"Shhhh... Nurses in progress!"

My goal is to make this blog a place for other nursing students to find whatever it is that they are looking for; whether it be inspiration, a laugh, something to make them cry (we all need a good cry every now and then), or some helpful study tools. If there is something you cannot find and would like me to add it to my page, please let me know so I can do so. To navigate my page, feel free to scroll throughout my page, use the top buttons, or the search box :) ** Some of the stuff I post may be offensive; however, that should NEVER be mistaken as me disliking my job as a nurse! Everything I post is not directed at how I feel personally; it is posted for others. ***All of these images were found online using Google (unless otherwise stated or directed). I am in no way claming these images as my own.

[road-to-rn]

Diuretics 

Osmotic Diuretics

Inhibits reabsorption of water and Na. Increase the osmolarity of blood and renal filtrate.

Uses: renal failure, excretion of toxic substances and cerebral edema

Ex: mannitol (Osmitrol)

Action: increases osmotic pressure and pulls fluid into the renal tubules and reduces cerebral edema

Interactions: none significant

Contraindications: severe renal disease, pulmonary edema (use loop diuretics instead), intracranial bleed

Adverse effects: cause seizures, thrombophlebitis

Loop Diuretics

Uses: edema (heart failure), HTN, renal failure, hypercalcemia, pulmonary edema

Ex: furosemide (Lasix), torsemide (Demadex)

Action: potent diuretics that block chloride and sodium reabsorption in the loop of Henle in the Kidney

Interactions: vancomycin (can cause ototoxicity), digoxin (can cause hypokalmeia), NSAIDs (decrease diuretic activity)

Adverse Effects: dizziness, N/V/D, tinidus, hypokalemia, hyperglycemia,

Make sure kidney OK before administration Gets rid of potassium

Potassium-sparing Diuretics

Uses: HTN, and used with loop diuretics to prevent K loss, heart failure

Ex: amiloride (Midamor), spironolactone (Aldactone)

Action: block aldosterone receptors, causing Na and H2O excretion (weak diuretic effect)

Interactions: lithium, ACE inhibitors or K-supplements can result in significant hyperkalemia!!

Adverse effects: dizziness, headache, cramps, N/V/D, hyperkalemia!!

Contraindications: high potassium, severe renal failure

Thiazide and Thiazide-like Diuretics

Uses: High BP, heart failure and edema; commonly prescribed because relatively cheap

Ex: metolazone (zaroxolyn) hydrochlorothiazide (hydrodiuril)

Action: inhibit reabsorption of Na, Cl and K in the distal tubule

Interactions: steroids (can increase potassium lvl), digoxin(increase of dig toxicity), oral hypoglycemics (increase sugar level)

Adverse effects: N/V/D, hypokalemia, hyperglycemia, increased uric acid 

Interactions: steroids (can increase potassium lvl), digoxin(increase of dig toxicity), oral hypoglycemics (increase sugar lvl)

Implementation for Diuretics

Administer in the morning/not nice (because they’d be up all night urinating)

VS

Assess electrolytes

I&O

Watch constipation

Daily weights

Have patient change positions slowly

Videos

Mike Linares (SimpleNursing) YouTube: Search Diuretics

EmpoweRN: Pharmacology Tips Loop Diuretics Lasix

*Post based off of my notes from class.

[road-to-rn]

HYPERkalemia & HYPOkalemia

[road-to-rn]

First half of my semester is psych. I might need one of these meds soon 😳😳😳

[road-to-rn]

[nurse-blog]

NCLEX PHARMACOLOGY

Medication SUFFIXES

“Caine” - Local Anesthetics

“Done” - Opioid analgesics

“Mycin” - Antibiotics

“Micin” - Antibiotics

“Oxacin” - Broad Spectrum Anti-biotics

“Vir” - Anti-virals

“Dine” - anti-ulcer agents (H2 Histamine Blockers)

“Lam” - anti-anxiety agents

“Pam” - anti-anxiety agents

“Nuim” - neuromuscular blockers

“Statin” - antihyperlipidemics

“ide” - oral hypoglycemics

“sone” - Steroids

“zide” - diuretics

“mide” - diuretics

“pril” - ace inhibitors (make sure to check BP)

“Pine & Amil” - Ca+ channel blockers (check BP)

“olol” - beta blockers (check bp) affects SNS; side effects: bradycardia, hypotension, CHF, bronchospasm, or asthma attacks. (QUESTION THE PRESCRIPTION OF PT HAS ASTHMA)

OTHER HINTS:

Do not give GRAPEFRUIT with the following: Buspar, Verapamil, Tegretol, and Simvastatin

Rifampin (TB med) turns bodily fluids *pee* orange. 

Myasthenic Crisis= Weakness with change in vitals d/t undermedication (give more meds)

Cholinergic Crisis = Weakness with no change in vitals d/t overmedication (reduce meds)

DIGOXIN : Side effects are increased when the patient is HYPOKALEMIC so you should monitor the potassium. Digoxin has a negative chronotropic effect (it slows the heart rate) so hold the dose if the HR is less than 60 

DIGITALIS TOXICITY: bradycardia, tachycardia, dysrhythmias, nausea, vomiting, headache. If withheld, contact physician.

MAOI’s (antidepressant meds: Nardil, Marplan, Parnate) - do not give food with tyramine (aged cheese, cured meats, fermented cabbage, soy sauce ) may cause HTN crisis

During alcohol withdrawal administer: librium, ativan, lorazepam (benzos)

Antabuse given for Alcohol deterrence. (remind not to take over the counter cough medicine as those may contain alcohol)

With all HTN medications, warn the patient about orthostatic hypotension, so teach client to change positions slowly and sit and dangle on the bed first before walking. *risk for falls*

Administer DIURETICS (lasix) in the morning so patient doesnt have to get up to pee all night

Give medications BEFORE dressing changes or asking PT to use incentive spirometer or cough and deep breathing.

DRUG ANTIDOTES 

Coumadin … Vitamin K 

Benzodiazapines … Flumzaemil (Tomazicon)

Magnesium Sulfate … Calcium Gluconate

Heparin …Protamine Sulfate

Tylenol … Mucomyst 

Opiates (narcotic analgesics, heroin, morphine)…Narcan (Naloxone)

Cholinergic Meds … Atropine

Digoxin … Digiband

[drchelsearar]

…in honor of today’s exam.

[road-to-rn]

Reasons for unconsciousness: Red, White, Blue

[road-to-rn]

Post-op Complications

[road-to-rn]

Respiratory Acidosis & Alkalosis

[road-to-rn]

Peptic Ulcer Disease

[nurseashleynicole]

Digestive

[nurseology-blog1]

Printable drug card for laxatives: bulk-forming, emollient, hyperosmotic, saline, and stimulant

[nurseashleynicole]

#digestive #medications

[cardiacattack-deactivated202106]

Hard Thing #2: Calling Doctors.

I always used to say “I’ll feel like a real nurse when I’m comfortable calling doctors.” It’s a really intimidating thing to have to do when you’re new and can barely use in the phone in the first place. The first time I ever called a doctor,...

[nakimedicalblog]

Pain in various quadrants

[bklynmed-deactivated20160910]

This is so simple and so useful

[nurseashleynicole]

Hi Ms. Nurse Brooks. Thank you for following me. Have a wonderful day!

It is my pleasure :) Have a wonderful day!

[annoyednurse]

Always forgetting how to draw up insulin? Problem solved. I always remember which solution to draw up first by thinking, “I wouldn’t want to get the Regular insulin dirty.” By that I mean, since the Regular is clear and the NPH is cloudy, you don’t want to make the Regular “dirty” by accidentally inserting the NPH when drawing up the solution. Therefore, to keep the Regular “clean” you have to draw it up first.

[braveresponders]

Partial amputation of the right wrist. I’m saying that because it’s just too deep for me to call a laceration. Cannot believe someone asked if it was fixed…when they are clearly in a medical facility….but what the hell. Kids these days. Yes it was fixed. 

[studentnursejrd]

So gross but so freaking cool!

[artssciencenursing]

Math Formulas, Conversions, & Calculations for Nursing Medication Administration

[fuckyeahsexeducation]

Immunity is the ability of the body to tolerate material that is indigenous to it and eliminate material that is foreign.

The success of the immune system depends on its ability to distinguish between host (self) and foreign (non-self) cells.

The body’s first line of defense against infectious agents, or pathogens, is our skin and mucous membranes.

If a pathogen breaks through these barriers, it encounters a series of nonspecific immune defenses, including specialized cells and chemicals that seek out, identify, and destroy the pathogen, regardless of its identity.

This general response is nearly identical for each pathogen, and even if the body is exposed to the same pathogen many times the response each time is the same (there is no immunologic memory).

If a pathogen evades non-specific defenses, the body mounts a specific acquired immune response tailored to each pathogen.

Acquired immunity is divided into two types based on how it is acquired by the host:

Active immunity is provided by a person’s own immune system. This type of immunity can come from exposure to a disease or from vaccination. Active immunity usually lasts for many years and often is permanent.

Passive immunity results when antibodies are transferred from one person or animal to another. The most common form of passive immunity occurs when a fetus receives antibodies from his or her parent across the placenta during pregnancy. Passive immunity disappears over time, usually within weeks or months.

Some childhood vaccinations (e.g., measles) are scheduled so that the vaccine is given at the time when passive immunity from maternal antibodies is waning.

A vaccine is a preparation of a weakened or killed microbe, or portion of it, that when administered, stimulates an immune response against the pathogen but which itself is incapable of causing severe infection.

If the body encounters the real disease-causing pathogen in the future, the immune system will “remember” the pathogen and can respond quickly to launch an immune response to prevent severe illness.

Each vaccine provides immunity against a particular disease; therefore, a series of vaccinations is administered to children and adults to protect them from many vaccine-preventable diseases.

Some vaccines are combined into a single injection. For example, DTP vaccine combines vaccines against three diseases — diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.

There are three main types of vaccines:

Live attenuated vaccines usually only require one dose to provide life-long immunity, with the exception of oral polio vaccine, which requires multiple doses. Examples include:

Virus (e.g., oral polio vaccine [OPV], measles, yellow fever)  

Bacteria  (e.g., Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, which prevents TB)

Inactivated vaccine may be whole-cell (made of an entire bacterial or viral cell) or fractional (composed of only part of a cell). Fractional vaccines are either protein- or polysaccharide-based. Examples include:

Whole

Virus (e.g., inactivated polio vaccine [IPV])

Bacteria (e.g., whole-cell pertussis)

Fractional

Protein-based

Subunit (e.g., acellular pertussis)

Toxoid (e.g., diphtheria and tetanus)

Polysaccharide-based

Pure (e.g., meningococcal)

Conjugate (e.g., Haemophilus influenzae type b [Hib])

Pure polysaccharide vaccines are generally NOT effective in children under the age of two UNLESS they are coupled with a protein.

This coupling process is known as conjugation.

Inactivated vaccines are not as effective as live vaccines.

Multiple doses are required for full protection.

And because protection by these vaccines diminishes over time, booster doses are needed to maintain immunity.

Recombinant vaccines are produced by inserting genetic material from a disease-causing organism into a harmless cell, which replicates the proteins of the disease-causing organism. The proteins are then purified and used as vaccine. An example of this is:

Hepatitis B

Individuals who have been immunized serve as a protective barrier for other individuals who have not been immunized, provided that the number immunized has reached a certain level, usually 80% or higher. Reaching and maintaining that level, which varies by communicable disease, provides "herd immunity" to unimmunized individuals.

Herd immunity is especially important with extremely contagious diseases such as measles.

-This is all from my my GlobalHealthLearning Immunization Essentials Class

[studentnursejrd]

Immunity