Most commonly used meds?

1. I am starting a new position in the PCU next week and I am trying to read up on the most commonly used medications. Can anyone tell me what you see most commonly in the PCU or ICU? Thank you.

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2. 3 Comments

   Comment
3. 
   Apr 25, '13

   Cardiac drips. Drips like heparin, integrillin, nitro, amiodarone, cordorone, cardizem, lasix, insulin, levophed. Be familiar with beta blockers. Coumadin. Effient. Digoxin. IV pain meds.
   
   Always refer to your facility's protocols regarding medications and things you should monitor. My facility requires any drip to also have a safety line of NS hung as well.
   
   Good luck!
4. 
   Apr 25, '13

   Not sure if this applies to your facility, but at my facility many of the ICU type cardiac/sedation drips aren't accepted in PCU-must be weaned off the IV stuff before they can ship out of ICU.
   
   But as the above person suggested, being familiar with cardiac meds is a good idea. I'd like to add anti seizure meds (Phenytoin, Keppra, etc) to that list as well. Many patients are still getting IV antibiotics as well- wouldn't be a bad idea to familiarize yourself with those too and know side effects/toxicities associated with them (Vanco, Zosyn, Unasyn)
   
   Also, know your blood products and protocol at your facility for hanging each of them! FFP, cryo, PRBCs, platelets. It was slightly embarrassing coming to my current facility having never hung a single blood product and not knowing the protocol for each of them. (My last job had a blood team that would hang our blood products/do the monitoring for us).
5. 
   Apr 26, '13

   Thank you!

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