Date post: | 19-Jan-2016 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | cleopatra-powell |
View: | 242 times |
Download: | 0 times |
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Chapter 6
Oral Medication Labels and Dosage Calculation
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Average Doses
• Most oral dosages consist of half to three tablets or capsules or half to double the mL volume in liquid medications.
6-2
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Safety Points
• Question any prescriptions that require unusual number of tablets or capsules.– More than three
• Be mindful of errors in prescribing, transcribing, or calculating.
6-3
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Solid Oral Drug Preparations
• Tablets
• Scored tablets– Indented marking to make breaking for partial drug
dosages easier and more accurate
(continues)
6-4
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Solid Oral Drug Preparations (cont’d)
• Enteric coated tablets– Delayed absorption until medication reaches small
intestine
• Capsules– Powdered or oily medications in gelatin cover
(continues)
6-5
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Solid Oral Drug Preparations (cont’d)
• Sustained or controlled-release capsules– Action of medication spread over prolonged period of
time
6-6
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Tablet and Capsule Labels
• Unit dosage label in which each tablet or capsule is packaged separately– Most common label in clinical setting
(continues)
6-7
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Tablet and Capsule Labels (cont’d)
• Each drug has only one official name but may have several trade names, created by the companies that produce them.
6-8
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Drug Label Information
• Trade or brand name– Capitalized
• Generic or official name– Lowercase
• Strength in metric measure– Always has unit of measure
(continues)
6-9
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Drug Label Information (cont’d)
• Manufacturers are continuing to correct the following on drug labels:– “gr” for gram, which is being eliminated from use in
health care
– Inserting a space between the dosage and the unit of measure, such as “500 mg” instead of “500 mg”
(continues)
6-10
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Drug Label Information (cont’d)
• Manufacturer
• Lot number
• Expiration date– Must check before administering
6-11
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Other Label Information
• If drug is in a multiple dose container, number of tablets or capsules in container will be on label.
• United States Pharmacopeia (USP) or National Formulary (NF) may be on multiple dose containers.
6-12
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Caution
• Learn to question orders for more than 3 tablets or capsules.
6-13
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Liquid Oral Medications
• In addition to aforementioned label information, labels for liquid oral medications state dosage strength in both:– Unit of measure
• For example, mg, mcg, g, etc.
– Amount of dosage strength in mL of fluid
(continues)
6-14
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Liquid Oral Medications (cont’d)
• Smaller volumes may be measured in oral or hypodermic (without needle) syringes.
• Larger volumes are usually measured in calibrated medication cup:– 20 mL or more
6-15
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Multiple Drug Preparations
• Preparations containing multiple drugs list name and dosage of each drug.– For example, Percocet™ contains oxycodone 5 mg and
acetaminophen 325 mg
(continues)
6-16
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Multiple Drug Preparations (cont’d)
• Tablets and capsules that contain more than one drug are usually prescribed by trade name and number of tablets/capsules to be given.– For example, Percocet™ 5 mg
6-17
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Safety Points
• Some dosage strengths contain both metric and apothecary (gr) measures.
• Read labels carefully.
(continues)
6-18
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Safety Points (cont’d)
• Labels will not state amount of tablets/capsules or solution contained in prescribed dose.
(continues)
6-19
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Safety Points (cont’d)
• When using calibrated medicine cup for liquid oral medications:– Pour safely at eye level.
– Always read calibrations carefully.• Some contain several seldom-used units of measure.
6-20
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Tablet/Capsule/Oral Liquid Medication Calculation
• Use basic formula:
• D = desired or dosage prescribed
• H = have/on hand
• Q = quantity
• X = unknown
DH
Q X
6-21
Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning®
Conversions
• Conversions are necessary if medication is prescribed in one unit of metric measure and available (labeled) medication is in another unit of metric measure.
• Make conversions before using basic formula.
6-22