MEDICATIONS

1
MEDICATIONS

• BECOMING FAMILIAR
• WITH THE UNFAMILIAR

2
TERMINAL OBJECTIVE

• Accurately prepare and administer medications.
• ENABLING OBJECTIVE
• List the six therapeutic uses of drugs
• List and describe four types of manes by which
  drugs are known
• Use drug references to prepare a drug card

3
ENABLING OBJECTIVES

• Define common terms/abbreviations/symbols
• Accurately calculate medication dosages
• State safety precautions
• State characteristics of routes
• State procedures for reporting medication errors

4
Drug Uses

• The study of drug uses will give you an
  understanding of one phase of health care, Drug
  Therapy
• Drugs are helpful to both the healthy and the
  sick.

5

• The four most familiar uses of drugs relate to
  disease
• Prevention Treatment
• Diagnosis Cure
• The last two uses of drugs are
• Contraception
• Health Maintenance

6
Drug Names

• Chemical Name
• - This name describes the chemical structure of
  the drug
• 6-Chloro-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-7-s
  ulfonamide 1,1-dioxide
• What drug am I ?

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• Generic Name
• - The name given to a drug by the manufacturer
  before the drug become officially recognized.
• - It gives some information about the chemical
  make-up of the drug

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• Trade Name
• - Also known as the brand name
• - The name the drug under by a specific
  manufacturer.

A drug produced by several companies may be
known by several different trade names Generic
Nitroglycerine Trade Names Nitro-Bid, Nitrong,
Nitrostat
9
Preparing Your Own Drug Cards

• Drug cards saves time
• They can be designed according to your own needs
• You can update them as often as needed
• Provide a quick reference
• You can carry them where every you go

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Example
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Drug classification under the Controlled
Substances Act of 1970

• Schedule I Drugs
• - High potential for abuse, used for research
  only
• (LSD, Heroin, Marijuana)
• Schedule II Drugs
• - High potential for abuse, severe physical and
  psychological dependence Prescription Only
• (Demerol, Ritalin, Morphine)

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• Schedule III Drugs
• - Moderate potential for abuse, psychological
  dependence, low physical dependence
• (Tylenol 3, Secanol)
• Schedule IV Drugs
• - Lower potential of abuse than Schedule III,
  limited psychological and physical dependence
• (Darvocet, Dalmane, Ativan)
• Schedule V
• - Lowest potential for abuse, Prescription not
  necessary, over the counter narcotic drugs
• (Lomotil, Naldecon Dx, Vicks 44 Dx)

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COMMON MEDICAL TERMS

• Ampule
• Dilute
• Diluent
• Elixir
• Expectorant
• Reconstitution
• Solute

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Medical Terms continued

• Suppository
• Suspension
• Tincture
• Vial
• Buccal
• Oral Medications
• Sublingual Medications
• Medication Administration Record (MAR)

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REFERENCES AVAILABLE TO YOU

• PHYSICIANS DESK REFERENCE (PDR)
• HOSPITAL FORMULARY
• DRUG PACKAGE INSERTS
• NURSING PHARMACOLOGY TEXTS
• DRUGS FACTS AND COMPARISON

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Three Patient Safety Checks

• Compare the name on the prescription(RX)
• with the patients ID card.
• Have patient verbally state their name and
  compare with RX and ID card.
• In a ward setting, compare the patients name on
  the bed tag with the MAR and with the
• wrist band and have pt. verbally state their
• name.

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FIVE RIGHTS OFMED. ADMINISTRATION

• RIGHT PATIENT
• RIGHT MEDICATION
• RIGHT ROUTE
• RIGHT DOSE
• RIGHT TIME

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SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

• If patient expresses doubt-------
• If patient refuses----
• If you are unsure---
• Never leave meds. at bedside---
• If you are giving more than 3cc in a syringe--

• If you must calculate a dosage
• If combining meds. in solution--
• If a medication has expired---
• Never leave a syringe lying around---

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SAFETY PRECAUTIONSCONTINUED

• Give 30 minutes before or after-----
• Identify allergies before giving------
• No antacids, expectorants followed by water-----
• No sublingual while patient eating---

• No sublingual before PO meds.---
• Apical pulse before drugs that affect heart-
• No insulin to patients that are NPO---
• IVPBs must be checked and initialed by RN before
  giving--

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Before you give any medication, question yourself.
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UNIT DOSE SYSTEM

• Although this hospital utilizes a unit dose
  system, medication corpsmen must be aware of the
  necessity to avoid unnecessary distractions and
  conversations while passing medications....THESE
  ACTIONS COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENTAL ERROR.

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UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONSWITH MEDICATIONS??????

• Since medical history and exams cannot
  consistently identify high-risk contacts,
  universal precautions are initiated on ALL
  patients.
• This is to prevent skin and mucous membrane
  contamination to you from exposure to the
  patients blood, body fluids and NON-INTACT skin.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF ROUTES OF ADMIN.

• Oral
• Subcutaneous
• Intramuscular
• Intravenous
• Intradermal
• Sublingual
• Instillation
• Inhalation

• Rectal
• Topical-local
• Transdermal-systemic

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FACTORS WHICH AFFECT ROUTE SELECTION

• Accessibility of site
• Medical condition
• Mental condition
• Comfort and convenience

• Age
• Body Build
• Speed of action desired
• Chemical nature of drug

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Other factors affecting drug action
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GENERAL PROCEDURES FOR MEDICATIONS

• Sublingual medications
• Topical medications
• Topical medications to
• the eyes
• Topical medications to
• the ears.
• Topical medications to
• the nose
• Rectal
• Enemas

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GENERAL PROCEDURES(continued)

• Intramuscular injection
• Intradermal injection
• Subcutaneous injection

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REPORTING MEDICATION ERRORS

• If a medication error does occur, it is
  imperative that you notify the Charge Nurse or
  the Health Care Provider immediately.
• Observe patient for adverse reactions.
• Document
• OPNAV 5527/2 (Incident Report) must be completed
  and forwarded up the Chain of Command.

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MEDICATION DOCUMENTATION (MAR)

• Routine medications on front
• Single orders/pre-op/stat meds on top of back
  portion
• PRN on back bottom portion
• Record your initials
• Outpatient medications documented on SF600.