1

The Medication Assistant

1

2

Delegation

9

3

Ethics and Laws

15

4

Assisting with the Nursing Process

27

5

Body Structure and Function

54

6

Basic Pharmacology

72

7

Life Span Considerations

79

8

Drug Orders and Prescriptions

86

9

Medication Safety

107

10

Oral, Sublingual, and Buccal Drugs

128

11

Topical Drugs

140

12

Eye, Ear, Nose, and Inhaled Drugs

149

13

Vaginal and Rectal Drugs

163

14

Drugs Affecting the Nervous System

172

15

Drugs Used for Mental Health Disorders

194

16

Drugs Used for Seizure Disorders

212

17

Drugs Used to Manage Pain

221

18

Drugs Used to Lower Lipids

235

19

Drugs Used to Treat Hypertension

241

20

Drugs Used to Treat Dysrhythmias

255

21

Drugs Used to Treat Angina, Peripheral Vascular Disease, and Heart Failure

270

22

Drugs Used for Diuresis

283

23

Drugs Used to Treat Thrombo-Embolic Diseases

292

24

Drugs Used to Treat Respiratory Diseases

299

25

Drugs Used to Treat Gastro-Esophageal Reflux and Peptic Ulcer Diseases

316

26

Drugs Used to Treat Nausea, Vomiting, Constipation, and Diarrhea

325

27

Drugs Used to Treat Diabetes and Thyroid Diseases

337

28

Cortico-Steroids and Gonadal Hormones

348

29

Drugs Used in Men’s and Women’s Health

357

30

Drugs Used to Treat Urinary System Disorders

366

31

Drugs Used to Treat Eye Disorders

372

32

Drugs Used in the Treatment of Cancer

386

33

Drugs Affecting Muscles and Joints

397

34

Drugs Used to Treat Infections

404

35

Nutrition and Herbal and Dietary Supplement Therapy

429

Review Question Answers

443

Appendix A

A Review of Arithmetic

449

Appendix B

Transmission-Based Precautions

460

Appendix C

Bloodborne Pathogen Standard

462

Selected Illustrations, Boxes, and Tables from Basic Pharmacology for Nurses

465

Glossary

466

Key Abbreviations

473