Drug Cards. Pleas Help

[MJJFan1, BSN, RN]

For our Drug Cards, we are required to write them in our own words. Simple enough right? Well how do I do that when the drug guide has everything as broken down as I could ever think it to be. Do I just cut off sentences or what? The cards aren't tailored to specific patients, the instructor just wants us to learn the drugs generally.

[cn2007rn]

I used drug cards the first semester because my teacher wanted us to have them. I think they are annoying to carry in your pocket but it helps you learn the drug by writing the info down.

I wrote down the general info about the drug, like a blood pressure medication, I would write down anti-hypertensive (drug category), I wouldn't write down how the bp med works just that it is for blood pressure. Then I would write down the route (oral, subq, IM, IV, IVPB), and the normal adult dose, and a couple side effects. The less you write the more likely you are to remember it because it's simple and easy to understand.

Good luck.

[JR816, BSN, RN]

If you look in the frug guide, most of the side effects that are critical are underlined, highlighted or italicized.

So, I would write....

trade name

generic name

safe dosage

side effects

adverse effects

patient teaching (this always impresses the clinical instuctor)

[sillygirl]

Hi, in our clinical setting the instructor wanted a brief description of how it worked, what it did and important side effects not common side effects and important teaching/implications to the patient taking the drug and why the patient is taking the drug. classification, normal dosage etc..

example ASA (aspirin) inhibits prostglandlin production

reduces fever swelling and pain and thins the blood (aggregation of blood clots) A/E stomach irritation /bleeding

blood thinner