How do you typically check medicines?

[mitral]

New nurses often don't know many of the drugs, so I'm wondering how do you usually check medicines: uses, interactions, side effects, allergy cross overs, all of that? Especially since we're supposed to know all of that on each med before we pass it, is there a quick, easy way? We don't get phone reception or Internet on our floor, either (someone suggested the web.) any ideas would be appreciated, I'm more than a little nervous about it.

[Anne36, LPN]

We just have a Drug reference guide book at the Nurses station. No computers, or cell phones where I work either. I have not had to look up that many Drugs. The times I found I really needed it were to reference the generic vs the brand name.

[PediLove2147, BSN, RN]

When you click on a med in our E-MAR you can click Drug Info and it gives all the information you need! I love it, I know most of our common meds but occasionally I get a med I don't know.

Sometimes people are on things for indications other than the usual, people are like, "I don't have HTN!" Oh, ummm.. haha.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Drug Reference Book. Very handy.

I refuse to purchase a new phone that has to have a data plan. I just use it for phone calls and occasional text messages.

We recently had to go electronic for our charting and guess what? First time I used it, the whole hospital lost service.

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

buy yourself a drug book and hide it where only you can use it so it doesn't dissapear. It is very important to look up meds when you aren't sure. I still do it a lot after 10 years

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I look up everyone I don't know......micromedx is good and so is medscape. I also use google.

[lemur00, BSN, RN]

I'd recommend Davis as a drug guide as it includes assessment, labs and all the most important info. We have Lippincott on our units which basically sucks.

It's so much nicer to be able to search through Davis or Lexicomp on your phone though.

[MattNurse, MSN, RN]

For the most part, you will pass the same drugs everyday. On my floor new grads will start on orientation with 1 patient, you will have plenty of time to look up the drugs you don't know and you will have a preceptor, pharmacists, charge nurses and colleagues to talk with.

I pass these same drugs every night, vanco, zosyn, ceftriaxone, heparin, metoprolol, simvastatin, synthroid (AM dose), senna, docusate, dilaudid, benadryl, tylenol, milk of mag, levemir, albuterol, advair, ativan, pepcid, protonix, maalox, nitro paste, aspirin etc etc (you get the point). Every once in a while I will get a new med that I can look up quick.

It is very daunting for a new nurse to look at a thick reference book and think they will pass all those meds, you won't. If you get into a specialty area too they will have their own set of meds, OB (mag sulfate, terbutaline), ICU (pressors and sedation) etc etc.

[elenaperod]

New nurses often don't know many of the drugs, so I'm wondering how do you usually check medicines: uses, interactions, side effects, allergy cross overs, all of that? Especially since we're supposed to know all of that on each med before we pass it, is there a quick, easy way? We don't get phone reception or Internet on our floor, either (someone suggested the web.) any ideas would be appreciated, I'm more than a little nervous about it.

In Spain We check it in medimecum book or internet, well, I usually ask to another nurse too.