Basic Principals: Medication Administration
What two identfiers can be used when identifying the patient prior to medication administration?
Name and date of birth, or medical record number.
What position should you place your patient prior to administering medication?
High fowlers
How many mL is acceptable with intramuscular injections.
1-5 mL.
A client is ordered 10 mL of docusate, how many teaspoons is this?
2 tsp
What is required to be written on a transdermal patch when applying a new one?
Date, time, and initials
Name three differenct routes of medication administration.
Oral (enteral, sublingal, buccal), parenteral (subcutaneous, intramuscular, instradermal, intravenous), Topical (inunction, instillation, irrigation, skin application), Pulmonary Route
A syringe, placing it between the cheek and the tongue, and give slowly.
Describe how to do the Z-track technique.
Pull the skin down or to the side about 1 inch and hold position with nondominant hand, insert the needle and inject the medicaiton slowly. Withdraw the needle stedily and then release the displaced tissue to allow it to return to its normal position.
Patient is ordered 30 grams of Lactulose, PO TID. The pharmacy dispenses 10 grams/15 ml, how many mL will the nurse administer?
45 mL
Where do you insert an eye drop and once instilled what do you hold gentle pressure on?
What are the three checks of medication administration?
1. When the nurse reaches for the unit dose package
2. After retrieval and compared with the MAR
3. Before giving the medication to the patient
What is something that you can do to disguise taste of a medication?
Suck on ice for a few minutes before taking the medication, this numbs the taste buds. You can also crush the medication if able, and place in food.
What intramuscular site is no longer used?
Dorsogluteal site. This is because there is too much subcutaneous tissue in this area.
The patient is ordered zosyn, 15mg/kg/dose, the patient weighs 124 pounds. How many mg will the patient recieve per dose?
845.5 mg
Which way do you pull the pinna when placing ear drops in an adult?
Pull pinna up and back.
What are the 10 rights of medication administration?
What should you do if a label from a multidose medication bottle becomes difficult to see?
Return to pharmacy, never give a medication from a bottle without a label or with a label that cannot be read with accuracy.
What are the sites for subcutaneous injections? Name three.
Outer aspect of the upper arm, the abdomen, the anterior aspects of the thigh, the upper back, and the upper ventral or dorsogluteal. (Avoid sites that are bruised, scarred, or tender, 2 inches away from the umbilicas. 25 - 30 guage, 3/8 - 1 inch needle, 45 - 90 degree angle.)
The patient is orderd Keflex 25 mg/kg TID, the patient weighs 88 pounds. Pharmacy dispenses 500 mg tablets. How many tablets will the patient recieve daily?
6 tablets
What poisition should the patient be in when inserting vaginal cream and how long should the patient remain in this position?
Supine, knees flexed. Staying supine for 5 to 10 minutes after insertion.
What are the seven parts of the medication order?
1. Patients name and a secondary identifier
2. Date and time the order is written
3. Name of the drug to be administered
4. Dosage of the drug
5. Route by which the drug is to be administered
6. Frequency of administration of the drug
7. Signature of the presctibing provider
What type of medications cannot be crushed?
Enteric coated, sustained release, extended release, controlled release, sustained action, or long acting
What guage and length needle should be used for intradermal medications?
1/4 inch to 1/2 inch, 25 - 27 guage. (less than 0.5 ml dosage, the angle is 5 to 15 degrees, common sites are the inner surface of the forearm, or upper back under the scapula)
The physician orders 0.6 mg of digoxin TID. The pharmacy supplies 200 mcg of digoxin. How many tablets of digoxin per dose.
3 tablets
What should you do with the syringe and needle after injecting an intramuscular injection?
Engage safety guard and place in sharps container.