Paracetamol

Paracetamol

1. Routes

   • Per oral (PO)
   • Per rectum (PR)
   • Intravenous injection (IVI)

2. Side effects

   • Nausea/vomiting
     • Emesis bag, sit pt up
   • Drowsiness
     • Monitor sedation score / level of consciousness (LOC)
   • Angioedema
     • Notify RN, monitor and escalate for help if required
   • Rash
     • Monitor skin integrity, mark rashes with surgical marker
   • Hypotension
     • Monitor blood pressure and escalate for help if required
   • Tachycardia
     • Monitor heart rate and escalate for help if required

3. Adverse effects

   • Anaphylaxis
     • MET CALL
   • Any of the side effects which put the pt at great risk
     • Report concerns and intervene accordingly
   • Dyspnoea
     • Staff assist, sit the patient up, prepare supplemental oxygen

4. Simple analgesic and antipyretic

   • Simple analgesic - inhibits chemical mediators associated with pain. Fever - works on the hypothalamus (the area of the brain which regulates temperature)

5. Nursing Considerations

   • Ensure patient only has one paracetamol order prescribed
   • Monitor pain
   • Monitor for signs of overdose - deceased urine output, jaundice, loss of co-ordination, hypoglycaemia, diaphoresis, tremors, irritability
   • For an otherwise healthy adult, maximum dose in 24hours is 4 grams

6. Headaches and migraines

7. Muscular aches

8. Period pain

9. Osteoarthritis

10. Toothache

11. Contraindications

    • Severe hepatic impairment
    • Severe renal impairment

12. Fever