Perioperative Care: Drug Storage and Handling

10 Questions

What is the primary purpose of performing multiple checks before administering drugs?

To ensure patient safety and prevent harm

What is the purpose of labelling syringes according to the Association of Anaesthetists (2021)?

To prevent confusion about which drugs are being administered

Why is it necessary to confirm a patient's allergies before administering drugs?

To avoid any adverse reactions that may negatively affect the patient's health

What is the purpose of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling medications?

To prevent cross-contamination and infections

What is the definition of pharmacokinetics?

How the body interacts with the drug

Why is proper storage of muscle relaxants like atracurium important?

To preserve their potency and effectiveness

What is the primary purpose of the 6 R's framework?

To prevent medication errors during patient care

What is required during the checking process of controlled drug inventory?

Two individuals must be present, and their presence should be recorded

What should be recorded in the controlled drugs book?

The disposal of controlled drugs, confirmed by a second witness

What regulation enforces self-administration, storage requirements, record-keeping, and the disposal of controlled drugs?

Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management) Regulations

Study Notes

Drug Storage and Handling

Correct storage of drugs is essential to maintain their potency and effectiveness.
Muscle relaxants like atracurium require refrigeration to preserve their efficacy and therapeutic benefits.
Efficient organization of drugs is crucial to reduce the risk of administering the wrong drug.

Controlled Drug Safety

Controlled substances, such as alfentanil and opioids like morphine and fentanyl, must be kept locked in a cupboard and accounted for regularly.
The Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management) Regulations (2013) regulate controlled drug safety, emphasizing self-administration, storage, record keeping, and disposal.
NICE guidelines (2016e) emphasize the need for a thorough check of controlled drug inventory, with at least two individuals present and record of their presence.

Administering Medication

Healthcare professionals, including ODPs, must adhere to the 6 R's framework: Right patient, Right drug, Right route, Right dose, Right time, and Right documentation (NICE, 2017).
The 6 R's framework ensures the safe administration of drugs and staff compliance.
Failure to perform these checks may result in harm to the patient and legal consequences for staff.

Patient Safety

It is essential to confirm patient allergies before administering drugs.
Patients' full name and date of birth must be confirmed and matched with their wristband.
The patient's hospital number is read aloud to verify their identity.
The ODP and another practitioner check the name, stock strength, and dosage of the drug against the prescription.

Handling Medications

Proper handling of medications prevents administering incorrect drugs to patients.
Labelling syringes is crucial to prevent confusion about which drugs are being administered (Association of Anaesthetists, 2021).
Handling drugs with PPE, including gloves, prevents cross-contamination and infections.

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

Pharmacokinetics is the study of how the body interacts with the drug, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
Pharmacodynamics is the study of how the drug physiologically affects the body.
In the scenario, the drugs used were metabolized by the liver and excreted through urine, except for oxygen and sevoflurane, which were excreted by the lungs.