Nursing drug guide: know what to check before you give it
Free drug cards with nursing considerations, side effects and patient teaching, 44 drug classes explained, and NCLEX-style pharmacology questions with rationales.
A free tool from MedTestBank.com, nursing test banks for your textbooks.
Before you give it
- Digoxin
- Apical pulse for 1 full minute, potassium, digoxin level
- Warfarin
- INR, usually 2 to 3
- Insulin
- Blood glucose, and a meal on the way
- Potassium IV
- Potassium level and urine output. Never IV push
- Morphine
- Respiratory rate and sedation level
Drug classes by body system
Drugs in a class share most of their nursing care, so start here. Each class page lists its drugs, its name stem and a short quiz.
Most studied drug cards
The prototypes that show up again and again in pharmacology exams. See all 73 in the A to Z list.
- MetoprololLopressor, Toprol-XLBeta blockers
- LisinoprilZestril, Prinivil, QbrelisACE inhibitors
- FurosemideLasix, FuroscixDiuretics
- DigoxinLanoxinCardiac glycosides (digoxin)
- HeparinAnticoagulants
- WarfarinJantovenAnticoagulants
- Regular insulinHumulin R, Novolin R, MyxredlinInsulins
- MetforminGlucophage, Glumetza, Fortamet, RiometOral and non-insulin antidiabetic drugs
- LevothyroxineSynthroid, Levoxyl, Unithroid, Euthyrox, TirosintThyroid and antithyroid drugs
- PrednisoneRayosCorticosteroids (glucocorticoids)
- AlbuterolProAir HFA, Ventolin HFA, Proventil HFA, AccuNebBronchodilators
- MorphineMS Contin, Infumorph, DuramorphOpioid analgesics and antagonists
- LithiumLithobidMood stabilizers
- PhenytoinDilantin, PhenytekAnticonvulsants (antiepileptic drugs)
- VancomycinVancocin, FirvanqVancomycin (glycopeptides)
- Potassium chlorideK-Tab, Klor-Con, K-DurElectrolyte replacements
- Magnesium sulfateElectrolyte replacements
- AcetaminophenTylenol, Ofirmev (IV)NSAIDs and acetaminophen
- LorazepamAtivan, Loreev XRBenzodiazepines
- OndansetronZofran, Zofran ODTAntiemetics
Study guides
One-page references for the facts exams keep coming back to.
- Drug Suffixes and Prefixes for Nursing PharmacologyThe generic-name stems that tell you a drug's class at a glance: -olol, -pril, -sartan, -statin, -prazole and more, with examples and the nursing point to remember for each.
- Antidotes and Reversal Agents Nurses Must KnowThe antidote or reversal agent for each high-risk drug and poisoning, from naloxone and flumazenil to protamine, vitamin K, digoxin immune fab and acetylcysteine.
- Therapeutic Drug Levels for Nursing: Digoxin, Lithium, Phenytoin and MoreCommonly cited therapeutic ranges for narrow-range drugs, with the signs of toxicity and when to draw the level. Laboratory ranges vary: always use your lab's reference range.
- High-Alert Medications: What Nurses Need to KnowThe medication groups the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) calls high-alert because errors can cause serious harm, and the safety practices nurses use with each.
- The Rights of Medication AdministrationThe rights nurses check before every medication, the three label checks, patient identification, and what to do when something does not match.
- How to Study Pharmacology in Nursing SchoolA practical way to learn hundreds of drugs: study by class, learn the prototype, use the suffixes, focus on what you must assess, and practice with exam-style questions.
- Labs and Assessments to Check Before Giving Common MedicationsThe vital sign or lab value nurses check before giving common high-risk drugs: digoxin, diuretics, warfarin, heparin, insulin, metformin, lithium, clozapine, vancomycin and more.
- Boxed warnings nurses should knowThe strongest FDA warnings for the drugs in this guide, in one table.
Test yourself: 132 pharmacology questions
NCLEX-style questions on every class, with the rationale for each answer. Take a mixed quiz of 20 or focus on one body system.
Ready for full pharmacology exams?
MedTestBank.com has test banks for the textbooks nursing programs use, with answers and rationales for every chapter: pharmacology, fundamentals, medical-surgical, pediatrics, maternity and more.
Questions about this drug guide
What should a nursing drug card include?
The generic and brand names, the drug class, what it is used for, how it works, common side effects, the adverse effects to report, the nursing considerations (what to assess before and after giving it) and patient teaching. Antidotes and therapeutic levels are added when they apply.
Does this drug guide include doses?
No. Doses depend on the patient, the indication and the product, and nursing exams rarely test them. Use the prescriber's order, the label and a current drug reference for dosing.
What is the best way to learn pharmacology for nursing school?
Learn by drug class: one prototype per class, the key assessment before giving it, the dangerous adverse effect, the main teaching point and the antidote. Then practice with exam-style questions.