Scopolamine

ATI-format individual drug card with NCLEX-focused assessment, safety, teaching, and source attribution.

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Scopolamine

ATI class: Antiemetic / Anticholinergic

Action

  • Blocks muscarinic receptors to reduce vestibular input to the vomiting center.
  • Decreases parasympathetic stimulation and secretions.

Therapeutic use

  • Motion sickness prevention
  • Postoperative nausea and vomiting prevention

Nursing assessment

  • Assess for anticholinergic effects: dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention, constipation, tachycardia, and confusion.
  • Check glaucoma risk and urinary retention risk before use.
  • Monitor older adults for confusion and falls.

Administration

  • Transdermal patch

Side effects

  • Dry mouth
  • Drowsiness
  • Blurred vision
  • Constipation

Adverse effects

  • Acute angle-closure glaucoma
  • Urinary retention
  • Confusion or hallucinations

Interactions

  • Alcohol
  • Sedatives
  • Other anticholinergics
  • Antihistamines
  • Tricyclic antidepressants

Contraindications

  • Narrow-angle glaucoma
  • Hypersensitivity

Precautions

  • Use caution with BPH, urinary retention, bowel obstruction risk, older adults, and cognitive impairment.
  • Wash hands after applying or removing patch to avoid eye exposure.

Client teaching

  • Apply behind the ear as directed and remove the old patch before applying a new one.
  • Avoid touching eyes after handling the patch.
  • Report eye pain, vision halos, inability to urinate, confusion, or severe dizziness.

Medication outcomes

  • Reduced motion-related nausea
  • Reduced postoperative nausea and vomiting

Antidote / rescue

  • No routine antidote is seeded; severe anticholinergic toxicity requires urgent provider or poison-control guidance.

NCLEX priority cues

  • Eye pain or halos after patch exposure can indicate angle-closure glaucoma.
  • Confusion and urinary retention are not routine mild dry-mouth effects.
  • Patch handling matters because accidental eye exposure is testable.

Medication classes

AntiemeticsAnticholinergics

Source attribution

Engage_MedTable_Scopolamine.pdf
ati-pdf
Google Drive ATI Engage antiemetic source folder
google-drive
Sentinel pharmacology API reference
sentinel-api

Related study cards

Shows the medication class, ATI cues, source references, and connected study cards for this drug.

12 study links
Med classmedication class
Anticholinergics

Blocks parasympathetic activity, so secretions dry up, heart rate can rise, and smooth muscle spasms decrease.

Med classmedication class
Antiemetics

Reduces nausea through different pathways, including serotonin, dopamine, histamine, muscarinic, cannabinoid, and NK1 receptor effects.

ATI cueAdverse Effect
Acute angle-closure glaucoma

ATI medication adverse effect concept.

ATI cueInteraction
Alcohol

ATI medication interaction concept.

ATI cueClass
Anticholinergic

ATI medication class concept.

ATI cueClass
Antiemetic

ATI medication class concept.

ATI cueInteraction
Antihistamines

ATI medication interaction concept.

ATI cueClient Teaching
Apply behind the ear as directed and remove the old patch before applying a new one.

ATI medication client teaching concept.

ATI cueNursing Assessment
Assess for anticholinergic effects: dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention, constipation, tachycardia, and confusion.

ATI medication nursing assessment concept.

ATI cueClient Teaching
Avoid touching eyes after handling the patch.

ATI medication client teaching concept.

ATI cueMechanism of Action
Blocks muscarinic receptors to reduce vestibular input to the vomiting center.

ATI medication mechanism of action concept.

ATI cueSide Effect
Blurred vision

ATI medication side effect concept.