ACTIVE LEARNING TEMPLATE:
Medication
Zarkpa Wreh
STUDENT NAME______________________________________
Folic Acid
MEDICATION___________________________________________________________________________
REVIEW MODULE CHAPTER____________
water soluble
CATEGORY CLASS__Vitamins,
_____________________________________________________________________
PURPOSE OF MEDICATION
Expected Pharmacological Action
Folic acid is essential in the production of
DNA and erythropoieis (RBC, WBC, and
Platelets) (ATI, RN Pharmacology for
Nurse,Edition 8)
Therapeutic Use
-Treatment of megaloblastic (macrocytic) anemia secondary
to folic acid deficiency.
-Treatment of malabsorption syndrome (sprue) (ATI, RN
Pharmacology for Nurses, Edition 8) Patient is prescribed
folic acid because of a dereased RBC count.
Complications
Medication Administration
Bronchospasm, Erythema, Malaise, Pruritus, Rash, slight
flushing. (2020, Nurse's Drug Handbook, 2020)
May be administered PO and IV
Tablet: 400mcg, 800mcg, 1mg
Injectable solution: 5mg/ml.
(2020 Nurse's Drug
Handbook,2020) Patient dose:
folic acid 0.4 mg
Contraindications/Precautions
Avoid indiscriminate use of folic acid to reduce the risk of
masking manifestations of vitamin B12 deficiency.
(ATI, RN Pharmacology for nurses, Edition 8)
Interactions
Folic acid levels are decreased by methodtrexate and
sulfonamides.
Folic acid can decrease phenytoin blood levels because
of increased metabolism. (ATI, RN Pharmacology for
Nurses, Edition 8)
Evaluation of Medication Effectiveness
Medication effectiveness is evidence by the increase in folate level,
return of RBC, reticulocyte count, and Hgb and Hct to levels within
expected reference range. (ATI, RN Pharmacology for nurses, Edition
8) The medication was therapeutic for the patient by the evidence by
the return of the RBC to levels within expected range.
ACTIVE LEARNING TEMPLATES
Nursing Interventions
-Asses for manifestattions of
megaloblastic anemia (pallor, easy
fatigability, palpitations, paresthesias
of hands or feet)
- Obtain baseline folic acid, Hgb and
Hct levels and RBC and reticulocyte
counts. Monitor periodically. (ATI, RN
Pharmacology for nurses, Edition 8)
Client Education
If with folic acid deficiency,
concurrently increaseintake of
food sources of folic acid (liver,
green leafy vegetable, citrus
fruit, and dried peas and beans)
(ATI, RN Pharmacology for
Nurses, Edition 8)
ATI, RN Pharmacology for Nurses, Edition 8. 2020 Nurse's Drug Handbook, 2020