Saunders Nursing Drug Handbook is a reliable and easy-to-use source of current drug information needed by the busy health care provider. What separates this book from others is that it guides the user through clinical priorities in the practice setting to promote better patient care. Its main objective is to provide essential information for thousands of medications in a user-friendly format.
- Side effects and adverse reactions are listed by frequency - frequent, occasional, rare - with percentage of occurrence (when known). This allows the nurse to identify during assessment which is most likely to occur and is also important for patient teaching.
- Incorporates frequently used herb monographs in the A-to-Z portion of the book. Additional herb information can be found in the appendix.
- Three different indexes allow quick referencing: Pediatric Medication index, Comprehensive Index, and Disorders Index.
- Comprehensive foldout IV Compatibility Chart gives compatibility information for 65 intravenous drugs. This chart provides easy access to this information and is bound into the book so it can't be misplaced.
- The classifications section provides an overview of actions and uses for drug families. Each classification includes a unique table comparing drugs in the family and listing dosages and routes of administration.
- Includes a companion mini CD-ROM with the top 200 drug monographs. These monographs provide customizable and printable drug information.
- Identifies the top 100 prescribed drugs within the monograph to help the user focus on the most frequently administered drugs.
- Side effects are distinguished from adverse reactions so the nurse can better assess the patient.
- Medication grid in the classifications section shows all the medications in a particular class with pertinent information next to it (actions, uses, names, availability, dosage, side effects).
- Guides the user through navigation and use of the handbook with a how-to flow chart printed on the inside front cover.
- Drug entries are in alphabetical order by generic drug name for quick and easy access. Each full entry is formatted with the following headings:
- Generic drug name (includes pronunciation)
- Trade name (includes Canadian availability, which is indicated with maple leaf)
- Fixed combinations (when applicable)
- Classification (both clinical and pharmacotherapeutic; if applicable, includes cross references to the classification section of the handbook)
- Action and therapeutic effect
- Pharmacokinetics
- Uses and unlabeled uses
- Precautions (includes contraindications and cautions) and lifespan considerations (pregnancy/lactation, child, and elderly considerations)
- Interactions (includes food, drug, altered lab values, and herbal)
- Availability
- Administration/handling (with a subheading for each route; includes IV storage, reconstitution, and rates of administration information)
- IV incompatibilities
- IV compatibilities
- Indications/dosage/route (includes IV flow rates and dosages in renal/hepatic compromised individuals)
- Side effects (listed by frequency and lists percentages of occurrences, when available)
- Adverse reactions/toxic effects
- Nursing implications (assessment, intervention/evaluation, and patient/family teaching)
- Cross references top US brand name drugs directly in the main section of the book.
- New appendix features helpful Spanish Phrases Used in Clinical Settings.
- New classification: skeletal muscle relaxants.
- Lists all newly approved drugs in the front of book.
- Unlabeled uses heading is colored for quick recognition.
- The content is updated throughout with the latest information and new FDA-approved drugs, additional herbal content, and IV information.
