APPLICATION OF NURSING PROCESS IN PHARMACOLOGY

Goals and Responsibilities of Nursing Care Related to Drug Therapy  Preventing the need for drug therapy, when possible  Using appropriate and effective nonpharmacologic interventions (instead of, or in conjunction with, drug therapy when indicated).  Enhancing therapeutic effects  Preventing or minimizing adverse drug effects.  Teaching patients and caregivers about:  the role and importance of their medications in treating specific illnesses,  accurate administration of medications,  nonpharmacologic treatments to use with or instead of pharmacologic treatments, &  when to contact a health care provider Most Important Nurses Role in Safe Administration of Medication  PATIENT ADVOCATE – it is our legal responsibility to detect mistakes made by pharmacists and prescribers  Nurses are the one who administers drugs – thus, NURSES are last person to check medications before they are given.  NURSES’ are the patient’s last line of defense against medication errors.  It is ethically and legally unacceptable for you to administer a drug that is harmful to the patient EVOLUTION OF NURSING RESPONSIBILITIES REGARDING DRUGS  IN THE PAST focused on the Five Rights of Drug Administration (the 5 Rights)—namely,  Give the Right Drug  To the Right Patient  In the Right Dose  By the Right Route  At the Right Time  More recently, various other rights—  Right Assessment,  Right Documentation,  Right Evaluation,  The Patient’s Rights to Education, and  The Patient’s Right of Refusal APPLICATION OF THE NURSING PROCESS IN DRUG THERAPY Nursing process -a conceptual framework that nurses employ to guide healthcare delivery  Assessment = consists of collecting data about the patient.  The database established during assessment provides a foundation for subsequent steps in the process  Goal of pre-administration assessment→ gather data needed for: 1. evaluation of therapeutic and adverse effects, 2. identification of high-risk patients, and 3. assessment of the patient’s capacity for self-care Health History Questions Pertinent to Drug Administration Health History Component Areas Pertinent Questions Chief complaint • How do you feel? (describe) • Are you having any pain? (describe) • Are you experiencing other symptoms? (Especially pertinent to medications are Nausea, vomiting, headache, itchiness, dizziness, shortness of breath, nervousness, palpitations or “fluttering”, weakness or fatigue) Allergies • Are you allergic to any medications? • Are allergic to any foods, environmental substances (e.g., pollen or seasonal allergies, tape, soaps or cleansers)? • What specifically happens when you experience allergy? Past Medical History • Do you have history of diabetes, heart or vascular conditions, respiratory conditions or neurologic conditions? • Do you have any dermatologic conditions? • How were these treated in the past? Currently? Family Medical History • Has anyone in your family experienced difficulties with any medications? (describe) • Does anyone in your family have significant medical problems? (describe)