Assignment Question
Discussion Board This discussion board is related to our course introduction and pharmacologic principles. Using the learning materials and activities from this module, follow the instructions below. The learning goal for this discussion is to: Discuss the professional responsibilities and standards of practice for the nurse as related to medication processes. (MLO 1) Appraise the issues contributing to medication errors. (MLO 3) Debate the impact of culture and age, as well as ethical and legal dilemmas associated with medication errors (MLO 4)
Discussion Instructions – Initial Post Post your Initial Discussion by Wednesday. Introduce yourself and respond to the following prompts: Introduce yourself, your nursing specialty, and any other information you’d like us to know. What is your role as a professional nurse in prevention of medication errors? (MLO 1, 3) How do culture and aging influence medication errors? (MLO 4) Be sure to use appropriate APA citations when referencing course materials. You can also include any attachments, resources, or images to enhance your discussion.
Instructions – Peer Responses To complete your discussion, you need to respond to two class peers at two different times. Complete two separate peer responses on two different days
The two peers to respond to:
1. Candice Taylor Hello everyone, My name is Candice, and I am a circulator for the OR in the neurotrauma department. I graduated from HCC in December 2022 and passed the NCLEX in January 2023. I enjoy being a nurse and learn something new every day. I look forward to engaging with you all. This post will address the nurse’s role in the prevention of medication errors and how culture and aging influence medication errors. As a nurse, one of our roles is to prevent medication errors from occurring while caring for our patients. As patient advocates, we must follow standard care practices and look out for the well-being of the patients. Nurses need to understand the patient’s illness and the medications prescribed to practice responsibly. To practice safely in this professional role, nurses need to display the “Nine Rights” of medication administration. According to Pharmacology and the Nursing Process (2023), the nine rights of medication administration include right drug, right dose, right time, right route, right patient, right documentation, right reason, right response, and right to refuse. These nine rights have been identified as additional standards of care as related to drug therapy. Nurses serve as the last line of defense in preventing medication errors during administration. It is crucial to verify the nine rights when giving medication to avoid adverse patient outcomes. Another component in preventing medication errors is clear and effective communication. When we promote effective communication, we can minimize the chances of misinterpretation of orders and any medication changes with the patient. Paying close attention to high-alert medications and sound-alike, look-alike drugs (SALAD) is another factor to consider in preventing medication errors. It is the nurse’s responsibility to minimize interruptions during the medication administration process, as well as educate the patient about the medications they are taking. By applying these suggestions, we can reduce the chances of medication errors and any harm that may come to the patient. Furthermore, culture and aging can influence medication errors in healthcare settings. Culture encompasses a wide range of beliefs, values, and practices. Caring for patients from diverse backgrounds requires detailed attention to how they perceive medication and how it can interact with current customs. Many individuals take over-the-counter medications and herbs that could have an interaction with the medications they are prescribed. It is necessary to attain a detailed list and address any potential complications that could harm the patient. Language barriers can be problematic for the nurse-patient relationship. Acquiring a certified interpreter is another way to ensure effective communication when it comes to medication compliance and side effects. Additionally, many older adults have co-morbidities and are at a greater risk of drug-to-drug interactions. Polypharmacy can increase the complexity of medication regimens, making it more challenging for seniors to manage their medications correctly. Aging also alters the body’s ability to absorb and metabolize efficiently. As nurses, we know aging affects physiological changes, and medications need to be adjusted according to the patient. References Lilley, L. L., Collins, S. R., & Snyder, J. S. (2023). Pharmacology and the Nursing Process (10th ed.). Elsevier.
2. Hello, My name is Melissa Marin, and I am a nurse in a cardiovascular PCU unit. I would love to eventually be working in an ICU unit since my end goal is to someday be a CRNA. In this post I will be discussing about my role as a nurse in the prevention of medication errors and how culture and aging influence medication errors. As a nurse, one of our many responsibilities is to prevent medication errors from ever happening. Although at times it may be tedious, double checking our patient identifiers and going oversteps carefully, is what tend to save us from making those mistakes that at time can be life threatening. In addition, nurses need to understand the full picture of the patient’s health condition because often medications are prescribed that help a patient in a certain way but because of their illness those medications should be held or contraindicated since they may lead to death. For example, a patient with dehydration and heart failure. Yes, our responsibility is to treat the dehydration however, if we give the patient lots of fluids, we might cause a severe exacerbation of their heart failure. Additionally, as nurses we can take an active role when using the “Nine Rights” of medication administration. In the textbook Pharmacology and the Nursing Process (Lilley et al., 2023), the nine rights of medication administration are right reason, right response, right drug, right dose, right time, right route, right patient, right documentation, and right to refuse. These rights are crucial to nurses since we advocate for our patients if any medication administration error occurs, meaning speaking with the doctor, pharmacy, etc. to change the medication, fix the dose, etc. Lastly, making sure medications re not confused with others is extremely important. At times you might come across drugs that have similar names, shapes, colors therefore, paying attention to high alert drugs, look-alike, and sound-alike drugs is extremely important in prevention of medication errors. When it comes to working in a hospital, culture, and aging play big factors when it comes to influencing medication errors. Taking care of patients, all of which have different cultural backgrounds, is a complex role because culture influences how we view the world; how we interact with the world; how medications are perceived, and how these hinder or enhance someone’s religious beliefs as well. Therefore, it is very important for nurses to be well educated on different cultures in order to provide competent, well-rounded care (educate our patients well). Aging is also a significant factor when it comes to the topic of medication errors because many elders have comorbidities that affected in multiple ways (meaning you may be treating one illness well with a medication but, that medication may be causing exacerbations on the other patient’s condition). Lastly, aging also affects absorption of medication, our ability to comprehend, our communication skills, and management of our medications. Therefore, as a nurse you must look at the whole picture when it comes to proper medication administration. References Lilley, L. L., Collins, S. R., & Snyder, J. S. (2023). Pharmacology and the nursing process. Elsevier.
