Terminology
The study of effects of drugs on living organisms.
What is pharmacology?
Drug class for aspirin.
What is an NSAID?
What is a salicylate?
What is pharmacokinetics?
Study of absorption, distribution, biotransformation and excretion of drugs by the body. (What the body does to drugs).
What is peak plasma level?
Time to reach highest plasma level after administration of a single dose.
Name 2 factors of medication action.
Developmental factors (pregnancy, infants, older adults), gender, illness, time of administration, environment, physiological factors.
Nurses are responsible for their own actions. T or F
Ture!
What is the difference between side effects and adverse effects.
Side effects can be harmless or harmful and are most often expected. Adverse effects are more severe side effects that may warrant the discontinuance of the drug. Many adverse effects are unexpected.
Name 2 nursing considerations for aspirin.
History of allergies to salicylates or tartrazine, renal disease, bleeding disorders, physical status, presence of any skin lesions, temperature, CNS status, VS, adventitious breath sounds, perfusion, and laboratory tests for complete blood count (CBC), liver and renal function tests, urinalysis, stool-guaiac, and clotting times
3 factors that affect medication absorption
Age, route of administration, GI contents, disease processes, gastric emptying time.
Name 1 example of an agonist and its effect.
Epinephrine, Increases heart rate.
Describe how illness and disease, or time and administration, affect medication actions.
Illness/disease: Altered circulatory, kidney, or liver can impact metabolism.
Excretion time: Some drugs will absorb more quickly on a full or an empty stomach and then be distributed, metabolized and excreted.
If a nurse administers a medication and there is an error, who is responsible?
The nurse is responsible! Even if it was an order error, the nurse will be held responsible in addition to the provider.
What is a drug interaction? Give 1 example.
One drug altering the effect of other drugs.
St. John's Wart.
Low dose and regular dose of aspirin.
81 mg and 325 mg
Describe what a high first pass effect is.
If the liver chemically changes a large part of the drug into active metabolites, a smaller amount of drug will pass into circulation.
Name 1 example of an antagonist.
Naloxone is an opioid antagonist.
What are pharmacogenetics and name one way this is used in practice.
Explores differences in drug responses based on individual makeup. Drugs can be individually designed. Ex. Trastuzumab (Herceptin) was developed for breast cancer tumors with a genetic defect. This drug will not work on tumors without this defect.
As a nurse, it is ok if I question a medication order, but it is still ok to give the medication before I receive clarification. T or F
False! Do not give a medication if you are questioning it.
Compare and contrast psychological dependence and drug habituation.
Both are emotional reliance on a drug. Habituation is a milder form.
What is the PO adult dose of ibuprofen?
200-800 mg TID
Max 2400 mg in 24 hours
Tell me 4 different routes of med administration.
Oral, rectal IV, SQ, topical, transdermal.
If a drug's half-life is 6 hours, what percentage of the drug is left after 18 hours?
12.5%
Describe why it is important to be aware of your patients' cultural practices and beliefs regarding medication administration.
Use of different herbs, healing rituals, compliance.
Name 2 safety checks that are used for controlled substances.
Correct counts inventory, forms and procedures for wasting, documentation requirements.
Study of the effect of racial/ethnic responses to medications.
What is ethnopharmacology?
What is the maximum dose of acetaminophen in 24 hours?
4000 mg or 4 g
Name 5 ways metabolites are eliminated.
Urine, sweat, tears, saliva, breast milk, feces.
What is a receptor?
Drug's specific target. When a drug binds to a receptor, it will enhance or inhibit normal cellular function.
Name 2 nutrients that ASA increases the excretion of.
Vit C, potassium, glucose, thiamine, amino acids.
Name 2 examples of a schedule 1 substance.
Heroine, LSD, Marijuana.