Definitions should include
- agency definitions and abbreviations of pharmacology terms
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- pharmacy definitions (e.g., contraindication, toxicity)
- terms related to body systems (e.g., absorption, metabolism)
- abbreviations associated with
- medication forms (e.g., sol.—solution, crm.—cream)
- routes of administration (e.g., buc.—inside the check, top.—on the skin)
- measurements (e.g., cm—centimeter, oz—ounce)
- time of administration (e.g., prn—as necessary, q4h—every four hours)
- medical terms (e.g., c/o—complaints of, npo—nothing by mouth, MAR—medication administration record)
- measurement equivalents (e.g., 1 cc = 1 ml).
Teacher Resource: The Official "Do Not Use" List of Abbreviations, The Joint Commission (https://www.jointcommission.org/resources/patient-safety-topics/patient-safety/)
Process/Skill Questions:
- How do routes of drug administration compare in relation to rates of absorption, effectiveness, and safety?
- What laws and agencies regulate drug production, distribution, and use?
- What are the “Do Not Use” abbreviations noted by the FDA?