Chapter 7
Interpreting Drug Orders
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Nursing Responsibilities
•
•
•
•
Interpret order
Prepare exact dosage of prescribed drug
Identify patient
Administer dosage by prescribed route at
prescribed time intervals
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Nursing Responsibilities
• Educate patient regarding medication
• Record administration of prescribed drug
• Monitor patient’s response for desired and
adverse effects
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Medical Abbreviations
• Used frequently with drug orders
• Must commit to memory
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Seven Parts of a Drug Order
1.
2.
3.
4.
Patient name
Name of drug
Dosage
Route of
administration
5. Frequency, time, and
special instructions
6. Date and time of order
7. Signature and licensure
of person writing order
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Caution
• If any parts of order missing or unclear, order
incomplete
– Therefore, not a legal drug order
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Examining Drug Orders
• Must be written clearly
– If any parts missing, order is incomplete
– If ever in doubt, ask writer to clarify
Copyright © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Six Rights of Medication
Administration
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Right patient
Right drug
Right amount
Right route
Right time
Right documentation
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Six Rights of Medication
Administration
• Right patient must receive right drug in right
amount by right route at right time, followed
by right documentation
Copyright © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Drug Orders
• Sequence:
–
–
–
–
Name of drug
Dosage
Route
Frequency
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Drug Orders
• Example: Procanbid 500 mg p.o. b.i.d.
–
–
–
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Name of drug = brand-name Procanbid
Dosage = 500 mg
Route = p.o.
Frequency = b.i.d.
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What’s Wrong?
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•
•
•
Heparin 5,000 units IV
Lasix b.i.d.
Depakene 250 mg by mouth
Demerol 50 mg IV as needed for pain
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Medication Administration Record
(MAR)
• May be paper form or electronic
• Used to record drug orders
• Health care professional must verify and initial
each order
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MAR
• Used by nurse as guide to:
– Check drug order
– Prepare correct dosage
– Record drug administration
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MAR
Delmar/Cengage Learning
Copyright © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MAR
Delmar/Cengage Learning
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Preventing Medication Errors
• Nurse can prevent medication errors by:
– Clarifying incomplete orders
– Correctly scheduling doses
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Preventing Medication Errors
• Read entire MAR at beginning of each shift
– Verify times scheduled with ordered frequency
– Review all medications to identify any potential drug
interactions or inconsistencies
Copyright © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Critical Thinking
• What is the role of a nurse in medication
administration?
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Critical Thinking
• What are the legal implications related to
medication administration?
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Critical Thinking
• What are some potential outcomes of unsafe
medication administration?
Copyright © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.