Course Library

BLS Pharmacology

Information Covered:

1. Medication safety
2. Kinds of Medications Used in an Emergency
   1. Forms of Medication
      1. Solid
         1. Pills
         2. Tablets – compressed powders
         3. Powder – inhalation
      2. Liquids
         1. Enteral (ingested)
         2. Parenteral (injected)
      3. Gases; aerosols – inhalation
   2. Routes of Medication Administration
      1. Enteral (ingested)
         1. Sublingual (e.g., nitroglycerin)
         2. Oral (e.g., glucose)
      2. Parenteral (injected and inhaled)
         1. Inhaled (e.g., oxygen)
         2. Injection (e.g., epinephrine)
         3. Methods of injection
            1. subcutaneous
            2. intramuscular
            3. intravenous
3. Basic Medication Terminology
   1. Drug Name
      1. Generic
      2. Trade
   2. Drug Profile
      1. Actions
         1. Pharmacodynamics – impact of age and weight upon medication administration
         2. Indication
         3. Intended effects
      2. Contraindications
      3. Side effects
         1. Unintended effects
         2. Untoward effects
      4. Dose
      5. Route
      6. Prescribing Information

1. Assist/Administer Medications to a Patient
   1. Administration versus Assistance of Medications
      1. Assisting patients in taking prescribed medications
      2. Administering medication
      3. Medical Direction
         1. Off-line; standing orders, written protocols
         2. On-line; verbal order
            1. Confirmation – echo technique
            2. Confusion – clarification
   2. Medication Administration Procedure
      1. The “rights” of drug administration
         1. Right patient – prescribed to patient
         2. Right medication – patient condition
         3. Right route – patient condition
         4. Right dose – prescribed to patient
         5. Right time – within expiration date
   3. Techniques of Medication Administration
      1. Oral
         1. Advantages
         2. Disadvantages
         3. Techniques
      2. Sublingual
         1. Advantages
         2. Disadvantages
         3. Techniques
      3. Intramuscular injection by Auto injector
         1. Advantages
         2. Disadvantages
         3. Techniques
      4. Inhalation
         1. Advantages
         2. Disadvantages
         3. Techniques
   4. Reassessment
      1. Data – indications for medication
      2. Action – medication administered
      3. Response – effect of medication
      4. Documentation
2. Specific Medications
   1. EMT – Administer Medications
      1. Aspirin
      2. Oral glucose
      3. Oxygen
   2. EMT – Assisted Medications
      1. Inhaled bronchodilators
      2. Epinephrine
      3. Nitroglycerin

Content Creator: Chris Hunt
CAPCE Course Number: 20-EMTP-F3-9101
NJ Course Number: 141118
Total CE Hours: 1.5
Level: Basic
EMT-CE uses the NEMSES guidelines as the foundation for every course outline.