Calculating Medication Dosages
1. administration route: a pathway into the body by which a medication is delivered
2. allergy: an abnormal sensitivity to a substance that can result in symptoms
ranging from mild (e.g. sneezing) to life-threatening
3. concentration: the amount of medication per unit of substance
4. course of treatment: the dose of medication, the frequency the dose is to be
given, and the total number of doses for a treatment of a patient; also known as
dosage
5. dose: a measured amount of medication; also known as dosage
6. international system of units: the metric system, which is the most common
system of measures, and the one used in medicine; a decimal system of measure-
ment whose measurements are multiples of 10
7. intramuscular: a word describing an administration route in which medication is
injected into a muscle
8. intravenous: a word describing an administration route in which medication is
injected into a vein
9. medication: a chemical substance that is used to cure, diagnose (identify),
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mitigate (relieve), or prevent a medical condition; also known as a drug, medicine, or
pharmaceutical
10. medication error: a mistake made when carrying out a medication order
11. medication measurement: the process of determining the correct quantity of a
certain form of medication to achieve the prescribed dose
12. medication order: a written order for a particular drug by a healthcare provider
13. normal saline: a sterile (germ free) 0.9% salt solution
14. oral: a word describing an administration route in which medication is given by
mouth
15. over-the-counter medications: medications that do not require a doctor's order
16. Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR): a published reference source for deter-
mining proper dosages of medication
17. suppositories: lumps of wax mixed with medication that are administered by in-
sertion into the rectum, where they dissolve, enabling the medication to be absorbed
into the body
18. topical: a word describing an administration route in which medication is applied
to the surface of the body
19. United States customary units: a system of measurement that is not decimal
and that does not use prefixes to designate multiples or fractions, each of which has a
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unique name
20. Which of the following are forms of medication that healthcare workers
might administer to a patient? Choose all that apply.
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