Medication Safety and Administration Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering core pharmacology principles, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, types of prescriptions, rights of administration, and parenteral injection techniques from Chapter 22 of Basic Nursing.

Chemical Name

The exact description of a drug's chemical and molecular structure.

Generic Name

The name assigned to a drug by the United States Adopted Names Council (USAN Council) when the developing manufacturer is ready to market the drug.

Official Name

The generic drug name as listed in publications such as the United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary (USP-NF).

Brand Name

The trade or proprietary name under which a drug is sold in stores.

Stock Supply

Bulk quantity medications stored in a central location that are not client-specific.

Unit Dose

Individually packaged, client-specific medications supplied for a $24\text{-hour}$ period stored in client drawers.

Automated Dispensing System

A password-accessible locked cart (such as Pyxis, Omnicell, or Diebold) with computerized tracking that can combine stock and unit doses.

Pharmacokinetics

The study of what happens to a drug in the body through four processes: absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME).

Pharmacodynamics

The study of how a drug affects the body, including primary therapeutic effects and secondary effects.

Absorption

The movement of a drug from its site of administration into the bloodstream.

Distribution

The transportation of a drug in body fluids to target tissues and organs.

Metabolism (Biotransformation)

The chemical conversion of a drug into a water-soluble compound, occurring primarily in the liver.

Excretion

The elimination of a drug from the body, primarily by the kidneys, liver, lungs, and exocrine glands.

Onset of Action

The time needed for drug concentration in the blood to reach a high enough level for its therapeutic effects to appear.

Peak Concentration Level

The highest concentration of a drug in the blood stream.

Duration of Action

The total period of time during which a drug maintains a pharmacological effect in the body.

Therapeutic Range

A level of drug concentration in the blood that is safe and effective without causing toxic effects.

Trough Concentration Level

The lowest concentration of a drug in the blood, measured immediately before the next dose is due.

Biological Half-Life

The amount of time required for half of the active drug concentration to be eliminated from the body.

Palliative Effect

A drug effect that relieves symptoms of a disease to increase comfort without curing the disease itself.

Supportive Effect

A drug effect that helps keep body functions working until other treatments take effect.

Substitutive Effect

A drug effect that replaces a essential chemical or substance missing from the body.

Chemotherapeutic Effect

A drug effect that selectively kills or destroys disease-causing organisms or malignant cells.

Restorative Effect

A drug effect that helps return the body to or maintain good health.

Side Effect

An expected, unintended, nontherapeutic secondary response to a medication.

Adverse Reaction

An unwanted, unpredictable, and harmful reaction to a medication.

Toxic Reaction

A dangerous response caused by excessive accumulation of a drug in the bloodstream or body tissues.

Idiosyncratic Reaction

An unusual or unpredictable response to a medication unique to an individual, such as an opposite effect.

Antagonistic Drug Interaction

An interaction in which one drug reduces, inhibits, or blocks the action of another drug.

Synergistic Drug Interaction

An interaction where two drugs work together to produce an effect stronger than either drug alone.

Drug Incompatibility

A reaction that occurs when two drugs are mixed together, causing them to become ineffective or unsafe.

Drug Tolerance

A state of decreased physical response to repeated medication doses, requiring higher doses to achieve the original therapeutic effect.

Drug Dependence

A physical adaptation to a drug where sudden discontinuation leads to specific withdrawal symptoms.

Drug Misuse

Using a medication incorrectly or in a manner not directed by the prescriber, even if not intended for harm.

Drug Abuse

The intentional use of a drug for non-medical reasons to produce pleasure or euphoric effects.

STAT Prescription

A single medication order that must be administered immediately due to an urgent patient need.

Single (One-Time) Prescription

A medication order administered only once at a specified time.

Standing Prescription

A medication order given routinely on a regular schedule until modified or discontinued by the provider.

PRN Prescription

A medication order administered as needed based on specified clinical criteria and nursing assessment.

Automatic Stop Date

A order status where a medication prescription automatically expires after a designated time frame unless reordered.

Six Rights of Medication Administration

Core nursing safeguards comprising Right Patient, Right Medication, Right Dose, Right Route, Right Time, and Right Documentation.

Ampule

A sealed glass container holding a single dose of medication that must be snapped open at the neck and withdrawn using a filter needle.

Vial

A plastic or glass container closed with a self-sealing rubber stopper holding single or multiple doses, requiring air injection prior to withdrawing liquid.

Reconstitution

The process of adding a liquid diluent, such as sterile water or normal saline, to a powdered drug to form a liquid solution for injection.

Levels of Parenteral Administration

Injectable administration routes categorized by tissue layer depth and needle insertion angle: Intradermal ($10^\text{--}15^\bullet$ angle), Subcutaneous ($45^\text{--}90^\bullet$ angle), Intramuscular ($90^\bullet$ angle), and Intravenous ($15^\text{--}30^\bullet$ angle).

Parts of a Syringe

The structural components of a standard hypodermic syringe: plunger, barrel, tip, hub, gauge, shaft, and bevel.

Ventrogluteal Site

The preferred intramuscular injection site for adults and walking children, located using the greater trochanter, anterior superior iliac spine, and iliac crest.

Deltoid Site

An intramuscular site located in the middle third of the upper arm, bounded by the acromion process and axilla, suitable for small volumes up to $1\text{ mL}$.

Vastus Lateralis Site

The preferred intramuscular injection site for young infants before walking age, located on the anterolateral aspect of the thigh.