEI S/E
Postural hypotension, renail impairment, hyperkalaemia, dry cough, taste disturbance and angiooedema and utricaria
When is NAC effective
8 hours or less after ingestion, discontinue if normal bloods
What is the antidote for heparin
Protamine
Can partially work on LMWH too
What is ranitidine
H2 antagonist
What drug does SSRI’s react with
MOA inhibitors
Tramadol
What should happen to sulffonylureas on day of surgery
Stopped as hypo risk
How are sulfonylurea hypos treated
In hospital as can last many hours
What two drugs does tozocin contain
pipercillin and tazobactam
What antibiotics can affect contraception efficacy
Tetracyclines
When should you prescribe laxatives with opioids
If using opioids for >24hrs
What drugs can increase nephrotoxicty and ototoxicity with vancomycin
Nephrotoxicity - ciclosporin
Ototoxicity - loop diuretics
How to call an arrest
2222
“adult cardiac arrest team to ward XX”
Can be called in peri-arrests
Information required for ICU admission
Current/previous wishes, current illness, co-morbidities, reversibility?
Information required for an ICU step down onto the ward
Priorities of the care and next stages
Deterioration plan
Physio plans
Have all lines been removed
Any unfamiliar drugs
Levels of care in hospital
Level 0 - normal ward
Level 1 - Normal ward but ICU outreach
Level 2 - HDU
Level 3 - ICU
How to prioritise for a handover
Sickest patient, new admissions, urgent jobs, ward jobs, roles
The 4 important roles for ward rounds
Scribe
Kardex
Results
Urgent jobs
What questions to ask on a ward round
Abx needed?
VTE prophylaxis needed?
Pain managed?
Anti-emetics needed?
DNA CPR/TEP filled out?
Imaging needed?
Impression from consultant?
Nurses to be included on ward round?
How to prioritise jobs
Very ill
Radiology
Bloods
Jobs
Referrals
IDL
Why are gent and vanc monitored
Gent (to make sure its not toxic) - peak
Vanc (to make sure its in the theraputic range) - trough
Tips for specialty referrals
Vascular - pulses and doppler
Cardio - ECG
Ortho - ADL and NVM compromise
Neuro - GCS
Infection - micro results
Gen surgery - PR
Use an SBAR with a starting statement of what you want from them
Get name of recieving colleage
How to handover
Sickest patients
New admissions
Ward jobs
What are examples of non-night jobs
IDL
Family
PR
Kardex
Fluids - not unless needed
Tips for starting nightshift
Do an early walk around and say youll be back - stops you being bleeped so much
Eat, sleep, caffeine
How to read CTGs
1cm/min scale
Baseline - foetal HR (110-160BPM)
Variability - (beat to beat should be >=5BPM)
Acceleration - (transient increase in HR of >15BPM for 15s)
Decelerations - (transient decrease in HR of >15BPM for 15s)
Three types of decelerations -
Early - with contractions, psychiological as sign of foetal head compression
Late - occur after contraction, abnormal
Variable - the relation of uterine tone and deceleration is variable and thus abnormal
WORRYING FEATURES - baseline outside of normal, reduced variability, late decelerations, persistent variable decelerations, prolonged decelerations
What kind of blood tests do biochemistry deal with
Salt, mineral, drug and hormone levels
E.g. - LFTs, U+Es, TFTs, sodium valproate etc
What kind of blood test does haematology deal with
Blood
E.g. - FBC, ESR, clotting, G+S, crossmatching, blood films
What does microbiology deal with
Any pathogen tests
E.g - blood cultures, stool cultures, sputum cultures, urine cultures
What does histopathology deal with
Tissue samples aka biopsies
What does immunology deal with
Antibody levels e.g. ANA
Usually go in p;ane tubes
How is a femoral stab preformed
Patient lying flat
Feel for femoral pulse (between ASIS and pubic tubercle), insert needle vertically 1cm medially to the artery.
Pull back on syringe until you get flashback and then when needle is out put pressure on area for >2mins.
Put plaster on.
What to do if go through vein wall with cannula
Withdraw a small distance and gain flashback then advange plastic tip
What to do if cannula is blocked
CHeck theres no kinks in the giving set and try flushing with 0.9% saline
What other arteries can you try for an ABG
Radial –> ulnar –> femoral –> brachial
Tips to help get a good ABG sample
Dorsiflex the wrist more
Put the sample in ice if cant get to ABG machien quickly
Expel air bubbles before getting sample
Tips for IM/SC injections
Grab for S/C and pinch for IM
Use a longer needle for obese patients
Remember to aspirate
Tips for IV injections
Always flush cannula with 5ml saline or water
Keep IV infusion sets above patients heart to stop blood entering the giving set
Keep syringe driver below patients heart
Most IV injections must be given by doctors
How is a psterior ECG done
For posterior MIs
move V1,V2,V3 to V4,V5,V6 positions
V4,V5,V6 attached to the posterior chest following the curvature of the scapula
What drugs should you NOT give on your own for the first time, espcially as an FY1 (>=FY2)
Adenosine
Thrombolysis
Give some relative contraindications for a catheter
Suspected urethral injury
Urethral strictures/fistulas
Active UTI
Prostatic tumour or hypertrophy
Tips for catheterisation
Dont touch lubricant gel with the catheter as it can become slippy
Hold penis vertically if it becomes resistant
Flush catheter with saline if in and no urine as gel might be blocking it
Use a wider catheter if haematuria or clots
Have male and female catheters (shorter)
How to replace a suprapubic catheter
Wearing gloves and deflate baloon with 20ml syringe and remove.
Sterile technique, clean site and put instilagel around and in hole then reinsert new one.
Inflate new balloon
How is a PEG feeding tupe replaced if fallen out
Lie patient flat, apply gentle pressure to introduce a well-lubricated urinary catheter into the hole. Gently inflate balloon
How is a NG tube inserted
Dont do if basal skull fracture or facial trauma
Gauge length from angle of jaw to xiphisternum
Wash hands and wear non-sterile gloves
Lubricate end and ask patients to take sips of water as you aim tube directly backwards and swallow until reaching length measured (50mm)
Attach drainage bag if required and tape tube to nostril
Confirm insertion - CXR (bwlow diaphragm and not in bronchial tree)/ test pH <4 with aspiration (may be raised if on PPIs.
What are the two serum-albumin gradients for ascities
<11g/L - infection, pancreas, malignancy, nephrotic
>11g/L - cirrhosis, portal vein thrombosis, congestive HF
Why is adrenaline used in lidocaine solutions
To cause vasoconstriction and to stop it being redistributed across the body, making it last longer and larger doses to be give. Used mostly in scalp and facial.
DO NOT USE if fingers, toes, penis, nose, ears
How is LA toxicity managed
Usually 45-60mins after use -
S - tingling around mouth, metallic taste, slurred speach, convulsions, reduced GCS, arrhythmias
Ix - clinical
Rx - stop LA, ABCDE, oxygen, senior help, midazolam IV to prevent seizures, intubation and IV lipid emulsion
When are LA injetions less effective
When infection as active at alkali conditions and infection and inflammation is very acidic.
Can be very painful when first injected
What is the maximum dose of lidocaine
3mg/kg
What is the maximum dose of lidocaine with adrenaline
7mg/kg
NOT USED ON ANY DISTAL BODY PART
How does the percentage correlate to the mg/ml
0.25% –> 2.5mg/ml
0.5% –>5mg/ml
1% –> 10mg/ml
4% –> 40mg/ml
When are wounds not sutured
If dirty or infected
If bite wound
What should you check before suturing
Tetanus status
Foreign bodies
NV deficit
Damage below skin
Where should absorbable sutures be used
Inside mouth and lips
E.g. vicryl, PDS, monocryl
What are some non-absorbable sutures
Nylon
Prolene
Silk
What wound care advice would be given to patients
Keep wound clean and dry for 48hrs
Seek medical advice if looks infected - increased pain, redness, puss, swelling
Avoid heavy lifting for 6 weeks
Drive when you can look over shoulder and preform an emergency stop
What are some important checks to do before reducing fractures or dislocations
X-rays taken in two views
No NV deficit - check before and after
Adequate analgesia
Adequate midazolam
Have the right support after - sling, crutches etc
How does anaemia present on FBC
Low Hb
How does acute blood loss present on FBC
Normal initially
How does infection/inflammation present on FBC
Raised WCC
Raised platelets
How does haematological malignances present on FBC
Very raised WCC