meds - confused

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If an EN who has completed and passed the meds subject was to give a patient 500g of oral paracetamol because of a headache which was prescribed, Why would she be reprimanded by the RN for not consulting with her prior.

500g paracentamol would be over 1500 pills if the dosage came as 325mg tabs. Clearly it was a typo, guys.. whether the OP realizes it or not.. No amount of mucomyst would save that patient.

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Specializes in hospice.

I find it really sad that the OP seems to need to keep insisting it's not a typo. Better to kill the patient 30 times over than take a hit to your ego, I guess.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
500g paracentamol would be over 1500 pills if the dosage came as 325mg tabs. Clearly it was a typo, guys.. whether the OP realizes it or not.. No amount of mucomyst would save that patient.

Well if you wanted to put 100x 500mg pills in a blender and add to a milkshake you could make your own lethal cocktail. More painful death due to liver failure than lethal injection.

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no, just a discussion

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Well if you wanted to put 100x 500mg pills in a blender and add to a milkshake you could make your own lethal cocktail. More painful death due to liver failure than lethal injection.

Is acute liver failure painful? I always wondered.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
no, just a discussion

But WHY?

WHY would you be discussing whether an EN/LPN would/should get in trouble from the RN for giving a lethal dose of a medication to a patient? And in this blue sky discussion, did you discuss HOW you would give 500g at one dose to a patient? Logistically, how would you even accomplish this? Unless you were planning the "death smoothie" such as what Beachy suggested.

I'm just not following why this would even be a topic of discussion.

"Hey, if an LPN gave some IV potassium chloride to a patient without first consulting the RN, should she be disciplined?"

I mean, in what possible context would this possibly come up in a conversation?

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But WHY?

WHY would you be discussing whether an EN/LPN would/should get in trouble from the RN for giving a lethal dose of a medication to a patient? And in this blue sky discussion, did you discuss HOW you would give 500g at one dose to a patient? Logistically, how would you even accomplish this? Unless you were planning the "death smoothie" such as what Beachy suggested.

I'm just not following why this would even be a topic of discussion.

"Hey, if an LPN gave some IV potassium chloride to a patient without first consulting the RN, should she be disciplined?"

I mean, in what possible context would this possibly come up in a conversation?

Next thing you know the OP is going to ask a discussion question about whether it's OK for an EN (or whatever) to push 500meq of KCL and whether they should consult their supervising RN. You know, just for discussion. Sorry, I'm a little punchy today...

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Hi - I think we are just a bit confused. Truly.

The 500 gram issue is huge.

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Hi - I think we are just a bit confused. Truly.

The 500 gram issue is huge.

Couldn't agree more. However:

I dont know why you are all getting so involved with this question. It was just a general discussion, not homework, nothing serious and was NOT a typo.

This tells me one of two things. Either the post was meant to be be spam or the OP really doesn't understand the scope of what he/she is posting (i.e. claiming that 500g is a "large dose" and not realizing that it is lethal). If it's the latter, then I sure hope I don't end up in that person's care someday.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Op, if you truly gave 500 GRAMS of that medication to your patient, you should have called emergency services because your patient will die if not treated or didnt vomit up the medication. People can commit suicide with high doses of paracetamol lower than 500g. You should lose your license and that poor RN who you didn't consult will have to be disciplined because of your misstep. In case the amount of medication you gave is indeed 500mg, then yes you should have consulted with the RN before giving it and if you aren't sure of a dose of something you shouldn't be giving it to start with.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

You cannot give 500 GRAMS of Acetaminophen....it is a lethal dose.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

7.5g is a lethal dose

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