A nursing instructor walks through medication label components: brand and generic names, form, dosage strength, lot number, and expiration date. The video covers special handling instructions like reconstitution and storage, then promotes the Dose Calc workbook for practice problems on dose-calculation exams.
Have you ever been in clinical or sitting to take your dose cock exam? And then you go read the medication label and think, what in the world is this? I've totally been there, totally done that several times, to be honest. In this video, we're going to walk through exactly how to read medication labels and run through the key things that you need to know so you can pass your exams in Rock Clinical. Let's do this. When reading medication labels, there are a few key things that you need to know. You will need to know the name of the medication. Now typically, both the brand name and the generic name will be on the label. The brand name will be the bigger and the bolder name. Typically it is also usually followed by a circled R signifying that it's a registered trademark. Now then below this is usually the smaller the lowercase generic name. Now a hint about this one is that it's usually trickier, pretty hard to pronounce. This name is sometimes a version of the chemical makeup of the medication or the active ingredient in it. And then next you will find the form of the medication. So we have tablets, capsules, pills, suspension, injection, all those, these will describe what form the medication is in. Now the dosage strength will be identified here as well. So this will either tell you the strength of one tablet or pill or it will tell you the strength of the liquid. Now here is where it can get a little trickier. Some medications will label the strength of the full volume, like 500mg per 50ml, or it will be a smaller amount. If the label is for a smaller amount, it will also give you the total volume in the bottle or vial. So it'll be something like 1mg per 1mil, total volume, 50mils. Now there are two more details that you will find on every medication vial or container. The lot number in the expiration date. This will identify when the medication will expire so it can be used safely in that time. Then the lot number is used so it can be traced for any recalls or if the manufacturer needs to trace the medication for reason. Now those two details will always be on medications. The expiration date should be checked before administering all medications. That's part of your 6 rights, 5 rights, 9 rights, 11 rights, whatever your school uses for medications. Now one additional thing that comes with some medications is directions that will specify how the medication should be given more specific than the root. But if it needs to be diluted, reconstituted, if there's a maximum concentration, how to store the medication and when to discard the medication, if that's applicable. Now this is all very important to know, especially when it comes to medications that need to be reconstituted or discarded safely in a different manner than most. Now, if you want more practice reading medication labels or vials, you will definitely want to check out the nursing school Dose Calc box. We just added a brand new workbook filled with practice problems that include labels. So you will get all the practice you need reading the med labels and answering dose count problems inside that workbook in addition to the one we had before which is just written practice problems for you. So these are going to be so so helpful as you go through nursing school. And of course we walk you through the answers step by step at the end of the workbooks. Those are going to be fantastic resources for you as you go through nursing school. And did you know that you will have a dose calc questions basically on every single nursing school exam? You do not want to miss any points on your exams, so be sure to click on this video here to learn how to get every single dose calc question right and go become the nurse that God created only you to be. And I will see you over there in that next video.
