High Alert Meds
A patient taking this loop diuretic should see a significant increase in urine output and a decrease in edema.
What is furosemide?
This schedule contains drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, like Heroin or LSD
What is Schedule I?
"This final step of the ISBARR process is used to verify that a verbal or telephone order from a provider was heard and transcribed correctly."
"What is Read-back?"
These precautions are used for all patients, regardless of their diagnosis, assuming all body fluids are infectious.
What are Standard Precautions?
What Documentation describes what the nurse sees, hears, or smells, rather than these personal opinions.
What is Objective documentation?
Patients taking this cardiac glycoside must check their pulse; seeing yellow-green halos is a sign of toxicity.
What is digoxin?
Hydrocodone (Vicodin) falls into this schedule because it has a high potential for abuse but a restricted medical use.
What is Schedule II?
Providing the patient's current medication list and medical history falls under this letter of the acronym.
What is B (Background)?
Used for pathogens like C. diff, these precautions require a gown, gloves, and washing hands with soap and water (not gel).
What are Contact Precautions?
"This common respiratory virus, often called 'the flu,' requires the use of a surgical mask and is categorized under Droplet Precautions."
What is Influenza?
A sulfonylurea that lowers blood sugar by stimulating the pancreas; it carries a high risk of severe hypoglycemia in seniors.
What is glyburide
Drugs in this schedule have a lower potential for abuse than Sch. II, and includes Tylenol with Codeine
What is Schedule III?
This letter is where the nurse shares their clinical conclusion (e.g., "I think the patient is toxic on Digoxin").
What is A (Assessment)?
Influenza and Bacterial Meningitis require this precaution, which mandates the use of a surgical mask within 3 feet of the patient.
What are Droplet Precautions?
A nurse who responds to a mistake by saying, "It’s not my fault, the pharmacy sent the wrong dose," is using this non-therapeutic, protective style.
What is Defensive Communication?
This first-line oral antidiabetic medication must be temporarily discontinued before and 48 hours after any procedure involving IV contrast dye to prevent kidney injury."
What is Metformin?
Xanax and other benzodiazepines are found in this schedule, having a low potential for abuse.
What is Schedule IV?
In ISBARR, this letter represents the concise statement of why you are calling (e.g., "The patient is hypotensive").
What is S (Situation)?
For Tuberculosis or Measles, do these precautions require a negative-pressure room and an N95 respirator?
What are Airborne Precautions?
This term describes the "shortcut" or abnormal tunnel that forms between two organs or the bowel and the skin
What is a Fistula?
While Metformin works to lower blood sugar, the nurse must monitor closely because Lasix (and other diuretics) can sometimes cause the opposite effect on glucose levels.
What is Hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar)?
Drugs in this schedule have the lowest potential for abuse and often include cough syrups with small amounts of codeine.
What is Schedule V?
"I would like you to discontinue the Lasix and order a BMP" is an example of this part of the communication.
What is R (Recommendation)?
"When exiting a room under Contact Precautions, this is the first piece of PPE that should be removed to prevent contaminating the body."
"What are gloves?"
This 8-letter mnemonic is used during a focused assessment to systematically explore a patient's symptoms, from "Onset" to "Severity."
What is OLDCARTS?