GE CARESCAPE - 26 Drug calculations; About drug calculations

26
Drugcalculations
Aboutdrugcalculations
Theintravenousadministrationofmedicationsisacommonpractice.Manydrugsare
titratedbasedonthepatient’sphysiologicresponsetothemedicationoraccordingto
thepatient’sweight.Accuracyandsafetyarealwaysimportantindrugtherapy,and
precisecontrolofdrugadministrationisessential.Thedrugcalculatorprovidesan
accurateandsafemethodofdeterminingdrugdosage.
Anorderforamedicationiseitherwrittenbythephysicianorisastandingprotocol
intheunitbasedonthepatient’scondition.Theorderwillspecifythedrugandthe
dosetobeadministered.Theclinicianand/orpharmacywillmixthedruginsolution,
andthendeterminehowfasttoadministerthedruginordertodelivertheproper
drugdosage.
Neonatespresentadifferentapproachtodrugadministrationbecausetheamount
ofuidtobeadministeredisvital.Usually,thedrugdosageisorderedandtheow
rateinml/horcc/hrisprescribed.Theclinicianmustdeterminetheamountofdrugto
placeinthesolutioninordertomeettherate/dosecombination.
Inothercases,thephysicianmayorderadrugdosagetobeinfusedoveraperiodof
time.Theamountofdruginsolutionmayormaynotbespecied.Inthissituation,
theclinicianmustdeterminetheratethatisneededtoinfusetheproperdrugdosage
overtheperiodoftimeordered.
Stillanothersituationoccursincaseswheredrugsareadministeredtoresuscitatethe
patient,andthenthedoseisdeterminedaftertheresponse.Theclinicianconsiders
thesolutionvolumesanddrugquantitiesandtherateoftheinfusiontodeterminethe
dosethatthepatientisactuallyreceiving.
Thedrugcalculatorcanbeusedinallofthesesituations.Inaddition,italsoprovidesa
titrationtablethatcanbeusedasthedosagesareincreasedordecreased,based
onthepatient’sphysiologicresponse.Thetitrationtabledisplaysdrugdosage
informationthatcanbeusedtohelpthecliniciandeterminethedosingeffectsof
intravenouspumpsettingandinfusionratechanges.
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