Good
This should be done as soon as possible if there is any question regarding an order.
What is contact the provider to clarify order?
What is after the medication is given to help reduce the risk of error?
This organ failure decreases metabolism and thus increases the concentration of a medication.
What is liver failure?
This requires decreasing the amount of a medication dosage.
Constipation and dry mouth are caused by this systemic effect.
What is a systemic anticholinergic effect?
No matter if there is a double check or triple check, this is where the the final medication check should be performed.
Where is the patient's bedside before administration?
This must be done in the case of getting rid of or wasting excess controlled substances.
What is have a second witness?
This is where a Zero should be placed when performing medication math.
Where is before the decimal point? or
What is a leading zero?
Example: 0.5 mg, the zero leads the decimal point. But a zero should not follow a decimal point unless a whole number follows the zero, as in 1.05 mg.
What is long-term testing for safety and efficacy for herbal products/supplements?
This is the time it takes for the amount of a drug's active substance in the body to reduce by half.
What is the half-life?
This reliable resource contains information on each medication and is identical to the information in the product insert.
What is the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR)?
Before administering an oral medication, it is important to for the nurse to assess this.
What is assess the ability to swallow?
This is the reason why a medication might have to have a higher dose orally when compared to IV.
What is first-pass effect?
There is no first pass with IV medications.
Medications which can cause birth defects are said to cause this.
What are teratogenic effects?
A teratogen is a substance that interferes with normal fetal development and causes congenital disabilities. Drugs, alcohol, chemicals and toxic substances are examples of teratogens. Teratogens can also increase the risk for miscarriage, preterm labor or still birth.
This needs to be done first as part of removing controlled substances from a secure cabinet/drawer.
What is verifying the amounts of each medication counted and matching the amounts in the inventory record?
If amounts do not match the inventory record, this must be addressed and the count reconciled.
Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) is the usual first sign of this.
What is ototoxicity?
Over time, hearing loss may also develop. Balance problems can also occur as a result of ototoxic medications.
This is the reason giving epinephrine is a priority when a patient begins to experience dyspnea and tongue swelling.
What is taking an ABC approach to patient care?
The effect of the epinephrine is to act on adrenergic receptors, causing bronchodilation of the lungs and an elevation in blood pressure. By stimulating both alpha and beta adrenergic receptors to cause these effects, it accomplishes more of the goals of treatment of anaphylaxis than any other single therapy.
These are the professionals who can provide expert information about medications, expected vs unexpected side effects, contraindications, compatibilities, and indications for use.
Who are pharmacists?
Due to excessive dosing of antibiotics eliciting the loss of natural occurring (normal) flora, patients may get these.
What are superinfections?
What are the kidney(s)?
These types of journals are considered to be references for safe medication administration?
What are published journals?
Journals that are peer reviewed, professional, and use evidence-based information.
Locking compartments for controlled substances, monitoring for adverse effects, and teaching the patient about medications, staying up-to-date on all the latest developments regarding a patient's care are all examples of these.
What are legal practice guidelines?
Skin integrity, body weight, diet, muscle perfusion, age are factors which can affect this.
What is absorption?
As well as these factors can also affect or influence metabolism.
Before administering a medication, the nurse must verify the identity of the patient, and these are two of the common ways to do this.
What is asking the patient his/her name and date of birth?
Can also use identification number within the facility or system, telephone number, and photo identification or badge.
This is the .suffix that indicates a website is a commercial enterprise and thus not a reliable source of information.
What is .com?
The nurse must know medication category/class, mechanism of action, therapeutic effects, adverse effects, toxic effects, medication interactions, precautions/contraindications, preparation/dosage/administration, and nursing implications before performing this.
What is medication administration?