Number 13 of this series of 15 relates to nursing students learning how, when, what, dose, etc. to give medications. Patients trust you as you are the Patient's Advocate. This can seem overwhelming at first, but you will get to the point it is second nature. Most importantly, ASK if you are unsure of the dose, medication, contraindicators, allergies, etc. DO NOT allow yourself to be intimated by anyone. This is your patient and you must provide the absolute best nursing care.

1. BASIC MEDICATION
MANAGEMENT
FOR NURSES

2. There are over 500,000 legal and illegal
drugs on the market and on the streets
today. They ALL have multiple names,
either brand names, street names or
generic names. They have been placed in
numerous different categories and often, a
drug can and will be used for multiple types
of reasons and benefits. Knowing the
names all of the hundreds of thousands of
drugs is fruitless, not even the different
generations or variations of the same
drugs/medication.
Basic Medication Management

4. Basic Medication Management

5. Basic Medication Management
More than anything else, one of the most important
REQUIRMENTS is for you to know, verbatim, what
the “5 R’s” are when passing out medications.
Furthermore, you must not only KNOW what the “5
R’s” are, but forevermore, hold yourself up to
nursing’s highest standards and never deviate from
what you are learning and practicing RIGHT NOW.
Never take a short cut, or take someone else’s
word, when you are giving a patient their medication
IF YOU ARE NOT CERTAIN OF ANY OF ONE OF
THE “5 R’s,” STOP, and go to reread the orders.

6. THE “5 R’s” in Nursing
Right medication: Was this Rx ordered?
Right dose: how many ml, tablets, or liters?
Right Time: Some medications MUST be
given and taken at certain times of the day.
Right Route: IV, feeding tube, PO, SQ, or IM?
Right patient: always check, and recheck
this! Birthdate and name and hospital number.

8. THE “5 R’s” in Nursing
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU MUST
NEVER FORGET ARE THE “5 R’s” when
giving a patient ANY and ALL medications.
The other important thing is to know is why
the “5 R’s” are so vitally important that even if
one “R” is skipped, it could mean the death of
your patient.
~ one more time ~

9. IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
When you are going to give a medication,
know why the patient is prescribed it.
Know what the medication does.
Where the medication is metabolized or
broken down in the body (i.e. if the patient
has stage 4 cancer of the liver, make
certain the drug does not metabolize
there)?
What are the potential side effects?

10. Does the medication have any blood work
that must be drawn first before you give it
to the patient?
Are there any lab values you MUST check
before you give the medication?
Inform the patient of the medication’s
name(s) before you give them the
medication(s).
Must it be taken with food or without?
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW

11. IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
What other medications is the patient on and if
there are several, are any of them
contraindicated when taken together.
What homeopathic “medicines” or herbs does
the patient take, i.e. St. John’s Wart or baking
soda with water for acid reflux.
Would you be concerned if an elderly patient
was taking baking soda?
Did the doctor sign the orders? Or is it a
“STANDING ORDER?”

13. IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
When giving activated Charcoal to children per
poison control protocols, children will drink it right
down (usually!) if mixed with Coca-Cola (with parents
& doctor’s permission).
WEAR GOWNS!
Does the patient eat or drink things that could cause
a dangerous reaction.
Grapefruit and its’ juice have a reaction to over
60 medications, including Viagra and Tylenol.

14. IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
If the patient has been prescribed a different
medication in the hospital, make certain the two
medications are compatible. For example,
patient may be on Calcium Channel Blockers and
was just prescribed a Beta Blocker. Why could
this be a potentially deadly error?
Are they allergic to anything? What happens
when they take the “yellow pill” with the “big,
blue one”?
Ask the patient about their medications! You
will be surprised what you might learn.

15. FYI
The “5 R’s” are vital to a nurse.
However, there is additional information
or warnings about every drug on the
market.
As nurses, as well as students, you will
be expected to learn and know these
things.
It takes time, and it depends on what
unit you will be working on, to know what
medications you will get to know
intimately.

16. FYI
Know the antidotes for certain
medications, like Narcan “reverses” opioids
and Mucomyst is for Tylenol overdose.
Know there that you might need a Tylenol
level if someone is taking certain Opioids.
Know the INR, PT and PTT levels of
patients on Anticoagulants.
Know that you must take an Apical pulse
before giving Digoxin and that it is toxic.

18. One great way to learn about all of
the medication and drugs out there, is to
first learn the medication’s drug category.
There are over 40 different
categories, but knowing and understanding
the main ones, and how they effect the
human body, will make learning about
pharmacology that much easier.

19. CATAGORIES OF MEDICINE
Some of the main categories to know:
Beta Blockers and Calcium Channel Blockers
Insulin and the differences between the types
Antibiotics
Diuretics
Opioids
Anticoagulants

20. GREAT WEBSITES
(hope they help!)
Here are some websites that list the Top 100
and 200 prescribed medicines, as well as a great
Pill Identifier Tool:
http://www.drugs.com/
http://www.rxlist.com/
RxList Pill Identifier Tool

21. And watch for the patients with
polypharmaceuticals!!