Question

. It is important that nurses who administer medications understand the importance of pharmacokinetics. Discuss how knowledge of pharmacokinetics (be complete) impacts the drug doses that are ordered and administered. If you are not complete, there will be no credit. With this understanding, also add what the nurse can do to assure patient safety when the patient condition changes.

Answer 1

Yes, it is important to know the pharmacokinetics of drugs by the nurse who is going to administer. Pharmacokinetics is the study of the process of drug or movement of drugs within the body. The knowledge of pharmacokinetics impacts the doses. Base on the dose and the drug, we can identify the drug's absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. The more absorption the more effective the drug n the body and the more excretion shows, the drugs are not absorbed properly. So, if the dose is high or low affects pharmacokinetics and changes in plasma concentration of the drugs in the body. Also with the age difference, the drug dose are different and pharmacokinetics are different. For the safeness of the patient, the nurse should check the proper dose. Whether is dose is coming under recommended dose base on the age or not, have to check before administration. The nurse should check the correct drug, route, frequency of the drug. If changes of the patient occur after administration then stop the drug in case of intravenous, for oral drugs immediately informed to the doctor.