Concepts and Principles of

Pharmacology to Ensure Safe and

Proper Use of Drugs
Prepared by: Carmina Fabonan R.N.
This particular module is
divided into 4 lessons:
● Lesson 1 Safety Considerations
● Lesson 2 Safe Medication Administration
● Lesson 3 Medication Errors
● Lesson 4 Technological Advances that
Helps Mitigate Medication Errors
Make sure you have the
following before we start:
1. Prepared Module for Unit 3
2. Any Pharmacology textbook
3. Any Drug handbook
 Unit 3 Objectives
1 2 3
Explain the importance of
the different drugs based on
Apply the nursing
Formulate a health teaching
their classification, identified process in drug therapy plan.
therapeutic actions, side and patient safety.
effects, and adverse effects.
Lesson 1: Safety
Considerations
Factors that may
influence drug action.
Individual client characteristics
Genetic factors, age, height, weight, physical and
mental conditions.

Age-related factors
Neonates and infants (due underdeveloped
system, muscle mass and metabolic
enzyme system and inadequate renal function)
Common interactions
between food and drugs
Drug Effects on Nutritional Status
Misuse of medication can alter patient nutrition status.
Some medication can cause depletion of certain
element i the body.
Food Effects on Drug Absorption
Food interaction would reduce the amount of drug that
can be absorbed into the body since most drugs are
absorbed in the intestines.
Food Effects on Drug Utilization
Food minimize the effects of drug in the body
Self-Check 1
Case Presentation.
Mrs. Concepcion, a 55-year-old patient, was admitted to the floor with a deep vein thrombosis
diagnosis. Around a week ago, the client found swelling in her left leg, but chose to treat it at home.
The lower leg, four days later, was very edematous, warm and painful to lift. The client was admitted
to the hospital after an office visit. This is first-time hospitalization of Mrs. Concepcion. Examined, you
find the left leg colder than the right one. The circumference of the left thigh is 3 inches greater than
the one of the right. After the loading dose bolus was administered, the prescribing doctor prescribed
a heparin IV drip. The drip contained 10,000 units of heparin at 10 mL / h (200 units / h) per 500 mL of
D5W. The prescribing practitioner expects Mrs. Concepcion to be weaned from the drip of heparin and
to start on subcutaneous heparin within 5 days. She is being given Coumadin at the time of discharge.

Question 1: Devise a health Question 2: list the different

teaching plan that would best fit factors that may possibly
the need of Mrs. Concepcion. influence drug action.
Individual client Answers should be data about:

characteristics genetic factors, age, height, weight,

physical and mental conditions.

Answers should be data about: Neonates

Age-related factors and infants underdeveloped system,
muscle mass and metabolic enzyme
system and inadequate renal function.
 Lesson 2: Safe
Administration of
Medications
 RIGHTS of Drug Administration
RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT
CLIENT DRUG STORAGE
The nurse should check the
using at least two medications require
label written on the bottle
client identifiers, the against the medication chart
special storage
nurse can correctly at least three times prior to environments, such as
classify the client. giving the drug while refrigeration and light
prescribing a prescription protection
 RIGHTS of Drug Administration
RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT
PREPARATION.
ROUTE DOSE.
Medication are The nurse must know how
review the directions
available in different to reduce the risk of error
from the
form and the nurse by measuring doses
manufacturer to
should be familiar in accurately and making
ensure this is done
diffrent route of giving them double-checked
correctly.
medication (oral, IM, IV prior to administration.
etc.)
RIGHTS of Drug Administration
RIGHT TIME
It is the duty of nurses to
know why a prescription
is prescribed on a
specified schedule and to
observe the schedule as
closely as possible.
RIGHT
RECORDING
Register the details in
compliance with the
local standards for
documenting the
administration of the
drug
Self-Check 2
Case Presentation.
Mrs. Concepcion, a 55-year-old patient, was admitted to the floor with a deep vein thrombosis
diagnosis. Around a week ago, the client found swelling in her left leg, but chose to treat it at home.
The lower leg, four days later, was very edematous, warm and painful to lift. The client was admitted
to the hospital after an office visit. This is first-time hospitalization of Mrs. Concepcion. Examined, you
find the left leg colder than the right one. The circumference of the left thigh is 3 inches greater than
the one of the right. After the loading dose bolus was administered, the prescribing doctor prescribed
a heparin IV drip. The drip contained 10,000 units of heparin at 10 mL / h (200 units / h) per 500 mL of
D5W. The prescribing practitioner expects Mrs. Concepcion to be weaned from the drip of heparin and
to start on subcutaneous heparin within 5 days. She is being given Coumadin at the time of discharge.

Question 1: How would you ensure high compliance of Mrs. Concepcion in administering
her take home medications?.
 Lesson 3:
Medication Errors
Medication Error
any preventable occurrence that can cause or result in excessive
use of medications or damage to the patient when the medicine is
under the control of a health care provider, patient or customer.

1 2
Medication errors shall be reported
in a timely manner
A medication error report must
include the name of the
medication, the dosage given, the
route, the time the medication was
given, the particular error that
occurred, the time the prescribing
doctor was informed about the
error and what countermeasures
were taken.
If the nurse is unable to read or
understand the prescription, the
prescriber should be contacted for
clarification.
3
The nurse can withhold any
medications if the health of the client
is at risk. Notify the prescriber of the
need to withhold the prescription
and the justification for keeping it is
appropriate. Record the reason for
the withholding of the prescription,
such as the withholding of a dosage
of antihypertensive medication due
to a client who is currently suffering
hypotension
 Self-check 3
Legal and Ethical Scenario Question 1: What should be your next
action?
While monitoring a client who has an intravenous
order for Solu-Cortef and an anti-inflammatory
drug, you find that Solu-Medrol and an anti-
inflammatory drug are in the client's room. You
review the order again to make sure that the
initial order was for Solu-Cortef and that the
order was not updated.

Question 2: How do you feel about a

nurse who made a medical mistake but
did not know it?
Lesson 4: Technological
Advances that help
mitigate medication
errors
 Technological Advances

Computerized provider order Barcode medication

enter (CPOE) administration

Clinical decision support

system (CDSS)
 Technological Advances

Radio frequency Wireless sensor network Electronic health record

identification (WSN) (EHR)
 Self -Check 4
Instructions
Make a brief analysis of the most up-to - date technical
developments that are being used in the Philippines and
other countries to reduce drug errors in the healthcare
system. Specify a minimum of five (5) technologies. Make
sure to properly cite your references/sources following the
APA 7th edition..

TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION Reference/Source

Thank You
For Attending!