TYPES OF DRUG ORDERS
There are four types of drug orders. These are:
Routine orders: This is an ongoing order given for a specific number of doses
or number of days.
Example: 1/31/05 7:30 P.M. Lasix (furosemide) 40 mg., PO, qd (signature)
This is an order to give 40 milligrams of Lasix by mouth once a day. Once a
day medications are generally given around 9 A.M. or 10 A.M. based on the
healthcare institution or patient choice if at home. Lasix is a diuretic.
One-time order: This is a single dose given at a particular time.
Example: Demerol 50 mg with Vistaril 25 mg IM at 10 A.M. or 2 h before call to
the OR.
This is an order to give Demerol (meperidine) 50 milligrams with Vistaril
(hydroxyzine) 25 milligrams intramuscularly at 10 A.M. or one hour before call
to the operating room.
PRN: This is an order to give a medication if specific criteria exist, such as a
headache, fever, or pain and at the patient’s request.
Example: Advil 600 mg po q 6 h prm for mild to moderate knee pain.
This is an order to give Advil (ibuprofen) 600 milligrams by mouth every six
hours as needed for mild to moderate knee pain.
STAT: This is a single dose order to give at once or immediately
Example: Give Benadryl 50 mg. po Stat.
This is an order to give Benadryl (dyphenhydramine) 50 milligrams by mouth
immediately.
There are also protocols for administering medications. This is a set of crite-
ria that indicates under what conditions a drug may be given. There are two
types of protocols: standing orders orflow diagrams(algorithms). Standing
orders are an officially accepted sets of orders to be applied by nurses, physician
assistants, and paramedics in the care of patients with certain conditions or under
certain circumstances. For example, if a patient is not breathing and has no
heartbeat, an algorithm has been developed to administer different medications
such as epinephrine and other cardiac stimulants to resuscitate the individual.
Other standing orders include orders for Tylenol (acetaminophen) 600 mil-
ligrams q 4 h by mouth or per rectum for atemperature > 101.4°F.The “Five Rights” of Drug Administration
There are five traditional right actions that should be followed when giving med-
ication. These are to determine the right patient, right drug, right dose, right(^16) CHAPTER 1 An Inside Look at Pharmacology