Safety Fundamentals: 6 Rights & 3 Checks
- 6 Rights: Right Resident, Medication, Dose, Route, Time, Documentation
- 3 Checks: When removing, before preparing, at bedside before giving
- High‑alert tips: Never crush enteric or sustained‑release; watch food interactions
Legal, Ethical & Scope (Kansas CMA)
- Works under supervision of a Kansas‑licensed nurse (LPN/RN)
- Permitted routes: oral, topical (skin), eye, ear, vaginal, rectal (in adult care homes)
- Not permitted: injections (IM/SQ/IV) or taking phone orders
- Ethics: rights, privacy, autonomy, confidentiality
Communication & Reporting
- Sender → message → receiver → validate understanding
- Objective vs. subjective data; report changes promptly
- Identify residents correctly; use preferred name; listen for behavior changes
Infection Control
- Standard Precautions; follow facility Exposure Plan
- Hand hygiene 15–30s; soap & water if visibly dirty; dry with towel
- Use barriers for contaminated areas
Pharmacokinetics & Effects
- ADME: Absorption, Distribution, Biotransformation (liver), Excretion (kidney, etc.)
- Therapeutic vs. adverse; local vs. systemic effects
- Allergy, idiosyncrasy, tolerance, cumulation, toxicity
- Synergism vs. antagonism; food/herb interactions
Forms & Routes
- Liquids (solutions/suspensions), solids (tabs/caps)
- Do not crush enteric‑coated or sustained‑release
- Routes: oral, buccal, sublingual, topical, inhalation/neb, rectal, vaginal
Abbreviations & Measurements
- ac/pc, bid/tid/qid, q4h, PRN, stat, NPO, SL, PO, OD/OS/OU, TPR
- 5 mL = 1 tsp; 15 mL = 1 Tbsp = ½ oz; 30 mL = 1 oz; 1 kg ≈ 2.2 lb
Skills Checklists
- Oral: 6 Rights/3 Checks → upright → water → confirm swallow → chart
- Eye: ophthalmic only → inner to outer canthus clean → drop in sac → avoid tip contact
- Ear: otic only → warm to room temp → adult pinna up/back → side‑lying 2–5 min