Safe Medication Administration Program 2 – Acute Care

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CPD POINTS: 2

This second medication administration program is designed to build on the first LearnPRN Drug Administration Program. This program is designed to assist the nurse in understanding the different drug forms and the implications this has on daily clinical practice. This program helps to answer the old-age question of “Can I crush this drug?”. Considerations related to drugs and older adults are also discussed. As with the first drug administration program, a section on drug calculations is included.

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this program participants will demonstrate the ability to:

Appreciate the nurses' role in quality use of medicines.
Describe the four phases of pharmacokinetics.
Identify factors that can affect the absorption of medications.
Identify oral medications that should not be cut or crushed and briefly explain the rationale.
Outline the physiological factors that can alter drug pharmacokinetics in the older person.
Calculate accurate drug dosages using appropriate formulae.