Care of medicine cabinet and drugs

Care of medicine cabinet and drugs :

1.     To give proper care of drugs, each ward should be provided with a medicine cabinet.

2.     It should be large enough to accommodate all drugs and should have separate compartments for mixtures tablets, powders and ointments.

3.     As far as possible the medicine cabinet should be kept in a separate room near the nurses room with a sink, with running water and the cupboard should be locked at all times. Keys should be kept where only doctors and nurses have access to it.

4.     The bottles should have proper label and adequate lighting should be provided within the cabinet to read the labels clearly.

5.    Bottles should be arranged alphabetically.

6.    Poisonous drugs should be kept in a separate cupboard, which must have separate lock and key. The senior sister is entirely responsible for the cupboard.

7.    A register should be maintained to keep the account of poisonous drugs.

8.    Drugs that are unusual in colour, odour and consistency should be returned to the pharmacy to be discarded.

9.    Oils such as castrol oil, serum, vaccines and antibiotics such as penicillin should be kept in refrigerators.

10.                        Emergency drugs such as stimulants should be kept in a box or tray where they are readily obtainable

11.                        When indenting for drugs, indent only the required quantity.

12.                        The medicine cabinet should always be kept neat & clean.

13.                        All equipments should be cleaned and returned to its proper place after use.

The side effects of drugs:

1 Dermatological reaction : Purities

2 Blood dyscrasias : hemolytic anemia    

3 Hepatotoxicity : Biliary obstruction, Hepatic Necrosis   

4 Nephrotoxicity : Kidney damage    

5 Ototoxicity  : Vestibular damage    

6 Central nervous : Toxicit, Poor  motor  coordiantion,  system convulsion

7 Gastro intestinal disturbances : Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting etc.  

8 Drug Dependence : Psychological dependence