Memorizing drug interactions!

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Hi everyone! I am a nursing student trying to prepare to be the safest nurse I can and I have been trying to memorize as many drug interactions, contraindications and major adverse reactions as possible lately. Please feel free to leave a comment with any and all interactions, interesting contraindications, or major adverse reactions or Rx. gems you have memorized or have come across or use on a regular basis. I'll list as many as I have in my head right now that I have come across recently

.octreotide and pantoprazole in a Y site IVP

.lorazepam and ondansetron IVP

.Dilantin and D5 IV

.succinylcholine(all depolarizing muscular blockades) For RSI Is contraindicated in CKD/ESRD, burns, crush injuries, and muscular dystrophy.(anything causing hyperK)

.dantroline is a vesicant and hyaluronidase is the antidote for extravasation.

.Bicarb, calcium gluconate/calcium chloride, Dilantin and potassium are drugs that should pretty much have their own primary tubing/no piggy and should not have meds pushed through them to be safe.

This is just what's in my head at the moment. I'll post as I learn more or come across others that I know but am not thinking of at the moment!

please feel free to ad or correct/clarify anything I have said.

Thank you in advance.

-ND

Thank you for taking the time to give me solid advice. Very helpful. I appreciate the direction you are turning me in. That book is on its way to my house.

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Specializes in NICU.

Since most classes of drugs have the same contraindications and side effects, we used Mosby's Pharmacology Memory Flash cards. It is simpler than memorizing every drug. Mosby's Pharmacology Memory NoteCards: Visual, Mnemonic, and Memory Aids for Nurses, 4e: 978

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Specializes in Critical care.

Why would it matter for you to know that levophed is compatible with potassium chloride, fentanyl, propofol, etc. if you don't work in critical care? Certain meds we use all the time we know compatibilities for, but I always double check with micromedex to be safe- it's not worth the risk.

I always hang potassium as a piggyback- I hang it with a KVO flush to insure the patient gets the total amount, same with other meds like IV antibiotic. My old hospital told us we need to make sure a KVO of at least 13mls was run to make sure the patient recieved the entire amount of medication (that was for the specific type of IV tubing we used).

Protonix is pretty much not compatible with anything. We were happy when we went from IV piggyback running over 30 minutes to IVP over 2 minutes.

Have you learned about amphotericin b? It's an antifungal that is not compatible with normal saline.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
As I understand it neither poster thus far has any specialized knowledge to impart on this highly motivated nursing student, eager to learn.

Only years of experience with practical nursing habits (and impractical/inefficient habits), but apparently that is not helpful to you. Actual nurses who are taking the time to give you their best, most helpful answers. Because their answers do not match your preconceived notions does not mean that you should immediately discard or demean the advice that YOU ASKED FOR.

When you ask for advice, suggestions and experience based practice on the Internet, you don't get to dictate the responses. Nor should you be disrespectful to those who are trying to help.

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

In my opinion the best IV medication resource is: Gahart's 2018 Intravenous Medications: A Handbook for Nurses and Health Professionals; Other Format; Author - Betty L. Gahart

The absolute best!You look up the medication and it lists everything about it.I find the compatibility, rate of administration,precautions and antidote sections very helpful.Many hospitals have this as their approved IV drug reference. You may be able to find all the information anout a an IV medication by using several references but Gahart has it all in one hany book and I have never practiced without it by my side!

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Thank you for taking the time to give me solid advice. Very helpful. I appreciate the direction you are turning me in. That book is on its way to my house.

Every one that responded gave you "solid advice". You need to appreciate that, instead of being beyond rude to them.

Besides.. you have "been getting so much guidance and mentoring at my employment from veteran nurses" what do you need us for?

By the way.. that book you bought? Not even close to the wealth of information you would get here. I will reserve my 35 years of application of pharmacology.. to those that deserve it.

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Every one that responded gave you "solid advice". You need to appreciate that, instead of being beyond rude to them.

Besides.. you have "been getting so much guidance and mentoring at my employment from veteran nurses" what do you need us for?

By the way.. that book you bought? Not even close to the wealth of information you would get here. I will reserve my 35 years of application of pharmacology.. to those that deserve it.

This is a non-supportive comment and quite off topic. It is not the direction im going with the thread.

Thank you.

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In my opinion the best IV medication resource is: Gahart's 2018 Intravenous Medications: A Handbook for Nurses and Health Professionals; Other Format; Author - Betty L. Gahart

The absolute best!You look up the medication and it lists everything about it.I find the compatibility, rate of administration,precautions and antidote sections very helpful.Many hospitals have this as their approved IV drug reference. You may be able to find all the information anout a an IV medication by using several references but Gahart has it all in one hany book and I have never practiced without it by my side!

Thank you so much for this I will be looking into this handbook!

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Where's that internet meme ...the one that says "whoa we got a bada** here"

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You really come across as stuck up and confrontational. We don't need to know the capabilities of your special brain nor do we care how many algorithms you've memorized. What we know is that in nursing practice, things get messy and you need to know how to prioritize. With all the things you could be dedicating time to memorizing as a nursing student, this is like six feet underground it's so low on the totem pole of importance. You can look this up in less than a minute in just about any hospital you'll ever work in. I've got it bookmarked; click, type in drugs, give if green light, rework the plan if a no-go.

An eager nursing student is good. One coming in, asking nurses for advice, bucking all advice they get and lecturing us on their special brain capabilities, and being really insulting and rude to people YOU asked for help looks like a real brown-noser who can't take social cues and will one day be the super annoying unit snitch.

However, I will point out that this:

By the way.. that book you bought? Not even close to the wealth of information you would get here. I will reserve my 35 years of application of pharmacology.. to those that deserve it.

is one of the most uppity self-important quotes I've ever seen on this website and there have been some real doozies. I legit cringed.

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As I understand it neither poster thus far has any specialized knowledge to impart on this highly motivated nursing student, eager to learn.

You really need to learn how to listen to people that have been DOING this professionally without coming across as rude and condescending. They both gave great responses and you, a STUDENT, dismissed them and insulted them. You're still learning and they're doing this for real. You also ended your first post with "please feel free to ad or correct/clarify anything I have said, but I guess you meant only if it agreed with your tiny little list.

Anyway, I've been doing this 9 years and I still look up meds and definitely interactions. You can never be too sure in this profession. You literally have someone's life in your hands and you can't have that attitude. Look up or double-check your meds. I wish you lots of luck in your education and future endeavors. :)

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Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.

Valium IV is always on my radar as a no mix drug.

As PP suggested, Dantrolene is a rare orphan drug most people never give (or need to know anything about)

I also agree with the over-eager-beaver stuff. Random memorizing is NOT critical thinking.

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