A substance administered for the diagnosis, cure, treatment, or relief of a symptom or for prevention of disease. (In the healthcare context, the words medication and drug are generally used interchangeably)
Permits the nurse to give a medication when, in the nurse's judgment, the client requires it. The nurses should use good judgment about when the medication is needed and when it can be safely administered.
May or may not have a termination date. A standing order may be carried out indefinitely until an order is written to cancel it, or it may be carried out for a specified number of days.
Due to biochemical changes in the body tissues, especially the nervous system. These tissues come to require the substance for normal functioning. Also called "physical dependence".
Effects of one drug are modified by the prior or concurrent administration of another drug, thereby increasing or decreasing the pharmacological action.
A decreased physiologic response to the repeated administration of a drug or chemically related substance. Excessive increase in the dosage is required in order to maintain the desired therapeutic effect.
Never crush enteric-coated or sustained-release tablets. Crushing enteric-coated tablets allows the irritating medication to come intact with the oral or gastric mucosa, resulting in mucositis or gastric irritation.
The medication is placed under the tongue, where it dissolves. The medication should not be swallowed because the medication is absorbed in the blood vessels on the underside of the tongue.
The drug is swallowed. Advantages: least expensive, most convenient route, skin is not broken with injection. Disadvantages: unpleasant taste of the drugs, irritation of the gastric mucosa, irregular absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, slow absorption, and in some cases, harm to the client's teeth.
The medication is injected under the epidermis (into the dermis). The sites are the inner lower arm, upper chest and back, and beneath the scapula. The needle is at a 10-15 degree angle with the bevel up. Indicated for allergy and using a tuberculin syringe.
Administration other than through the alimentary or respiratory tract; that is by needle. Routes include intradermal, subcutaneous (hypodermic), intramuscular, and intravenous.
Inject a small amount of drug slowly over 3 to 5 seconds to form a wheal or bleb when administering an intradermal injection. Do not massage the site of injection to prevent irritation of the site, and to prevent absorption of the drug into the subcutaneous.
2. Inject medication slowly to allow tissue to accommodate volume
3. Ventrogluteal site is preferred as it contains no large nerves or blood vessels, has greatest thickness of gluteal muscle, and is sealed off by bone