Administration
Generic name
the official name that is listed in official publications such as the United States Pharmacopeia
(USP)
Trade name
the name used to market the medication; it has the symbol TM at the upper right of the name
indicating a manufacturer trademark of the drug
it suggests the action of the drug
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What does it mean when a drug is in therapeutic range
is a range of plasma drug levels between the minimum effective concentration and the toxic
concentration. When plasma levels are within the therapeutic range, there is enough drug
present to produce therapeutic responses but not so much that toxicity results. When
administering a drug, the objective is to maintain plasma drug levels within the therapeutic
range. The width of therapeutic range determines whether or not a drug is easily administered
safely.
,Drugs with a narrow therapeutic range are difficult to administer safely.
Drugs with a wide therapeutic range can be safely administered much easier.
- it is the intended or desired physiological response of a medication
guidelines for administering controlled substances
•Store all narcotics in a locked, secure cabinet. Automated medication dispensing system
(AMDS) or a locked room. (Computerized, locked cabinets are preferred.)
•Count narcotics frequently, during the opening of narcotic drawers and/or at shift change.
•Report discrepancies in narcotic counts immediately.
•Use a special inventory record each time a narcotic is dispensed. Records are often kept
electronically and provide an accurate ongoing count of narcotics used, wasted and remaining.
•Use the record to document the patient's name, date, time of medication administration, name
of medication, dose, and signature of nurse dispensing the medication.
•If you give only part of a premeasured dose of a controlled substance, a second nurse
witnesses disposal of the unused portion. Both nurses sign their names on the required form.
Computerized systems record the nurses' names electronically. Do not place wasted portions in
the sharps containers. Instead, dispose of medications properly following institutional policy.
Absorption
the passage of medication molecules into the blood from the site of administration.
Factors that affect the rate of absorption
the administration route, ability of a medication to dissolve, blood flow to the administration site,
body surface area, and lipid solubility of a medication
Distribution
after the medication is absorbed, the medication goes to the tissues and organs and then to the
site of drug action.
, Distribution is affected by
circulation, cell membrane permeability, and protein binding
Metabolism
after the medication reaches its site of action, it is metabolized into a less active or inactive form.
This metabolism or biotransfusion takes place under the influence of enzymes that detoxify,
degrade, and remove biologically active chemicals.
Most metabolism takes place in the liver, but the lungs, kidneys, blood, and intestines also take
part in breaking down the medication.
Excretion
the process of medications exiting the body through the lungs, exocrine glands, bowel, kidneys,
and liver.
A medication's chemical makeup determines the organ of excretion. Nurses should know the
method of excretion for their patients' medications, in order to properly provide care.
Types of Medication Action
therapeutic effect
side effect
adverse effect
toxic effect
idiosyncratic reaction
allergic reaction
Therapeutic effect
the intended or desired physiological response of a medication. Some medications have many
therapeutic effects
side effects
predictable and often unavoidable secondary effects produced at a usual therapeutic drug dose.
They can be harmless or can cause injury, depending on the dose of the medication.