Week 5 Small Animal Nursing Flashcards
The six “R’s” of drug administration
Right patient right drug right does right route right time/frequency right documentation
The effectiveness of medications depends on:
Ability to reach this site of action in the appropriate concentration.
Concentration must be maintained for the prescribed length of time.
Movement of drug in and around the body;
Absorption
Distribution
Metabolism
Elimination/excretion
Absorption
Movement from the site of administration to the bloodstream. IV administration requires no absorption stage.
Rate of absorption depend on;
Blood flow to the area
From elation of the drug/how soluble it is
Distribution
Move into to the target tissue from the bloodstream. Generally, the less blood supply the more difficult drug distribution
Areas of difficult distribution include
CNS, Eye and prostate gland
Metabolism
Alteration (usually inactivation) of a drug prior to illumination from the body.
The liver is the main organ of metabolism
Liver dysfunction can affect the body’s ability to metabolize drugs.
Elimination/excretion
Drug and drug metabolites are filtered from the body by the kidney and eliminated in in urine.
Excreted into the G.I. tract and illuminated in feces.
Exhaled from the lungs.
Other routes such as in sweat, tears, milk.
– can compromise the bodies ability to excrete certain drugs.
Kidney dysfunction
Oral varieties:
Tablets; enteric tablets; capsules; solutions; suspensions; syrups; emulsions
Parenteral varieties:
IV, IM, SC, Intradermal, intraperitoneal
IV administration
No absorption time; many drugs must be given slowly; must be in solution not suspension.
Intramuscular administration
Generally more painful than other injections
Subcutaneous administration
Generally less painful it was longer absorption time
Intradermal
Used primarily for skin allergy testing
Intraperitoneal administration
Some drugs given IP two very small patience when IV route is not accessible
Rectal administration
Injectable diazepam given per rectum for seizure control if IV not available.
Suppositories may be available for use by dissolving into rectal mucosa.
Inhalation of drugs
Vaporization: oxygenated gas anesthetics use this method
Nebulization: drug and water particles added to air or oxygen in the breathing environment
Transdermal administration varieties:
Ointments
Patches
Ointments
Some drug molecules can pass through intact skin into the bloodstream.
Do not touch with bare hands.
Greasy, insoluble in water.
Harder to remove been creams.
Patches
Drug–impregnated permeable patches
Applied to the skin slowly release drug, providing constant delivery.
Topical administration
Creams, powders, lotions, gels, sprays
