EMT Basic · Chapter 12 · Review · Chapter track
Principles of Pharmacology
Referencing the content of EMT-Basic training and emergency patient care
Learning objectives (20)
Apply the rights of medication administration — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
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.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
Demonstrate how to administer a medication by auto-injector — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
Demonstrate how to administer an intranasal medication — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
Demonstrate how to administer aspirin to a patient with chest pain — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
Demonstrate how to administer oral glucose to a patient with hypoglycemia — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
Demonstrate how to administer oral medication to a patient — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
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.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
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.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
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.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
Differentiate enteral and parenteral routes of medication administration — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 494); confirm wording in your course copy.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
Explain medication contraindications; include an example — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 494); confirm wording in your course copy.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
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.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
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.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
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.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
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.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
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.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
Perform the medication cross-check procedure prior to administering a medication — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
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.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
State the steps to take if a medication error occurs — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 495); confirm wording in your course copy.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
- FDA drug labels · FDA
Chapter web resources
Optional reading from authoritative sites. Your textbook remains the primary source for this course.
- MedlinePlus medications · NIH
Drug names, routes, and effects
- FDA drug labels · FDA
Official medication labeling
When sources disagree (5 topics to verify before you teach from this chapter alone)
Showing Chapter track material. Switch tracks on the chapter page.
Vocabulary · 13
Pharmacology
The scientific study of drugs — their composition, uses, and effects on the body.
SourceMerriam-Webster Medical Dictionary — Pharmacology
Generic name
A drug's official, non-proprietary name, written in lowercase (e.g., acetaminophen).
SourceUS FDA — Drug names — generic vs. brand
Trade (brand) name
A drug's proprietary name chosen by the manufacturer and capitalized (e.g., Tylenol).
SourceUS FDA — Drug names — generic vs. brand
Indication
The condition or symptom for which a medication is approved or appropriate to give.
SourceUS FDA — Drug labeling — indications and usage
Contraindication
A specific situation in which a medication should NOT be given because the risk outweighs the benefit.
SourceUS FDA — Drug labeling — contraindications
Side effect
Any unintended effect of a medication, whether harmful or merely incidental.
SourceNIH MedlinePlus — Side effects of medications
Dose
The amount of medication given at one time, expressed in standard units (mg, mL, mcg).
SourceNIH MedlinePlus — Medication dosing
Route of administration
The path by which a medication enters the body — oral (PO), sublingual (SL), intramuscular (IM), intravenous (IV), intranasal (IN), and others.
SourceNIH MedlinePlus — Medication routes
Sublingual (SL)
Administration of a medication by placement under the tongue for rapid absorption through oral mucosa.
SourceNIH MedlinePlus — Sublingual administration
Intramuscular (IM)
Administration of a medication by injection into muscle tissue, typically into the deltoid or vastus lateralis.
SourceNIH MedlinePlus — Intramuscular injection
Intranasal (IN)
Administration of a medication as a mist sprayed into the nostrils for rapid absorption via nasal mucosa.
SourceNIH MedlinePlus — Intranasal medication
Auto-injector
A pre-filled, spring-loaded device that delivers a single intramuscular dose with minimal user steps (e.g., epinephrine, naloxone).
SourceUS FDA — Auto-injectors — patient information
Pharmacokinetics
What the body does to a drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination.
SourceNIH National Library of Medicine — Pharmacokinetics
Sequences · 2
- Six rights of medication administration — Order the six checks before giving a medication.
- Administering a medication on standing order — Order the EMT's steps to give a permitted medication.