Priority Medication Administration

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Ok, Here is a question I have on a take home quiz for school...I think I have my rationale figured out, but I am wondering what you all think.

The question is:

Prioritize the order in which you will administer these meds and provide a rationale.

SL Nitroglycerine for a patient with chest pain

IM injection for pain for a patient with recent abdominal surgery

Cortisone cream for a patient with a rash caused by antibiotics

PO Antibiotics for a patient being treated for pneumonia.

This is the order I would administer, not the way it is on the quiz.

I am wracking my brain over this, does anyone have some advice?

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Specializes in Corrections, Education, Med/Surg, AGNP-HIV.

SL Nitroglycerine for a patient with chest pain

IM injection for pain for a patient with recent abdominal surgery

PO Antibiotics for a patient being treated for pneumonia.

Cortisone cream for a patient with a rash caused by antibiotics

This is the route i would go, with no other information provided, like orders, time the pt last took the med, etc...

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SL Nitroglycerine for a patient with chest pain

IM injection for pain for a patient with recent abdominal surgery

PO Antibiotics for a patient being treated for pneumonia.

Cortisone cream for a patient with a rash caused by antibiotics

This is the route i would go, with no other information provided, like orders, time the pt last took the med, etc...

Thanks, yeah it's very skimpy on the information surrounding the situations. Thank you for your input though!

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im a new student..so i may be entirely wrong but i chose:

nitroglycerine - im thinking heart attack major priority

anti-biotic - pt with pneumonia, fluid filling up in lungs next priority

im injection - pain is priority, but not life threatening?

cortisone- for rash

just my 2!

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

1. Nitroglycerine: want to try to stop the progression towards an MI

2. Antibiotics: these are given on a precise schedule in order to be the most effective

3. IM injection: pain should be relieved

4. Cortisone: as the reaction isn't life threatening, this can be last.

What was the answer on the quiz, BTW?

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It is a take home quiz so I won't know till Monday...

I guess I am thinking the Nitro first for obvious reasons, but I feel like once I administer that drug I can't really leave the pt alone...But still I would want to give this first.

IM pain med next, because you want to stay ahead of the pain and medicate before the pain gets bad.

I think the last two are sort of a toss up, but I would want to give the cortisone cream next...The pneumonia patient can wait a bit because if she has been on the antibiotic for any length of time it should be built up to a therapeutic level in her system, so being a bit late with it should not be a huge deal...

I am probably over thinking this whole thing, thanks to everyone for the imput!

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please let us know the correct answers...thanks! (and good luck)

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SL Nitroglycerine for a patient with chest pain

IM injection for pain for a patient with recent abdominal surgery

PO Antibiotics for a patient being treated for pneumonia.

Cortisone cream for a patient with a rash caused by antibiotics

This is the route i would go, with no other information provided, like orders, time the pt last took the med, etc...

mrincc, This is the right answer...I ended up going with my original answer and got it wrong :( But you totally got it right!

Thanks to everyone for the help!

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thanks for posting the correct answers...i guess this is why i get confused with nsg school...i seriously thought pneumonia is a priority over pain....! guess i have much to learn

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

ok....for future reference.

NITRO is a big STAT med.....

then treat pain...there's a reason they call it the "6th" vital sign.

po meds come above creams...especially antibiotics. the timing is very important with those.

cremes can be done at any moment..

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Thanks for your explanation, it makes more sense now :)

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