PHILLIPS’S MANUAL OF IV THERAPEUTICS
EXAM REVIEW 2026 CERTIFICATION
EVALUATION BUNDLE TESTED QUESTIONS
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Compatibility of medications.
Answer: they must be chemically, physically, and therapeutically
compatible with each other
◉ Incompatibility.
Answer: an undesired chemical or physical interaction or reaction
between 2 or more medications or infusates when they are mixed
◉ Compatible drugs.
Answer: Drugs with similar pH
◉ Incompatible drugs.
Answer: Drugs with significantly differing pH's
◉ Medication incompatibility causes.
Answer: acidity or alkalinity of the mixture, exposure to light prior
to or during admin, temp extremities, length of time in solution prior
,to admin or duration of the infusion, and order in which the drugs
were mixed
◉ Nurse's responsibility.
Answer: determine compatibility
◉ Pharmacy consultation.
Answer: for questions regarding compatibility
◉ Resources for medication compatibility.
Answer: IV drug books, compatibility charts, drug databases, and
drug inserts
◉ Gentamycin.
Answer: antibiotic, very potent, toxic if greater than 12mcg/mL,
therapeutic levels are 4-8mcg/mL, contraindicated with concurrent
use of nephrotoxic drugs or diuretics, for intermittent iv admin
dilute in 50-200ml of ns or d5w and admin over 30-120min, do not
mix with other drugs
◉ Vancomycin.
Answer: antibiotic, ensure that peak and trough levels are drawn
correctly, trough-30min before next dose, peak-30min after
completion of infusion, ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity are common,
, extreme caution in use with persons with impaired renal function or
hearing loss, red man syndrome-sudden drop in bp with rash over
face, neck, upper chest, and extremities, for iv use dilute each 500mg
vial with 10ml sterile water and further diluted in 200ml of dextrose
or saline solution and infused over 60min, avoid rapid iv infusion-
results in hypotension, avoid extravasation during admin-avoid
necrosis, admin additional diluent to avoid thrombophlebitis
◉ Peak.
Answer: maX therapeutic dose
◉ Trough.
Answer: valley
◉ Phenytoin.
Answer: anticonvulsant, ensure that peak and through levels are
drawn correctly, therapeutic levels range from 10-20mcg/ml,
overdose-ataxia, nystagmus, unresponsive pupils, hypotension, and
coma, use of iv infusion is not recommended-drug is poorly soluble
may form a precipitate, inject slowly and directly into a large vein
through a large needle or catheter, use only clear solution, dilute
with a diluent from the manufacturer, may take up to 10min for it to
dissolve, do not add phenytoin to an already running iv infusion,
following admin run ns through the same needle/catheter to avoid
local irritation, monitor for hypotension during infusion, for status
epilepticus-inject iv slowly at a rate not to exceed 50mg/min
EXAM REVIEW 2026 CERTIFICATION
EVALUATION BUNDLE TESTED QUESTIONS
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Compatibility of medications.
Answer: they must be chemically, physically, and therapeutically
compatible with each other
◉ Incompatibility.
Answer: an undesired chemical or physical interaction or reaction
between 2 or more medications or infusates when they are mixed
◉ Compatible drugs.
Answer: Drugs with similar pH
◉ Incompatible drugs.
Answer: Drugs with significantly differing pH's
◉ Medication incompatibility causes.
Answer: acidity or alkalinity of the mixture, exposure to light prior
to or during admin, temp extremities, length of time in solution prior
,to admin or duration of the infusion, and order in which the drugs
were mixed
◉ Nurse's responsibility.
Answer: determine compatibility
◉ Pharmacy consultation.
Answer: for questions regarding compatibility
◉ Resources for medication compatibility.
Answer: IV drug books, compatibility charts, drug databases, and
drug inserts
◉ Gentamycin.
Answer: antibiotic, very potent, toxic if greater than 12mcg/mL,
therapeutic levels are 4-8mcg/mL, contraindicated with concurrent
use of nephrotoxic drugs or diuretics, for intermittent iv admin
dilute in 50-200ml of ns or d5w and admin over 30-120min, do not
mix with other drugs
◉ Vancomycin.
Answer: antibiotic, ensure that peak and trough levels are drawn
correctly, trough-30min before next dose, peak-30min after
completion of infusion, ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity are common,
, extreme caution in use with persons with impaired renal function or
hearing loss, red man syndrome-sudden drop in bp with rash over
face, neck, upper chest, and extremities, for iv use dilute each 500mg
vial with 10ml sterile water and further diluted in 200ml of dextrose
or saline solution and infused over 60min, avoid rapid iv infusion-
results in hypotension, avoid extravasation during admin-avoid
necrosis, admin additional diluent to avoid thrombophlebitis
◉ Peak.
Answer: maX therapeutic dose
◉ Trough.
Answer: valley
◉ Phenytoin.
Answer: anticonvulsant, ensure that peak and through levels are
drawn correctly, therapeutic levels range from 10-20mcg/ml,
overdose-ataxia, nystagmus, unresponsive pupils, hypotension, and
coma, use of iv infusion is not recommended-drug is poorly soluble
may form a precipitate, inject slowly and directly into a large vein
through a large needle or catheter, use only clear solution, dilute
with a diluent from the manufacturer, may take up to 10min for it to
dissolve, do not add phenytoin to an already running iv infusion,
following admin run ns through the same needle/catheter to avoid
local irritation, monitor for hypotension during infusion, for status
epilepticus-inject iv slowly at a rate not to exceed 50mg/min
