Medication Safety
What priority question should a nurse ask about home medications?
Do you take any over-the-counter medications?
What does pharmacokinetics describe?
What the body does to the drug.
What organization approves medications in the United States?
FDA
Why should patients provide a complete medication list?
To prevent drug interactions.
What step of the nursing process follows medication administration?
Evaluate.
Taking more acetaminophen than recommended can cause what serious complication?
Liver toxicity.
Name the four pharmacokinetic processes.
Absorption
Distribution
Metabolism
Excretion
What agency regulates controlled substances like opioids?
DEA
What type of interaction occurs when herbal supplements affect prescription drugs?
Drug–alternative therapy interaction.
What is the nurse’s priority action before giving medications?
Verify the patient's identity and date of birth
What must a nurse assess when a patient reports a penicillin allergy?
The exact reaction the patient experienced.
What organ is most responsible for drug metabolism?
The liver.
Why might a generic drug not be available for a new medication?
The drug is still under patent.
What is the placebo effect?
A beneficial effect caused by patient expectation rather than the drug itself.
Why is the nursing process used in medication therapy?
To ensure safe and effective care.
A patient taking antibiotics develops vaginal itching and discharge. What is occurring?
Superinfection due to destruction of normal flora.
What condition most affects drug metabolism?
Liver cirrhosis.
Why are opioids tightly controlled?
High potential for addiction and misuse.
Why should nurses ask about herbal supplements?
They can interact with prescription medications.
What is the priority action before administering three new medications?
Check for drug interactions.
Taking only half of prescribed medication doses can lead to what outcome?
Reduced therapeutic effect.
What term describes the minimum drug concentration needed for a therapeutic effect?
Critical concentration.
True or False: Generic medications are lower quality than brand-name drugs.
False.
What common interaction occurs when two drugs affect each other's action?
Drug–drug interaction.
FINAL QUESTION: An older adult processes medications differently because of decreased kidney function and slower liver metabolism. What risk does this increase?
Drug toxicity.