• Medications you carry and can prescribe (Always refer to the most current MA Statewide Protocols for changes)
  • Oxygen: can prescribe for any patient, especially those with hypoxia and inadequate breathing. Administered via inhalation.
  • Oral glucose: prescribe for diabetic patients with hypoglycemia. Administered orally.
  • Aspirin: prescribe for chest pain related to clots blocking the coronary arteries (Aspirin is a blood thinner, it prevents clots from forming). Administer orally.
  • Medications the patient carries that you can help administer
  • Metered-dose inhaler (MDI): asthma and other patients with respiratory diseases have this. It is used to dilate the bronchioles. Administer by inhalation.
  • Nitroglycerin* (nitro): cardiac patients have these. It is a vasodilator, which lowers blood pressure and increases blood supply to the heart. Administer by sublingual means. Note: do not administer for patients with low blood pressure (below 90 systolic or 30 below the baseline blood pressure) or who are taking drugs for erectile dysfunction.
  • Epinephrine* (epi): patients with severe allergies (anaphylaxis) have this, usually in the form of an epi pen (auto-injector). The epinephrine counters the effects of anaphylaxis. Administer by injection (using the epi pen).
  • Administration route.
  • Sublingual: placed under the tongue, absorbed across the mucous membrane.
  • Oral: swallowed.
  • Inhalation.
  • Injection.
  • Administration form.
  • Tablet / compressed powder: taken orally or sublingually. For example, aspirin or nitro.
  • Liquid for injection: for example, epi.
  • Gel: taken orally. For example, glucose.
  • Suspension: taken orally. For example activated charcoal.
  • Fine powder for inhalation: these are mists. For example, MDIs.
  • Gas: for example oxygen.
  • Spray: these are droplets. Some nitro is in the spray form, where droplets are deposited with each spray.
  • Nebulizer: these are aerosols. For example, MDIs.
  • Medication terminology
  • Indications: situations that you should administer a medication.
  • Contraindications: situations that you should NOT administer a medication.
  • Dose: how much medication to give.
  • Administration: administration route and form.
  • Actions: the effect of the drug.
  • Side effects: negative effects of the drug.
  • Steps to check for in administering medication
  • Right circumstance: either on-line or off-line medical direction calls for the administration of this medication for this situation. Do NOT administer medication without medical direction or set protocol.
  • Right patient: check prescription label to make sure it's not prescribed for someone else.
  • Right date: make sure the drug is not past its expiration date.
  • Right medication: check to make sure that what's inside the container is indeed the right drug. Watch out for discoloration or impurities and discard any medication that has "gone bad".
  • Right dose: too little won't have an effect. Too much can be dangerous for the patient.
  • Right route: make sure you can distinguish between sublingual and oral. For example, nitro is sublingual, so place it under the tongue (don't let the patient swallow it).

* May be carried on the ambulance and administered with medical directives in place.