learning Objectives - Explain the principles, routes, effects of administration of medications
Hours - 30
Teaching and Learning Activities - Lecture cum discussions. Demonstration
Assessment Methods - Short answer Objective type Essay type Return demonstration Assessment using checklist
Content of the chapter
Introduction to clinical Pharmacology
Administrationof medication:
a) General Principles/Considerations
– Purposes of medication
– Principles: Rights, special
considerations, prescriptions, safety
in administering medications and
medication errors
– Drugs forms
– Routes of administration
– Storage and maintenance of drugs and
nurses responsibility
– Broad classification of drugs
– Therapeutic effect, side effect, toxic
effect, allergic reaction, drug tolerance,
drug interactions
– Factors influencing drug actions
– Systems of drug measurement: metric
system, household measurements.
– Converting measurements units:
conversion within one system, between
systems, dosage calculations.
– Terminologies and abbreviations used
in prescription of medications.
b) Oral drug administration: oral,
sublingual, buccal : equipment and
procedure.
c) Parentral:
– General principles
– Types of parentral therapies.
– Types of syringes, needles, canulas and
infusion sets,
– Protection from needle stick injuries,
giving medications with a safety
syringe.
– Routes of parentral therapies:
– Purposes, site equipment, procedure
and special considerations in
giving intradermal, subcutaneous,
intramuscular and intravenous
medications.
– Advanced techniques : epidural,
intrathecal, intraosseous,
intraperitoneal, intrapleural, intra
arterial
– Role of nurse
d) Topical administration: purposes,
site, equipment, procedure, special
considerations for applications to skin
and mucous membrane.
e) Direct application:
– Gargle, throat swab
– Insertion of drug into body cavities :
nasal pack, suppositories / medicated
packing into rectum / vagina
– Instillations: ear, eye, nasal, bladder and
rectal.
– Irrigations: eye, ear, bladder, vaginal
and rectal. Spray: nose and throat
f) Inhalations: nasal, oral, endotracheal,
tracheal (steam, oxygen and
medications) – purposes, types,
equipment, procedure and special
considerations.
g) Recording and reporting of medications
administered.