P12

• Medication administration


  A basic nursing function that involves knowledge & skill, requires systematic, organized, accurate drug preparation, administration & documentation to ensure client's safety & possible resolution of health problems
• Medication administration


  • Nurse is answerable in every medication that is administered to the client
  • Thorough assessment of the client's condition prior to drug administration & client evaluation during the course of drug therapy are equally important
• Medications


  Substances prescribed by the prescribing practitioner to help in the treatment, relief or cure of the cause of the person's health alterations or in the prevention of such alterations
• Different therapeutic drug actions

  • Palliative
  • Curative
  • Supportive
  • Substitutive
  • Chemotherapeutic
  • Restorative
• Pharmacokinetics


  The study of the absorption, distribution, metabolism & excretion of medications to determine the relationship between the dose & concentration in biological fluids
• Names of drugs


  • Chemical name
  • Generic name
  • Official name
  • Trade name
• Important points in medication orders

  • Client's full name
  • Date & time the order is written
  • Name of the drug to be administered
  • Dosage of the drug
  • Frequency of administration
  • Route of administration
  • Signature of the person writing the order
• Part of legal doctor's order
• Types of medication system distribution

  • Stock supply
  • Unit dose supply
  • Automated medication dispensing system
  • Self administered supply
• Types of drug or medication orders

  • Standing order
  • Single order (one-time order)
  • Stat order
  • PRN order
  • Verbal/telephone orders
• Common medical abbreviations related to medication administration

  • OD - once a day
  • BID (BD) - twice a day
  • TID (TDS) - thrice a day
  • QID - four times a day
  • prn - whenever necessary
  • q - every
  • p.o. - per orem or by mouth
  • SL - sublingual
  • ID - intradermal
  • SC (Sub Q) - Subcutaneous
  • IM - Intramuscular
  • IV - Intravenous
  • IO - intra-osseous
  • o.d. - oculus dexter or right eye
  • o.s. - oculus sinister or left eye
  • o.u. - oculus uterque or both eyes
• When the client is still in pain & the 4-hour interval is not yet done

  1. The nurse can re-assess the client

  2. The nurse can refer the client's severity of pain to the doctor
• Common Medical Abbreviations


  • q- every
  • q4 hrs - every 4 hours
  • q6 hrs - every 6 hours
  • q8 hrs - every 8 hours
  • hrly - hourly
• p.o.


  per orem or by mouth
• SL


  sublingual - medication is placed under the tongue
• ID


  intradermal
• SC (Sub Q)


  Subcutaneous
• IM


  Intramuscular
• IV


  Intravenous
• IO


  intra-osseous
• o.d.


  oculus dexter or right eye
• o.s.


  oculus sinister or left eye
• o.u.


  oculus uterque or both eyes or each eye
• a.s.


  left ear, a.d.- right ear
• a.u.


  both ears
• HS


  hours of sleep, at bed time or half strength
• mg


  milligrams
• gm or G


  gram
• gr


  grain
• ml


  milliliter
• cc


  cubic centimeters
• L


  liter
• Neb


  nebule
• Amp


  ampule
• tsp


  tea spoon
• tbsp


  table spoon
• ODBB


  once a day before breakfast
• R


  refused
• NA


  not available
• P


  prescribed - This means that the drug is NA in the hospital but a prescription is already given to the client's relative to buy the drug outside the hospital