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Referencing the content of EMT-Basic training and emergency patient care

EMT Basic · Chapter 12

Principles of Pharmacology

Learning objectives (20)

  1. Apply the rights of medication administration — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
  2. Define the terms pharmacodynamics, therapeutic effects, indications, adverse effects, pharmacokinetics, onset of action, peak, duration, elimination, unintended effects, and untowa — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 494); confirm wording in your course copy.
  3. Demonstrate how to administer a medication by auto-injector — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
  4. Demonstrate how to administer an intranasal medication — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
  5. Demonstrate how to administer aspirin to a patient with chest pain — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
  6. Demonstrate how to administer oral glucose to a patient with hypoglycemia — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
  7. Demonstrate how to administer oral medication to a patient — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
  8. Demonstrate how to assist a patient with the sublingual administration of a medication — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
  9. Describe rectal, oral, intravenous, intraosseous, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intranasal, inhalation, sublingual, and transcutaneous routes of medication administration; include t — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 494); confirm wording in your course copy.
  10. Describe the medication administration considerations related to special populations, including pediatric, geriatric, and pregnant patients — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
  11. Differentiate enteral and parenteral routes of medication administration — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 494); confirm wording in your course copy.
  12. Explain medication contraindications; include an example — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 494); confirm wording in your course copy.
  13. Explain the difference between direct orders (online) and standing orders (off-line) and the role of medical control — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 494); confirm wording in your course copy.
  14. Explain the differences between a generic medication name and a trade medication name; provide an example of each — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 494); confirm wording in your course copy.
  15. Explain the solid, liquid, and gas forms of medication and the routes of administration; provide examples of each — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 494); confirm wording in your course copy.
  16. Explain why determining what prescription and over-the-counter medications a patient is taking is a critical aspect of patient assessment during an emergency — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
  17. List the “rights” of medication administration; include how each one relates to EMS — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 494); confirm wording in your course copy.
  18. Perform the medication cross-check procedure prior to administering a medication — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
  19. State the steps to follow when administering medications to a patient using an auto-injector — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
  20. State the steps to take if a medication error occurs — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.

Vocabulary (13)

Pharmacology
The scientific study of drugs — their composition, uses, and effects on the body.
Generic name
A drug's official, non-proprietary name, written in lowercase (e.g., acetaminophen).
Trade (brand) name
A drug's proprietary name chosen by the manufacturer and capitalized (e.g., Tylenol).
Indication
The condition or symptom for which a medication is approved or appropriate to give.
Contraindication
A specific situation in which a medication should NOT be given because the risk outweighs the benefit.
Side effect
Any unintended effect of a medication, whether harmful or merely incidental.
Dose
The amount of medication given at one time, expressed in standard units (mg, mL, mcg).
Route of administration
The path by which a medication enters the body — oral (PO), sublingual (SL), intramuscular (IM), intravenous (IV), intranasal (IN), and others.
Sublingual (SL)
Administration of a medication by placement under the tongue for rapid absorption through oral mucosa.
Intramuscular (IM)
Administration of a medication by injection into muscle tissue, typically into the deltoid or vastus lateralis.
Intranasal (IN)
Administration of a medication as a mist sprayed into the nostrils for rapid absorption via nasal mucosa.
Auto-injector
A pre-filled, spring-loaded device that delivers a single intramuscular dose with minimal user steps (e.g., epinephrine, naloxone).
Pharmacokinetics
What the body does to a drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination.

Sequence practice (2 puzzles on Quiz Me)

Six rights of medication administration

Order the six checks before giving a medication.

  1. Right patient (verify identity)
  2. Right medication (read the label)
  3. Right dose (correct amount)
  4. Right route (PO, IM, IN, etc.)
  5. Right time (when due, expiration)
  6. Right documentation (record dose, time, response)
Administering a medication on standing order

Order the EMT's steps to give a permitted medication.

  1. Confirm indication and rule out contraindications
  2. Verify the six rights
  3. Explain the medication and possible side effects to the patient
  4. Administer by the correct route
  5. Document and reassess for desired effect and adverse reactions

Quick fire sample (13 of 13 on Quiz Me)

The scientific study of drugs — their composition, uses, and effects on the body.
  1. Intramuscular (IM)
  2. Pharmacology
  3. Sublingual (SL)
  4. Auto-injector
A drug's official, non-proprietary name, written in lowercase (e.g., acetaminophen).
  1. Auto-injector
  2. Route of administration
  3. Sublingual (SL)
  4. Generic name
A drug's proprietary name chosen by the manufacturer and capitalized (e.g., Tylenol).
  1. Contraindication
  2. Side effect
  3. Dose
  4. Trade (brand) name
The condition or symptom for which a medication is approved or appropriate to give.
  1. Indication
  2. Auto-injector
  3. Pharmacokinetics
  4. Sublingual (SL)
A specific situation in which a medication should NOT be given because the risk outweighs the benefit.
  1. Contraindication
  2. Intranasal (IN)
  3. Side effect
  4. Sublingual (SL)
Any unintended effect of a medication, whether harmful or merely incidental.
  1. Side effect
  2. Indication
  3. Sublingual (SL)
  4. Intranasal (IN)
The amount of medication given at one time, expressed in standard units (mg, mL, mcg).
  1. Side effect
  2. Pharmacology
  3. Dose
  4. Sublingual (SL)
The path by which a medication enters the body — oral (PO), sublingual (SL), intramuscular (IM), intravenous (IV), intranasal (IN), and others.
  1. Indication
  2. Side effect
  3. Route of administration
  4. Auto-injector
Administration of a medication by placement under the tongue for rapid absorption through oral mucosa.
  1. Trade (brand) name
  2. Dose
  3. Sublingual (SL)
  4. Pharmacology
Administration of a medication by injection into muscle tissue, typically into the deltoid or vastus lateralis.
  1. Dose
  2. Sublingual (SL)
  3. Intramuscular (IM)
  4. Pharmacology
Administration of a medication as a mist sprayed into the nostrils for rapid absorption via nasal mucosa.
  1. Pharmacokinetics
  2. Indication
  3. Pharmacology
  4. Intranasal (IN)
A pre-filled, spring-loaded device that delivers a single intramuscular dose with minimal user steps (e.g., epinephrine, naloxone).
  1. Side effect
  2. Generic name
  3. Intramuscular (IM)
  4. Auto-injector
What the body does to a drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination.
  1. Pharmacokinetics
  2. Indication
  3. Auto-injector
  4. Intramuscular (IM)

Some topics in this course differ across field references. See when sources disagree on Quiz Me before you teach from this sheet alone.

Full scored drills are on Quiz Me at /courses/nm-emt-b/chapters/12/print/. Answers are not marked on this sheet.