Medication Administration Rated A+
Controlled Substances Law
- Drug Schedules:
- Schedule I: Illegal drugs with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse (e.g., heroin,
cannabis).
- Schedule II: High potential for abuse, accepted for medical use with severe restrictions (e.g., opioids
like morphine).
- Schedule III: Moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence (e.g., anabolic
steroids).
- Schedule IV: Lower potential for abuse relative to Schedule III (e.g., benzodiazepines).
- Schedule V: Lowest potential for abuse, primarily consisting of preparations with limited quantities of
certain narcotics (e.g., cough preparations with less than 200 mg of codeine per 100 mL).
Prerequisites for Safe and Effective Medication Administration
- Pharmacokinetics: Understanding how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted.
- Growth and Development: Knowledge of how age-related factors can affect drug response and
efficacy.
- Nutrition: Awareness of how nutritional status can influence medication effectiveness and safety.
- Mathematics Skills: Proficiency in calculating dosages accurately.
Teratogenic
- Definition: Refers to agents that can cause birth defects when administered during pregnancy.
Albumin's Interaction with Drugs
- Mechanism: Albumin binds to drugs in circulation. A low albumin level can lead to increased drug
toxicity due to a greater proportion of unbound (active) drug in the bloodstream.
- Dosage: Importance of correct dosing is emphasized since it can greatly affect drug safety.
Medication Classification
- Grouping of Medications: Medications are classified based on similar characteristics.
, - Classification Methods:
- By the effect of the medication on body systems.
- By the symptoms the medication is intended to relieve (desired effect).
Forms of Medication
1. Tablet
2. Capsule
3. Elixir
4. Suppository
5. Troche
Medication Legislation and Standards
- Regulatory Framework: Includes governmental regulations, institutional policies, and laws related to
medication.
- Guidelines:
- Safe medication practice in nursing
- Regulations on non-therapeutic use of medications
- Understanding “off-label” drug indications.
Pharmacokinetics
- Definition: The study of how medications enter the body, reach their sites of action, are metabolized,
and are excreted.
- Key Processes:
- Absorption
- Distribution
- Circulation
- Membrane permeability
- Protein binding
- Metabolism (Main organ: Liver)
Controlled Substances Law
- Drug Schedules:
- Schedule I: Illegal drugs with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse (e.g., heroin,
cannabis).
- Schedule II: High potential for abuse, accepted for medical use with severe restrictions (e.g., opioids
like morphine).
- Schedule III: Moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence (e.g., anabolic
steroids).
- Schedule IV: Lower potential for abuse relative to Schedule III (e.g., benzodiazepines).
- Schedule V: Lowest potential for abuse, primarily consisting of preparations with limited quantities of
certain narcotics (e.g., cough preparations with less than 200 mg of codeine per 100 mL).
Prerequisites for Safe and Effective Medication Administration
- Pharmacokinetics: Understanding how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted.
- Growth and Development: Knowledge of how age-related factors can affect drug response and
efficacy.
- Nutrition: Awareness of how nutritional status can influence medication effectiveness and safety.
- Mathematics Skills: Proficiency in calculating dosages accurately.
Teratogenic
- Definition: Refers to agents that can cause birth defects when administered during pregnancy.
Albumin's Interaction with Drugs
- Mechanism: Albumin binds to drugs in circulation. A low albumin level can lead to increased drug
toxicity due to a greater proportion of unbound (active) drug in the bloodstream.
- Dosage: Importance of correct dosing is emphasized since it can greatly affect drug safety.
Medication Classification
- Grouping of Medications: Medications are classified based on similar characteristics.
, - Classification Methods:
- By the effect of the medication on body systems.
- By the symptoms the medication is intended to relieve (desired effect).
Forms of Medication
1. Tablet
2. Capsule
3. Elixir
4. Suppository
5. Troche
Medication Legislation and Standards
- Regulatory Framework: Includes governmental regulations, institutional policies, and laws related to
medication.
- Guidelines:
- Safe medication practice in nursing
- Regulations on non-therapeutic use of medications
- Understanding “off-label” drug indications.
Pharmacokinetics
- Definition: The study of how medications enter the body, reach their sites of action, are metabolized,
and are excreted.
- Key Processes:
- Absorption
- Distribution
- Circulation
- Membrane permeability
- Protein binding
- Metabolism (Main organ: Liver)
