Diazepam (Valium) Nursing Considerations
Included In This Lesson
Study Tools For Diazepam (Valium) Nursing Considerations
Outline
Generic Name
Diazepam
Trade Name
Valium
Indication
Anxiety, pre-op sedation, conscious sedation, treatment of seizures, insomnia,
management of alcohol withdrawal
Action
Decreases the effects of voltage gated sodium channels to depresses the CNS
Therapeutic Class
Antianxiety agents, anticonvulsants, sedative/hypnotics, skeletal muscle relax-
ants (centrally acting)
Pharmacologic Class
Benzodiazepine
Nursing Considerations
• Contraindicated in hepatic dysfunction
• Use caution with renal impairment
• Can cause dizziness, drowsiness, lethargy, hypotension, physical depen-
dence, tolerance
• Instruct patient to take as directed
• Caution to avoid alcohol use
• Flumazenil (Romazicon) is the reversal agent
Transcript
Hey guys, let’s talk about diazepam also known as Valium. This is an oral medication, as you can see here in the picture, but it also comes in other forms like an injectable form. So when we think about the therapeutic class of a drug, this is how the drug works in the body while the pharmacologic class is the chemical effect. So for diazepam’s therapeutic class, it’s an anti-anxiety agent, also an anti-convulsant a sedative-hypnotic, and a skeletal muscle relaxant that is centrally acting. The pharmacologic class of diazepam is a benzodiazepine. So diazepam works by decreasing the effects of voltage-gated sodium channels that depress the central nervous system. We use diazepam for anxiety for conscious sedation treatment of seizures, insomnia, and also alcohol withdrawal. So remember diazepam works by depressing the central nervous system. So it makes sense that some of the side effects include drowsiness and lethargy also hypotension and dizziness.
Let’s take a look at a few nursing considerations, use caution in patients with renal impairment and also in patients who have hepatic dysfunction. Super important to know that diazepam can cause physical dependence and tolerance. If administering diazepam, be sure that the reversal agent flumazenil or Romazicon is readily available. And guys, this is especially important if you work in the ER setting and you have a patient that comes in unresponsive and a drug overdose is suspected, especially if you do not the drug that may have been used. And finally, guys, because there is such a risk of dependence and tolerance, you must teach the patient to only take this medication as directed and to avoid alcohol use. That’s it for diazepam or Valium. Now go out and be your best self today. And as always happy nursing, the.
Fall 2026
Concepts Covered:
- Studying
- Substance Abuse Disorders
- Anxiety Disorders
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Brain
- Cognitive Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Medication Administration
- Depressive Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- Psychotic Disorders
- Trauma-Stress Disorders
- Bipolar Disorders
- Developmental Considerations
- Concepts of Mental Health
- Health & Stress
- Psychological Emergencies
- Somatoform Disorders
- Communication
- Factors Influencing Community Health
- Perioperative Nursing Roles
- Emotions and Motivation
- Basics of NCLEX
- Pregnancy Risks
- Fundamentals of Emergency Nursing
- Neurologic and Cognitive Disorders
- Intraoperative Nursing
- Basics of Sociology
- Statistics
- Cardiac Disorders
- Lower GI Disorders
- Immunological Disorders
- Respiratory Emergencies
- Disorders of the Adrenal Gland
- Shock
- Hematologic Disorders
- Vascular Disorders
- Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Respiratory Disorders
- Oncology Disorders
- Noninfectious Respiratory Disorder
- Respiratory System
- Liver & Gallbladder Disorders
- Acute & Chronic Renal Disorders
- EENT Disorders
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Cardiovascular Disorders
- Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
- Disorders of Pancreas
- Disorders of the Posterior Pituitary Gland
- Renal and Urinary Disorders
- Urinary Disorders
- Male Reproductive Disorders
- Urinary System
- Upper GI Disorders
- Renal Disorders
- Disorders of the Thyroid & Parathyroid Glands
- Hematologic Disorders
- Integumentary Disorders
- Integumentary Disorders
- Postpartum Care
- Newborn Complications
- EENT Disorders
- Neurological
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Spinal Cord
- Peripheral Nervous System Disorders
- Newborn Care
- Female Reproductive Disorders
- Infectious Disease Disorders
- Postpartum Complications
- Labor and Delivery
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Emergency Care of the Neurological Patient
- Musculoskeletal Trauma
- Neurological Trauma
- Infectious Respiratory Disorder
- Labor Complications
- Documentation and Communication
- Emergency Care of the Trauma Patient