The Nurse’s Guide to Medicines

Working with medicines is central to your role as a nurse. It forms the basis of most treatment plans and is fundamental to modern practice. In order for you to provide safe and effective care it is important that you understand what common drugs are for, how they work in the body and what it means for the people using them. As a nurse, you have access to vast amounts of information on all of the drugs licenced for use in the UK, making it vital for you to know the basics.

Chapters follow a two part structure: the initial section takes a traditional textbook approach, providing clear explanations of the drugs while also emphasising the wider nursing context; the second half of the chapter provides a medicines list that details all the key facts and figures relating to the main drugs in use including information on dosages, brand names and possible side effects. This blend makes the content accessible and allows you to refer back to key parts again and again.

Key chapters include:

• Medicines for infections (bacterial, viral and fungal)

• Medicines for pain (such as opioids)

• Considerations for special populations (such as elderly or pregnant)

Written by two experienced teachers in this area, this book is written in an accessible way and designed for you to dip in and out of.