General Forums >> Ask A Nurse >> do nurses have to remember all the drugs effects
do nurses have to remember all the drugs effects
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Posted 3 months ago i was studying the drugs and its crazy theres so much. Do nurses have to know the drug effects (including side effects) by heart? or is there a paper where you work to tell you the drug side effects and etc? if there is, do people look down on you if you use it a lot? o by the way, i want to be a cc nurse, representing!! |
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| Posted 3 months ago Yes you do. You better know side effects of EVERY SINGLE DRUG you administer. |
2650 posts back to top |
| Posted 3 months ago You do need to know them, but NO ONE can rememeber them all. That's why there are drug handbooks available to everyone. You need to look up all your patient's drugs you are not familiar with prior to administration. "Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you" - Robert Fulghum |
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| Posted 3 months ago I totally agree, because im sure you do not want to risk your license and your patients life, most especially, right?! No one wants to. A good drug handbook is of great help since there are so many drugs and memorizing their side effetcs are not that easy. No harm in being careful., because we are dealing with life here "happiness depends upon ourselves" |
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| Posted 3 months ago Know them now!!! Drug books later. Some group of meds have the same side effects Example: Narcotic pain meds: common side effects: lowered respiratory rate, drowsiness, urinary retention, constipation, OK, and psych drugs be VERY careful most all have SERIOUS LIFE THREATENING side effects such as orthostatic hypotension, tarditive dyskenesia, pseudoparkinsion, hyperthermia. Get a good drug book to study by. Many common side effects are highlighted as well as the severe life-threatening ones. Also, drug cards are a good way to learn your meds. We had to write them out by hand in school but you can buy them already made. It makes them easy to carry to clinicals and I use them at work! |
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| Posted 3 months ago how many do you have to remember |
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| Posted about 1 month ago YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING AND I STRONGLY AGREE WITH LENG THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH LIFE HERE SO WE SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL |
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| Posted 23 days ago Patient safety is the number one priority. It is your responsibility to know what med you're giving and the major side effects and contraindications. It does not matter if the MD was wrong in ordering the med in error. YOU are the one giving the med and are held ultimately responsible for holding or giving the med. Tha patient's life is first, your license is secondary. look up the med online or have a nursing guide to meds book where you work and can have easy access. NEVER give a med that you aren't familiar with UNTIL you look it up. The nurse always looks for side effects that can be life threatening so the next step can be taken quickly. |
