Introduction
The relationship between the NCLEX-RN examination blueprint and the priority concept of pharmacological and parenteral therapies highlights a nurse’s role in providing safe and efficient client care. A nurse is responsible for managing and strengthening the care delivery environment to facilitate positive patient outcomes. One will be in charge of not just giving clients direct care but also supervising those who are doing so.
The safety of the care environment for patients and caregivers will also fall within the purview of nurses. A client’s surroundings may have a favorable or unfavorable impact on them. One will be tasked with taking a comprehensive look at the care environment to nurture a successful outcome for the client (Ackley et al., 2019).
Individuals have a finite capacity and varying proficiency levels regarding social interaction. They are distinctive individuals with clearly defined daily routines that reflect their ideals, motivations, and lives. It is within an individual’s autonomy to make choices about their healthcare and actively participate in finding solutions for their medical needs. In various situations, the nursing profession makes a special contribution to clients’ (individual, family, or group) attainment of an optimal level of health.
Importance
Pharmacological and parenteral therapies are one of the most crucial parts of safe, efficient, and effective client care. Pharmacological and parenteral therapies can have either a positive impact on the client’s health status or a completely negative one, which at times, includes death. The purpose of providing client care is to stabilize and improve the client’s health and provide them with safe, optimal, efficient, and therapeutic care.
If pharmacological and parenteral therapies are not utilized properly, it’s almost impossible to do so. Suppose medication calculations are not performed correctly or not verified and re-checked by the nurse and others providing care. In that case, the client can go from stable to needing immediate emergency interventions. There are many moving parts to successfully administering pharmacological and parenteral therapies to clients.
For instance, clients need to receive the correct medication, the correct dosage, and at the right time. In addition to medication administration rights, medication reconciliation must be completed thoroughly to ensure there are no contraindications or interactions with the client’s medications that they take at home. Medication reconciliation also includes the different medications and parenteral therapies that clients would receive during their admittance, and healthcare providers need to be educated and trained in these therapies for positive client outcomes.
Healthcare Disparities, Inequalities, and Intervention
Pharmacological interventions are used throughout health care settings and are critical to patient care. Any individual may be subjected to negative complications, adverse reactions, and accidents when it comes to pharmacology and patient safety. The nurse must practice safe and efficient care when providing medications and treatment to patients.
There is potential for unintentional torts when it comes to pharmacology and patient care. It is extremely important to use evidence-based practices and good judgment. The healthcare team should be well educated in the adverse effects, complications, contradictions, and potential interactions that may occur.
Following the guidelines and safety protocols is extremely important for maintaining the safety of patients. Potential complications of medication calculation errors can be a risk. It is important to follow the guidelines and the rights to medication administration. According to the National Library of Medicine, a journal explains how patients with chronic disease who take several medications may be more at risk of medication errors (Rasool et al, 2020).
Having multiple medications may become overwhelming, but it is essential to follow the proper medication administration. The rights include the right patient, the right time, the correct route, the right dose, and the right drug. Following and utilizing these principles will help prevent medication errors and administer medications appropriately and effectively. These principles serve as a reminder to follow the checklist so that the nurse can double-check before administering medications. Interventions to medication errors can include following the medication administration rights, following evidence-based practices, and utilizing resources like David’s Drug Book.
These resources can educate the health care team and the patient on the different manifestations of complications, adverse effects, interactions, and prevent errors and injury. Utilizing signs throughout the health care setting to educate patients to know their medications correctly can help prevent errors and injuries. When a patient knows their medication and the rationale for their medication, this can assist with preventing errors.
If patients know their medication and dosage and are familiar with their medications, they can correct any errors. Continuing care by providing nurses who are already familiar with the patient and their medications may also prevent errors and injuries. Having nurses familiar with administering the specific medications the patient needs can help catch errors before they occur.
Medication is an important intervention for different diagnoses. It is important to acknowledge individuals who may not have access to or knowledge of the resources that they may need. Medication treatments may be extremely costly and may not be accessible to individuals. Patients who live in rural areas may be subjected to limited resources. Patients who experience disabilities may also be subjected to medication errors.
Patients may not have access to health care since they live far from resources. Patients may also face treatment difficulty due to a lack of health insurance, finances, and health care resources. It is important to educate communities and individuals about the different resources available to them.
It is important to provide education about the diagnoses and medication in a way that individuals can comprehend appropriately. Educating individuals about the diagnosis can assist in the patient’s understanding of the importance of interventions needed. Educating patients on how to administer medications properly is extremely important. Potential interventions can include community education classes where individuals can learn more about their diagnoses and the treatments they may need. Having community classes can provide support and relief groups for individuals as well.
They may connect with others with similar medications and diagnoses, aiding their understanding and treatment. This can be accessible financially to the patients as well. It is important to provide safety and a sense of community for patients. Medication interventions can be confusing and difficult for patients as well. It is important to ensure the patient can access an interpreter if needed. This will provide accurate, efficient, and safe care for the patient. The most important aspect is the patient’s safety and providing safe, efficient, and appropriate care.
Legal & Ethical Considerations and Intervention Challenges
Professional autonomy is associated with experienced meaningfulness of the work. This refers to participation in decision-making and the ability to influence working practices. According to an article, “Autonomy gives freedom to both nurse and the patient, and it helps build up the patient-nurse relationship. The nurse must provide proper information about medication, such as side effects, therapeutic effect, route of the medication, etc.” ( Abdolmaleki, M, 2018). After all this information, the patient still has the right to refuse the medication, and the nurse should respect the patient’s decision. This is autonomy.
Moving on to legal implications, which are likely to occur in case of negligence. For example, “if a patient has an order for Digoxin, the nurse must assess the patient’s pulse before giving the medication. The medication is withheld if the patient’s pulse rate is less than sixty.
In this case, the nurse should document the patient’s pulse rate and that the medication was not given. Nursing negligence occurs when a nurse fails to administer medication without a valid cause or a physician’s order, and fails to document it properly.” (Darby, F, 2022). This is a perfect example of how negligence occurs while a nurse administers medication.
One strategy in preventing an ethical dilemma related to the priority concept for a nurse would be educating themselves regarding the Code of Ethics, as well as the Code of Ethics for their specific medical facility. Also, nurse managers can provide regular training for their nurses regarding recurring issues. And to prevent legal consequences related to the priority concept, responding to patient needs as quickly as possible would be crucial. If a nurse cannot answer a patient’s call or provide care immediately, she should notify the charge nurse and ask for help.
When documenting about the patient, the nurse should include whether she had to ask for assistance, who she reported the need to, and follow up promptly. A challenge that could threaten a patient’s safety would be a nurse not respecting the client’s decision to refuse medication. This could cause stress on patients and break the ethics of autonomy. A challenge that would prevent the success in resolving the issue would be nurses simply respecting clients’ decisions and documenting the right way, because nurses can get overwhelmed with a high patient load and get anxious with patients’ decisions to refuse meds.
Participants and Interdisciplinary Approach
Pharmacology and medication administration participants include the nurse, prescribing physician, and pharmacist. While the pharmacist and prescribing physician will not physically administer medication, they’ll choose the correct medication, dosage, and frequency. The nurse has many jobs regarding the safe administration of medication. The nurse needs to identify the patient’s rights to medication, such as the right patient, drug, dose, route, and time (Hanson & Haddad, 2021). It is essential to include pharmacists and prescribing physicians to promote evidence-based practice.
The doctor initially prescribes the medication, which is then sent to the pharmacist. The pharmacist double-checks the medication, confirms the correct dosage, and sends it to the nurse. The nurse is the final point of contact before drug administration. This is when the nurse must double-check dosing and go through the five patient rights before administration. While all parties are qualified and deeply educated on medication, it is still essential for all parties to double-check medications to stop a medication error before it starts.
Quality Improvement
When done correctly, pharmacological measures can, based on the medication being administered, improve the patient’s quality of life. Proper medication administration or usage, such as administering antibiotics to a patient with an infection, can work to clear the infection and aid in the patient’s healing. Quick healing and recovery will help discharge the patient quickly.
Proper pharmacology education can teach the nurse valuable things regarding the safety of medication administration. The nurse should be able to explain the medication being administered, its expected findings, and any adverse reactions that can affect the patient’s safety. With proper education from the nurse comes proper education to the patients. When the patient knows what they’re taking and why, it can increase patient compliance, leading to better health outcomes. If a nurse or patient has any questions regarding a medication, they should have access to a drug guide, or their hospital should have drug guide software to educate the nurse on the reasoning.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this paper emphasizes the importance of pharmacological and parenteral treatments in providing secure, productive, and successful client care. Promoting increased evidence-based professional practice knowledge related to this priority concept is essential in preventing medication errors, ensuring proper medication administration, and optimizing patient outcomes. Drug guides, interdisciplinary collaboration, and continuing education are crucial for supporting improved evidence-based professional practice related to pharmacological and parenteral therapies.
Addressing this priority concept is paramount for patient outcomes and evidence-based professional practice, as it directly impacts the safety and well-being of patients. By receiving appropriate education, following medication administration guidelines, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, healthcare providers can reduce the likelihood of medication errors and offer optimal care to their patients. Ultimately, this diligent approach will contribute to better health outcomes and a higher quality of care within the healthcare system.
References
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