Course Competencies
Many key competencies related to medications were studied during the course. One of the most important is the skill of preparing and administering medicines, as mishandling them leads to critical consequences. The competence of patient teaching utilizing various resources also increases the level of satisfaction with treatment and the effectiveness of care. Thus, both skills are essential for successful nursing practice and ensuring client safety.
Preparing and Administering Medications
The competence to employ safe practices when preparing and administering medications is extremely important for nurses. Lack of knowledge or misapplication of such competence can lead to serious mistakes, as medication administration is “a high-risk nursing skill” (Kavanagh, 2017, p. 159). Moreover, this activity takes a nurse about 40% of the working time; therefore, patients’ safety and life depend on the correct and accurate actions (Kavanagh, 2017). Competency has influenced me in a fundamental way because after learning the skills, it seems to me much more important than before. Moreover, I now realize that just preparing and administering medications is not enough to ensure patient safety; it is also necessary to constantly monitor the patient’s response to treatment and evaluate the effectiveness.
Safe practices when preparing and administering medications are a basic and a core skill for nursing. At the same time, it requires extensive knowledge in the field of medicines and their use. Therefore, I can apply the competence on a daily basis in my nursing practice, as it occupies a significant part of the responsibilities. Correct and accurate medication administration ensures patient safety, so I can use the skill to provide the best possible care. Mistakes in the preparation of medications can be critical, so I will also strive for constant checking and necessary calculations, as well as expanding the knowledge about medicines.
Client Teaching Related to Medications
Expanded knowledge of medicines can help the nurse educate the clients about how to use them. It is essential since the “priorities of health care professionals often do not align with those of the patient” (Lambourne et al., 2018). However, it may not always be sufficient for the clients, so it is important to consider their needs and perspective. The acquired competence affected me in terms of understanding the necessity to be attentive to informing the clients.
In cases of serious illness, education about the medications, the purpose of their use and the results can significantly increase patient satisfaction. Utilizing the resources available to reinforce teaching is the most effective approach because it is necessary to give versatile data. Thus, a nurse performs an important function of not only physically treating the patient but also providing their psychological comfort.
The acquired skills will help me communicate more effectively with the patients during my nursing practice. I will also be able to use a variety of teaching resources for the clients to provide them with not only physiological but also psychological comfort. Increased knowledge of drugs can also be beneficial for the families of patients, as they can ensure more effective care on their own. Also, the client will be more mindful of medications, which will increase the quality of their treatment.
To conclude, the skills in preparing and administration of medications, as well as education about them, are essential for a nurse. The first competence reduces the risk of errors related to medications in hospitals, which significantly increases the quality of care. The second competency allows clients to expand the knowledge of medicines and their correct use, which will help them be more aware of their treatment and feel more confident and satisfied with it.
References
Kavanagh, C. (2017). Medication governance: Preventing errors and promoting patient safety. British Journal of Nursing, 26(3), 159-164. Web.
Lambourne, T., Minard, L. V., Deal, H., Rolle, M., Saulnier, D., & Houlihan, J. (2018). Optimizing patient education of oncology medications: A patient perspective. Journal of Cancer Education, 34, 1024-2030. Web.