Pharmacology and Medication Administration
What you must understand
Know the rights of medication administration (right patient, drug, dose, route, time, documentation), high-alert medications, common drug classes and their key adverse effects, and safe calculation. Understand pharmacokinetics at a basic level: absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion.
Traps in questions
- The five rights are frequently tested through a scenario where one right is missing - for example, an illegible order or an unlabelled medication. Never administer an unclear order; clarify it.
- High-alert drugs - insulin, heparin, opioids, potassium concentrates, and chemotherapy require independent double-checks.
- Adverse effects - know the classic ones: aminoglycosides (ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity), ACE inhibitors (dry cough, hyperkalaemia), NSAIDs (gastric irritation, renal effects), and warfarin (bleeding; monitor INR).
- Routes - never give potassium by IV push; it must be diluted and infused.
Worked rule of thumb
For dose calculation, use desired over have times quantity: (dose ordered ÷ dose on hand) × volume. Check that units match before calculating, and sanity-check the answer - if a pediatric dose looks like an adult dose, re-check.
Safety principle
When in doubt, stop and verify. A delay in giving a medication is preferable to giving the wrong one.