Drug Cards! Help!

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2006

hi, quick2k2ecotec!

you can get lists of drugs by their categories at this site:

http://www.globalrph.com/ - has drug listings, instructions for iv dilutions in mixing piggyback meds, you can search for specific drugs (uses rxlist.com), or chose the drug table button to get lists of medications arranged by categories. clicking on the infectious disease button takes you to an infectious disease database arranged by disease which give you listings of antibiotic choices that can be used for treatment. there are a number of medical calculators here including one to calculate drip rates on some of the commonly used icu medications. there are also links to a video library.

to get some of the other information you need, you can get some pdr drug monographs at this site:

drugs.com http://www.drugs.com/

this site will format and print out med cards for you (you have to input your own information):

http://www.edruginfo.com/qthome.htm - e-druginfo.com's gateway page into medi-quik construct-a-card. you need to register, but it's free. you have to input all the information yourself. this constructor merely prints it onto a pre-formatted form. in playing around with the constructor i found that you could not go back otherwise you lost your input data. i was able to shrink the finished card down to about 7" x 5" but my printer didn't print any border, or perhaps i just didn't know how to apply a border or shrink the card down smaller.

welcome to allnurses! :welcome:

quick2k2ecotec · Sep 27, 2006

I'm not seeing where these 10 are listed.

quick2k2ecotec · Sep 27, 2006

This is what we need:

Drug Classification: Antibiotics/Antimicrobial Agents

Therapeutic Use: Used to cure/control most infections caused by a variety of microorganisms. Adjuncts to such methods including surgical incision on drainage, pulmonary toilet, and wound debridement.

Brief Mechanism of Action: Destroys of suppresses the growth of infecting microorganisms. Dependent on category, this is accomplished by inhibiting cell wall synthesis, altering cell wall permeability, inhibiting protein synthesis, and inhibiting the synthesis of essential metabolites.

Prototypes (2): Penicillin – Penicillin, Amoxil, Augmentin. Cephalosporins (4 generations) – Ancef, Keflin, Ceclor, Zinacef, Fortaz, Rocephin. Marolides – Zithromax, Biaxin. Lincomycins – Cleocin, Linocin. Aminoglycosides – Nebcin, Garamycin. Tetracyclines – Vibramycin, Minocin. Fluroquinoles – Cipro, Floxin. Sulfonamides – Bactrim.

Side Effects: Abnormal cramping, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, rash, GI upset, fever, uticaria with pruritus, chills, generalized erythema, anaphylaxis, headache, photosensitivity (Tetracyclines), nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity (Aminoglycosides, Fluroquinalones), Ototoxicity (Aminoglycosides).

Nursing Implications: Assess for effectiveness of drug therapy by monitoring signs and symptoms of patient’s infection, including WBC and cultures. Obtain any ordered cultures from patient before beginning medication therapy because this will alter culture results. Carefully assess and monitor for incompatibility between drugs, since multiple drug therapy may be likely. Be alert for signs of allergic symptoms, as well as signs of super-infection (diarrhea, white patches in oral cavity/lady partsl area). Monitor serum therapeutic drug levels carefully. Notify prescriber if toxic levels are noted. Administer IV drugs according to manufacturer’s instructions. Infusions should be intermittent, infusion sites should be monitored carefully. Instruct patient to take full cycle of medication therapy, not to share drugs with others and to not take “leftover” antibiotics for a new illness. Instruct patient that antibiotics may alter some home laboratory tests (urine glucose). Instruct patient to report buzzing/ringing in ears or hearing loss to prescriber. Avoid sun and use sun protection measures if photosensitivity occurs. Instruct patient not to double doses, and to take medication on or around the clock basis if ordered (produces a constant blood level).

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2006

[color=#cc0033]when you go into the globalrph.com site, click on "drug tables" at the very bottom of the home page. a dynamic list comes up. scroll down that page and you will see an alphabetic listing of the drug categories. these are all links to lists of medications in those categories. there are also some medical conditions thrown in there as well, i notice. if you click on these links, a listing of medications in that category will come up that will include what the drug is used for and the normal dosage. you are going to have to also use other sources to get all the other information you need. that's why i gave you the drugs.com website so you could get into some of the pdr monographs. this site (globalrph,com) will link you to rx.com if you want to use that online med source. i can't think of any one source that is going to give you all the information you are needing for each drug unless you can get into the pdr monograph of a drug. even then, the pdr does not specifically list out nursing implications. this is where you have to do some critical thinking. if you don't already have a nursing drug handbook, i would strongly suggest that you get one by the time you are going into the clinical area and getting ready to give medications to patients. the nursing drug handbooks specifically list the nursing implications of each drug. some of the other students on the forums might be helpful in telling you where online you can find nursing implications for the drugs. i just don't know. i have a copy of mosby's nursing drug reference here at home that i use to find nursing implications of any particular drug. sooner or later, you are just going to have to break down and buy one of these kinds of books. there are several publishers who have them on the market for nurses.

Megsd, BSN, RN · Sep 29, 2006

Yep, nursing drug guides are good for that. I have the Prentice Hall nurse's drug guide and it will list implications for assessment and testing as well as patient education. I have used it EXTENSIVELY so far.