Create a one-page patient education tool that explains usage of a medication and factors that can affect outcomes.

Create a one-page patient education tool that explains usage of a medication and factors that can affect outcomes. Then, write 2–3 pages in which you explain how the tool promotes patient safety and quality outcomes, and adheres to the principles and practices of cultural competence.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

Competency 1: Apply practice guidelines and standards of evidence-based practice related to pharmacology for safe and effective nursing practice.

Explain the appropriate use of a medication.

Explain how a patient education tool promotes patient safety related to pharmacology.

Competency 2: Explain the relationship between quality patient outcomes, patient safety, and the appropriate use of pharmacology and psychopharmacology.

Identify specific factors that may affect the efficacy of a medication.

Describe possible chemical reactions, side effects, or other negative reactions a patient may experience from a medication.

Explain correct handling, storage, and disposal of a medication.

Competency 3: Apply the principles and practices of cultural competence with regard to pharmacological interventions.

Explain how a patient education tool adheres to the principles and practices of cultural competence.

Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with the expectations of a nursing professional.

Write content clearly and logically with correct use of grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.

Correctly format paper, citations, and references using current APA style.

Context

Do any of these sound familiar?

“I felt better right away, so I did not think I had to take the rest of the medicine.”

“Every time I took it, I threw up, so I just did not take it anymore.”

“I lost my health insurance a couple of months ago and cannot afford my medication all the time. I take it when I can afford to buy it. This is better than nothing, right?”

In addition to administering medications, nurses are assigned the responsibility of educating patients about the proper use of the medications that have been prescribed for them. Not an easy task! With all the demands on a nurse’s time, it is easy to fall into the habit of reciting instructions without taking the time to make sure those instructions have been understood. When considering patient education, you have to understand the differences between drug reactions, interactions, allergies, and individual variations in drug responses.

In order to promote better patient safety and quality outcomes, the instruction that nurses provide must be patient-centered and clearly understood. Proper education helps patients learn about their medications, how to take them correctly, avoid potentially harmful errors or drug interactions, and have the desired quality outcome.

Medication errors can occur at any point in the drug administration process. As the last person who touches a medication before the patient actually takes it, it is vital that nurses are familiar with the process of administration and be able to evaluate any discrepancies.

Questions to Consider

To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community.

How do the rights of patient medication affect the ability of a nurse to make sure a patient receives medication that is ordered in a safe, effective manner?