Common meds in the SICU

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What are some of the most common medications/IV drips used in the SICU?

I'm a student nurse and I'm starting my clinical rotation in the SICU soon and want to prepare myself.

Thank you!

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Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.

Pressors

Levophed

Epi

Vasopressin

Phenylepherine

Sedatives/Analgesics/Anxiolytic

Ativan

Versed

Fentanyl

Morphine

Dilaudid

Propofol

Percocet

Xanax

Seroquel

VTE Prophylaxis

Lovenox injection

Heparin injection

Heparin gtts (you'll see these a lot with people that are on coumadin pre-op and are NPO after surgery. They will keep the heparin gtt going until their INR is therapeutic again.)

GI prophylaxis

Pepcid

Protonix

Prilosec

You'll probably see an insulin gtt and know your different types of insulin durations. Also study your anti-hypertensives like your beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACEI, ARBs, etc. You'll also see almost every antibiotic under the sun, but I would pay special attention to vancomycin. I would also study up on the ventilator and start studying ABGs.

I'm sure others will throw in more meds, but I just listed the most common ones at my hospital that I see a lot because it would be almost impossible to list all of them.

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Cardio/HTN meds

Metoprolol

Labetalol

Esmolol

Diltiazem

Amiodarone

Nicardipine

Nitroprusside

Nitroglycerine

hydralazine

Norepinephrine/Epinephrine/Dopamine/Dobutamine/Vasopressin/Phenylephrine

Others

Fenyanyl, Midazolam, propofol, lorazepam, haloperidol, hydromorphone, morphine

Vancomycin, linezolid, moxifloxacin, imipenem, Invanz, cefazolin, meropenem, cipro, levaquin, flagyl, gentamycin, daptomycin, fluconazole, tygacyl

Regular Insulin, Lantus, Levimir, NPH, etc. Dextrose 50%, Potassium Phos/Chloride, Sodium Phos, Calcium Chloride and Gluconate, magnesium sulfate, heparin SubQ and Gtts, Lovenox, Arixtra, coumadin. Dilantin, Keppra, Sodium Bicarb.

Some SICUs take vascular surgery patients...If yours does....TPA infusions will be something for you to learn.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Primary Care and ICU.

Well stated

Pressors

Levophed

Epi

Vasopressin

Phenylepherine

Sedatives/Analgesics/Anxiolytic

Ativan

Versed

Fentanyl

Morphine

Dilaudid

Propofol

Percocet

Xanax

Seroquel

VTE Prophylaxis

Lovenox injection

Heparin injection

Heparin gtts (you'll see these a lot with people that are on coumadin pre-op and are NPO after surgery. They will keep the heparin gtt going until their INR is therapeutic again.)

GI prophylaxis

Pepcid

Protonix

Prilosec

You'll probably see an insulin gtt and know your different types of insulin durations. Also study your anti-hypertensives like your beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACEI, ARBs, etc. You'll also see almost every antibiotic under the sun, but I would pay special attention to vancomycin. I would also study up on the ventilator and start studying ABGs.

I'm sure others will throw in more meds, but I just listed the most common ones at my hospital that I see a lot because it would be almost impossible to list all of them.

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WOW, thanks so much, this is great!!!

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