Medications help

LIZPICURN · May 28, 2006

Look it up! After a while you will definately be able to recognize a lot of the meds and not have to do it with the common ones. Remember this is your license, so be safe rather than sorry. Good Luck! You will do great!

JessicRN · May 28, 2006

Hi all nurses,
I'm in my 2nd year nursing course. I still having difficulties in serving medications. I having hard time remembering the drugs' name. (Brand name and generic name). At times, doctors write the brand name and I can't figure out which drug as it was in generic name. Can someone give me some ideas how to remember the name or I have to reference to drug guide everytime I serve?

I am a 27 year RN working in the ED and I will not give any IV medication without looking it up (our facility has IV drugs listed and recommendations on the intranet which when given we are supposed to look up first)) to this day because recommendations change ie giving of phenerghan IV. I have become slacker with PO medication mostly because I use it all the time.

Much medication in hospitals is the same so you learn it by 2nd nature.

TazziRN, RN · May 28, 2006

It's natural for students to have trouble remembering everything; each student is expected to look things up before administering each time, to make sure you know the information. As a "real nurse" you will find yourself still looking up medications. Every nursing unit has several drug references and they are well worn by nurses of all experience levels. When in doubt, look it up and don't be afraid to do that. Nurses who DON'T look up meds are the dangerous ones.

dec30dd · May 29, 2006

Thanks for all the replied. Will take the advice.

RNin2007 · May 29, 2006

One of the things I use my pocket pc for the most is looking up drugs. It is soooo fast compared to thumbing through a book. I can look up a drug in seconds, and know everything I need to know before giving it. The pocket pc drug program has just as much info as the book.

~J