INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
UNIT:VIII
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION
Mrs. Salma Sultana
Tutor
ION BWU
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION
Medicine is a substance used for the Purpose Of Diagnosis, Treatment, Cure,
relief Or Prevention Of Health Problems & Diseases.
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION IS a basic nursing function that involves
knowledge & skill with good understanding.
PURPOSES OF MEDICATION:
1. to promote health : eg. vitamins
2. to prevent diseases eg. vaccines & antitoxins
3. to diagnose disease eg. X-rays
4. to alleviate sufferings eg. Analgesics( pain killer)
5. to treat or cure a disease
PRINCIPLE OF DRUG ACTION
Pharmacokinetics- it is the process by which drug moves through the body &
is eventually eliminated.it refers to the drug activities from the time it
enters the body until it leaves.
Absorption- process by which drug enters the blood streams.
Distribution
Metabolism
Excretion
Pharmacodynamics: refers to the physiological & biochemical effects of a drug
on the body. Effects of medication administered are monitored by client’s
clinical condition & laboratory measurements.
• Maintenance dose & Loading dose
It a small, fixed dose. Maintenance doses takes long time to reach the
minimum effective concentration.
For a large volume of distribution, it may be necessary to give loading dose
(Big dose) to get the benefit effectively.
Prescription medication
• Legal order for the preparation & administration of medication.usually
prescribed by physician & in some countries, nurse practitioner.
• Non-prescription Medication:
Many medications are available without specific written orders from a health
care provider, as they are thought to be safer for use without nursing
supervision.
Types of orders
• Standing order- emergency situation.
• PRN order- when needed,eg. Pain killer.
• One time/single order- only once, preoperative medications
• Stat order- immediately & only once eg.Ing Lasix.
• Telephone, verbal, fax orders:
Medication Order
1. Client’s name.
2. Identification or medical or registration no.
3. Medication’s name: use generic or trade name.
4. Amount & dosage, eg. Inj.Dexona 5mg twicw a day.
5. Routes of administration, eg. Oral,IM,IV, Sublingual
6. Signature of the health care provider-legal documents.
7. Date & Time of writing the prescription.
8. Use abbreviations: use only standard abbreviations which indicate the
amount & frequency of medication dosage.
Safety Measures:
The ‘Ten Rights’ ensures safety in administering medications
1. Right client
2. Right Drug
3. Right Dose
4. Right Time
5. Right Route/Method
6. Right History & assessment
7. Right to information (know) & refuse treatment
8. Right Evaluation
9. Right information & Health Education
10.Right Documentation.
Rules for the administration of medication:
while preparing the medicines:
1. Read the physician’s orders before preparing the drug. No medicine should be
prepared without the doctors’s written orders. Verbal orders are carried out only in
emergency.
2. Check the medicine card against the physician’s orders. Be sure that the medicine is
copied correctly on the medicine card & the nurses record.
3. Concentrate the mind on the preparation of the medicines. Avoid conversation during
its preparation of medicines.
4. Calculate the fractions of dossage accurately. If there is doubt, consult the physician
or at least seniors.
5. Give the medication only from a clearly labelled container.
6. Read the label of the container & compare it with the medicine card thrice.
• Before the medicine container is taken from the shelf.
• Before pouring the drug.
• Before replacing the container in the shelf.
7. Always use a calibrated measure in order to measure the accurate
dose.
8. Make sure that the medicine glasses are clean & dry before the
medicine is taken.
9. Shake the fluid medication before pouring it into the ounce glass.
10. Wipe the mouth of the bottle, close it tightly & replace the bottle in
the proper place after use.
11. Pour the medicine from the bottle on the side opposite to the label.
12. Hold the ounce glass at eye level & place the thumb on the mark on
the ounce glass to which the medicine is to be poured.
13.When taking tables & capsules do not touch them with hand. Drop the tablets
or capsules from the container to its lid & then into the same bottle to prevent
the contamination of the whole medicine.
14. Once the medication is poured out of a bottle, it should not be poured back
in to the same bottle to prevent contamination of the whole medicine.
15. Do not use the medicine that differs in colour,taste, odour & consistency.
16. Prepare the drug just before the time of administration of medicine.
REGARDING THE ADMINISTRATION
REGARDING THE RECORDING OF DRUGS
