Medication Administration Times

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Policy

Medication Administration Times

InterDepartmental

13043

(Rev: 0)Official

PURPOSE:
Medications administered within Community Hospital are to be administered utilizing the hospital's
approved administration time schedule.
The professional judgement of the physician, nurse, and pharmacist caring for the patientmay
takeprecedence when clinically indicated.

DEFINITIONS:
N/A

POLICY:
Standard Community Hospital medication administration times will be utilized unless clinically indicated
otherwise.
The "50% rule" will be utilized when doses are to be worked into the hospital's standard administration
times.

PROCEDURE:
a. Standard Community Hospital medication administration times:
1. Daily = 0900
(exception: for anti-infectives time doses from the closest 9 o'clock either 0900 or 2100)
2. HS = 2100
3. BID = 0900 2100
a. Exception anticoagulants time to be specified by physician, i.e. 03001500.
b. If time is not specified standard times will be used.
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Q 12 Hours = 0900 2100

TID = 0900 1400 2100
15 minutes AC = 0645 1145 1645
AC or 1 Hour AC = 0600 1100 1600
PC or 2 Hours PC = 0900 1400 1900
Q 8 Hours = 0600 1400 2200
QID = 0900 1300 1700 2100
Q 6 Hours = 0600 1200 1800 2359
Q 4 Hours = 0200 0600 1000 1400 1800 2200

b. Respiratory Therapy Drug Administration Times

1. BID = 0700 1900
2. TID = 0700 1300 1900
3. QID = 0700 1100 1500 1900
4. Q 6 Hours = 0700 1300 1900 0100
5. Q 4 Hours = 0700 1100 1500 1900 2300 0300

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Medication Administration Times

c. Special
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medication administration times

Coumadin = 1800
HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (ie; Zocor)= 2100
Diuretics- -BID = 0600 1200
Thyroid Meds = 0630

d. Subsequent doses are to be worked into the hospital's standard administration times based on a 50%
rule.
1. 50% rules states that:
a. Amissed dose of drug should be administered as soon as the patient is available even
if administered "late."
b. Drugs may be administered under this guidance if the interval between the scheduled
time of administration and the time of patient availability and subsequent drug
administration is less than 50% of the scheduled dosing interval. Here are some
examples of how this works in practice:
z A patient is scheduled to receive a daily dose of drug at 8 AM, but is
unavailable until 1 PM. Since the dosing interval is 24 hours, the dose may be
given up to 12 hours "late". The 8 AM dose is given at 1 PM. The next dose is
given at the originally scheduled time, 8 AM.
z A patient is scheduled to receive an antibiotic every 8 hours and is due at 8
AM but is unavailable until 11 AM. Since the dosing interval is 8 hours, the
dose may be given up until 12 noon. The next dose is given at the originally
scheduled time.
z In both instances, had the patient unavailability extended beyond a period
exceeding 50% of the dosing interval (after 8 PM in the first example or after
12 noon in the second) the guidance suggests that the dose be skipped and the
next dose be administered at the scheduled time.
{ The maximum effect on drug serum levels is dependent on the
elimination half-life of the drug.
{ In general, a slight drop in the serum level would be expected
because of the "missed" dose being administered later than scheduled.
{ However, this drop in serum level is offset by a slight increase in
serum level after the next scheduled dose is administered.
{ The impact of late administration is, as a result, negligible overall.
2. It is important to note that the "50% Rule" is only meant as a guide and not as an endorsement
for missed doses of medication. The "50% Rule" is not intended as a replacement for
professional judgement. The professional judgement of the physician, nurse and pharmacist
caring for the patient takes precedence when clinically indicated.

RESPONSIBILITY:
Physicians and Licensed Independent Practitioners, Nursing and Pharmacy staff

Referenced Documents
Reference Type
Title
Documents which reference this document
Referenced Documents
First Choice Medication Administration
Referenced Documents
Safe Medication Administration Practices
Signed by

Notes

( 04/02/2009 ) Debora Riggle

( 04/06/2009 ) Kathy Olsen, Clinical Specialist
( 04/09/2009 ) Beth Bricker, Chief Nursing Officer
( 05/12/2009 ) James Gardner, Pharmacist

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Medication Administration Times

Effective

05/12/2009

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Document Owner

Gardner, James

Paper copies of this document may not be current and should not be relied on for official purposes. The current
version is in Lucidoc at .
https://www.lucidoc.com/cgi/doc-gw.pl?ref=bch:13043

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