What is the angle of the IM injection?
90° — dart in quickly
What is the angle of a SubQ injection?
45° (90° if thick fat)
Absorption
Distribution
Metabolism
Excretion
Explain the difference between:
Side Effects
Adverse Effects
Therapeutic Effects
Study of therapeutic uses and effects of drugs
What is the Guage of an IM injection?
20G–23G ⚠️ Emaciated/child: 23-28G, ⅝"
What is the gauge and needle length of SubQ injections + max volume?
23-28G
⅝"–⅞"
1mL max
When would something be subtherapeutic?
Something is considered subtherapeutic (or at a sub-therapeutic level) when a drug, vitamin, or treatment is administered at a dosage or concentration that is too low to produce the intended medical effect
A nurse calculates a dose of 0.4375 mL. What is the correctly rounded answer?
The correctly rounded answer is 0.44 mL.
Order: cefazolin 500 mg IM. Reconstitute: add 2.5 mL to 1 g powder → total 3 mL. How many mL to give?
Give 1.5 mL of the reconstituted solution per dose. [1, 2]
What is the length of an IM injection for the following?
Regular
Emaciated
Obses
1"–3"
⚠️ Emaciated: ⅝"
⚠️ Obese: up to 3"
Where do we administer Heparin and Insulin?
Heparin = lower abdomen ONLY ⚠️
Insulin = arm, abdomen, thigh — rotate
Define: Pharmacodynamics
How the drugs affect the body - the process by which drugs act on target cells, resulting in alterations in cellular reactions and functions
WEIGHT
1 kg= ? lbs
1 kg= ? g
1 g= ? mg
1 mg= ? mcg
1 lb= ? oz
WEIGHT
1 kg= 2.2 lbs
1 kg= 1000 g
1 g= 1000 mg
1 mg= 1000 mcg
1 lb= 16 oz
Name the 3 Checks
What is the best injection site to use for Infants/children under walking age? What is the max injection for Children and for infants on this site?
Vastus Lateralis -
Children: 1 mL
Infants: 0.5 mL
Do we aspirate this type of injection?
No — do NOT aspirate (heparin, insulin especially)
List the four types of pharmacotherapeutic therapies & their reason for use
1. Prophylactic Therapy - used to prevent illnesses
2. Empiric Therapy - based on clinical probabilities; given
3. Acute Therapy - used for acute illnesses
4. Maintenance Therapy - used for chronic conditions and prevents progression
A child weighs 44 lbs.
Safe dose range: 25-50 mg/kg/day of amoxicillin divided q8h.
Order: 250 mg q8h.
Is this safe?
1
Step 1: Convert lbs to kg: 44 ÷ 2.2 = 20 kg
2
Step 2: Safe range: Min = 25 × 20 = 500 mg/day | Max = 50 × 20 = 1000 mg/day
3
Step 3: Order = 250 mg × 3 (q8h) = 750 mg/day
4
Step 4: 750 mg/day is between 500 and 1000 → SAFE ✅
What is common in children & older adults for drugs?
Metabolism
Exretion
Do you need to aspirate in this injection
No
Your patient is obese. What angle should you give your injection?
90
When would you do a trof level?
30 mins to an hour before you give the next dose
A pregnant patient's antibiotic is classified as Category B. This means:
Category B = no adverse effects in ANIMALS + no adequate HUMAN studies.
Considered relatively safe.
Order: Warfarin 5 mg PO at 1700. What traditional time should the nurse give this?
5:00 PM