Chapter_035 P&P

Astle/Duggleby: Potter and Perry’s Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing, 7th Edition

Chapter 35: Medication Administration and Management

Key Points – Printable

Learning the medication classifications improves a nurse’s understanding of nursing implications for administering medications with similar characteristics.
Federal medication legislation regulates the production, distribution, prescription, and administration of medications.
All controlled substances are handled according to strict procedures that account for each medication.
The nurse applies understanding of the physiology of medication action when physically assessing a patient before medication, timing the administration, selecting routes, initiating actions to promote medication efficacy, and observing responses to medications.
The older person’s body undergoes structural and functional changes that alter medication actions and influence the way in which medication therapy is provided.
Children’s medication doses are computed on the basis of body surface area and weight.
Medications given parenterally are absorbed more quickly than medications administered by other routes.
Each medication prescription should include the patient’s name; the prescription date; the medication name, dosage, route, time of administration and indication; and the prescriber’s signature.
A medication history reveals allergies, medications that the patient is taking, and the patient’s adherence to therapy.
The nursing process should be used when administering medication.
The rights of medication administration ensure accurate preparation and administration of medication doses.
The rights of medication administration are the right medication, right dose, right patient, right route, right time and frequency, right documentation, right reason, right evaluation (or assessment), right patient education, and right to refuse.
The nurse should administer only the medications that they prepare; prepared medications must never be left unattended.
The nurse needs to avoid distractions and follow the same routines when preparing medications to reduce the chance of medication incidents.
To prevent medication incidents, the nurse must document immediately all medications they administer.
The nurse must use clinical judgement to determine the best time to administer PRN (when needed) medications.
Medication incidents must be reported immediately.
When preparing medications, the nurse checks the medication container label against the medication administration record three times.
The Z-track method for intramuscular injections protects the subcutaneous tissues from irritating parenteral fluids.
Failure to select injection sites by anatomical landmarks may lead to tissue, bone, or nerve damage.