medications

I've never had to give medication info without looking it up. In fact, I bring the Davis drug book with me to clinicals to look them up! Then, before they're given, I have to tell the instructor what they're for, etc. Like, "Colace is a stool softener that draws water into the colon to create bulk and facilitate easier passage of stool. Or, aspirin is used as either an antipyretic or, in the case of some patients, as an analgesic or as an antiplatelet aggregation drug." The drugs that are used on particular units are not so many that they're impossible to remember. In my first two clinicals, we used a lot of insulin, Lovenox, aspirin, colace, and beta blockers of all types.

I suggest try to remember drug class as oppose to all of the drug names. If you study the class, the prototype, the action, use, side effects, and nursing implications...then you should be fine.

We make medication cards and bring them to clinicals. I save them all on my computer so I can use them over and over again. Also, we are not expected to memorize ALL the drugs for clinical. We look them up the night before and take the med cards to the hospital the next day. It's impossible to remember every med!!

I suggest try to remember drug class as oppose to all of the drug names. If you study the class, the prototype, the action, use, side effects, and nursing implications...then you should be fine.

I agree with this. And also when you work on your floor you will end up seeing some of the same medications over and over. Right now I'm on a med-surg floor and I see furosemide (Lasix), enoxaparin (Lovenox), insulins, metoprolol (Lopressor), levothyroxine (Synthroid), levofloxacin (Levaquin), pantoprazole (Protonix), morphine, methylprednisolone (Solumedrol), are just a few that come to mind. The hospital that I am at also has a list of "PRN meds" that do not need a prescription and can be administered at the nurse's discretion. These meds include:

zolpidem (Ambien)

aluminum-magnesium hydroxide with simethicone (Mylanta)

magnesium hydroxide (Milk of Magnesia)

acetaminophen (Tylenol)

bisacodyl (Dulcolax)

cepacol lozenges

guaifenesin with dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM)

prochlorperazine (Compazine)

I'm sure the PRN meds have an MD order. We can't give meds without a Rx! At my hospital, the MD writes PRN orders (some w/ parameters) and the nurse can give.....but never w/o an order. We can't even give Tylenol w/o an order!!