Chapter 5 Drug Preparations and Equipment to Measure Doses

Copyright © 2009 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Chapter 5Drug Preparations and

Equipment to Measure Doses

Chapter 5Drug Preparations and

Equipment to Measure Doses


Drug PreparationsDrug Preparations

• Oral route

– Generally easiest for patient

– Most convenient for nurse to administer


Oral Route: TabletsOral Route: Tablets

• Powdered drugs compressed solid shapes

• Scored

• Coated

• Enteric coated

• Prolonged release or extended release

• Sublingual

• Coded

• Capsules


Oral RouteOral Route

• Capsules

• Lozenges

• Syrups

• Elixirs

• Fluid extracts and tinctures

• Solutions

• Suspensions


Oral Route (cont.)Oral Route (cont.)

• Magmas

• Gels

• Emulsions

• Powders


Parenteral RouteParenteral Route

• Injection

• Intradermal

• Subcutaneous

• Intramuscular

• Intravenous


Topical RouteTopical Route

• Aerosol powders or liquids

• Powders

• Creams

• Ointments

• Pastes

• Suppositories

• Transdermal

• Topical drops (eye, nose, ear)


Practices to Measure Liquids AccuratelyPractices to Measure Liquids Accurately

• Pour liquids to line

• Pour liquids at eye level


Equipment to Measure LiquidsEquipment to Measure Liquids


Medicine CupMedicine Cup

• Disposable container

– Plastic

– Paper

• Equivalent measures


SyringesSyringes

• 3 mL syringes

– Marking to nearest tenth

• 1 mL syringe

– Marking to nearest hundredth

• Insulin syringe

– Marking in units


Rounding off NumbersRounding off Numbers

• When the last number is 5 or more, add 1 to the previous number

• When the number is 4 or less, drop the last number


QuestionQuestion

Is the following statement true or false?

2.55 becomes 2.5


AnswerAnswer

False

2.55 becomes 2.6 because when the last number is 5 or more, add 1 to the previous number.


Rounding off Numbers for SyringesRounding off Numbers for Syringes

• 3 mL syringe: carry out two decimal places and round off to the nearest tenth

• 1 mL precision syringe: carry out three places and round off to the nearest hundredth


GaugeGauge

• Needle’s diameter or width

• The higher the gauge number, the smaller the needle’s diameter


NeedlesNeedles


QuestionQuestion

Which needle has the smallest diameter?

A. 18

B. 21

C. 23

D. 25


AnswerAnswer

D. 25

The higher the gauge number, the smaller the needle’s diameter; 18 gauge needle has the

largest needle diameter, and 25 gauge needle has the smallest needle diameter.


Needle ChoiceNeedle Choice

• Route of administration

• Size and condition of patient

• Amount of adipose tissue present at site

Documents

Chapter 5 Drug Preparations and Equipment to Measure Doses