Principles of Safe Medication Administration
-Safely written Rx and Med Order
-Knowing the differences between trade and generic names
-Safe Mechanical Process of Administration
-Understanding Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination.
-Routes of administration
-drug units of measurement
Harrison Narcotic Act
A federal law passed in 1914 that classified narcotics and established regulations governing their importation, manufacture, sale, and use.
Narcotics
Marijuana, opium, cocaine, and their derivatives, along with combined analgesics.
Properly written Drug Script
Provider information-Name, address, phone number, DEA number.
Superscription-Patient name, address, age DOB, and current date.
Inscription-Drug, Dose
Amount to be dispensed-number of units.
Route-how and when to take medication.
Provider Signature-with ti
Generic
The nonproprietary name of a drug. Active ingredient same as trade, but may contain different inactive ingredients and binding agents.
Trade Name
The name that a drug company has assigned to a product.
Chemical Name
A name that provides information about the chemical composition of a drug; these names are not used clinically but are of interest to research pharmacists and chemists.
Official Name
The name of a drug as published in the U.S. Pharmacopeia and National Formulary; this name may be identical to the drug's generic name.
pharmacokinetics
The combined processes of drug absorption, distribution, biotransformation, and excretion.
Drug Absorption
The entry of a drug into body cells by means of diffusion, active transport, or pinocytosis.
Diffusion
The process by which certain dissolved substances passively move back and forth across a cell membrane.
Active Transport
The process in which energy is expended in order to move a molecule across a cell membrane.
Pioncytosis
The process by which a hollowed-out portion of a cell's membrane encloses a substance and then carries it into the cell.
Routes of Absorption
Skin
Mucous Membrane
Oral
Inhalation
Injection (ID, SQ, IM, IV)
Drug Distribution
The process by which a drug is delivered throughout the body.
drug biotransformation
The process by which a drug is broken down and used by the body.
first pass effect
A term that refers to the absorption of a drug through the intestinal tract and the drug's entry into the portal circulation before entering the systemic circulation; this allows the liver to detoxify the substance before its wide distribution throughout
Prodrug
A drug that, upon biotransformation in the liver, produces active metabolites.
half-life (t�)
The length of time necessary for the concentration of a drug in a specific area of the body to decrease by 50 percent.
clearance
The rate of drug removal from the body.
Therapeutic Effects
Using the drug to meet the expected outcome.
Curative Drug
A drug that has healing as its therapeutic effect.
Palliative Drug
A drug that has the relief or alleviation of disease signs and symptoms as its therapeutic effect.
Prophylactic Drug
A drug that has the prevention of infection and disease as its therapeutic effect.
Diagnostic Drug
A drug that has certain effects that will rule in or rule out a specific disease.
Supportive Therapy
The promotion and maintenance of healing and/or normal physiologic processes.
Side Effects
Actions or effects of a drug that are not specifically intended.
iatrogenic effect
An illness that is induced in a client by a drug given for a treatment or therapeutic purpose.
adverse effects
Undesirable drug side effects that can range from tolerable or manageable to life threatening.
-Bone Marrow Supression
-Neurotoxic Reactions
-GI Irritation
-Hepatotoxicity
-Nephtotoxicity
-Ototoxicity
-Cardiotoxicity
-Respiratory Depression
-Alopecia
-Cut
toxic effects
Effects secondary to an elevated plasma concentration of a drug.
Allergic Reaction
Type I-IgE reaction. Mast cell release histamines. S/Sx: swelling, anaphylaxis, dyspnea, sneezing, rash, and rhinitis.
Type II-IgG and IgM. Hemolysis, fever, flank pain, wheezing, NV+D. Usually seen with blood transfusions.
Type III-immunine complex forma
Carcinogenic Reaction
Drug-induced changes in DNA, which may lead to the development of cancer.
Chain Reaction
The situation in which a drug causes a cascade of effects that each relate to the effects take took place before them.
cumulative effects
Effects that occur when the serum plasma level of a drug rises or when the amount ingested exceeds that excreted.
idiosyncratic reactions
Unexpected, abnormal reactions to a drug.
Teratogenic Reactions
Drug reactions that result in abnormal fetal development.
tolerance
A condition of decreased responsiveness to an agent after repeated exposure.
Dependence
A condition characterized by withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation of a drug.
intradermal agents
Drugs that are administered between the layers of the skin.
Eye Drops and Ointments
Applied to local areas for local affects.
Ear Instillation
Drops or irrigation into the ear canal. For a child pull the lobe down and back, as an adult pull up and back.
Nasal Instillation
Sprays and metered doses. Puff into the nostril.
Vaginal Medication
Suppositories, foams, gels, creams directly into the vagina.
Rectal Instillations
Suppositories, creams, and enemas.
Inhalers
Metered-dose medication inhaled directly into the lungs.
nebulizer
A device that delivers a fine mist or spray; it may be used to deliver medication and moisture to the lungs.
Spinhaler
An inhaler that accepts capsules containing cromolyn or albuterol in powdered form; the capsule is punctured, and the inhaler then releases a powdered mist to be inhaled.
Rotahaler
An inhaler that accepts capsules containing cromolyn or albuterol in powdered form; the capsule is punctured, and the inhaler then releases a powdered mist to be inhaled.
titration
Adjusting a dose to achieve a desired effect.
FIVE RIGHTS
Right Patient
Right Drug
Right Dose
Right Time
Right Route
Patient also has the right to refuse and be informed what the drug does for them.
Therapeutic Index
A ratio of the dose of a drug that was lethal in 50 percent of the animals tested to the dose of the drug that was effective in 50 percent of the animals tested.
onset of drug action
The interval of time between the administration of a drug and the time at which the drug reaches a concentration that produces a
response.
Time to Peak
The interval of time between the administration of a drug and the time at which the drug reaches its highest effective concentration.
plateau/steady-state principle
The fact that, when a drug is given at fixed intervals, it takes four or five half-lives for its plasma concentration to reach a steady state or a plateau level.
Trough Level
The plasma concentration of a drug prior to the next dose.
acetylation
A drug biotransformation process that occurs in the liver. The rate at which the drug is metabolized at.