Some medications must be given at specific time, so it imperative to provide the medication to the patient at the correct time. In conclusion, nurses are the first and last line of defense in reducing medication errors. When administering medication nurses should practice the five rights of medication which are the right patient, the right drug, the right dose, the right route, and the right time. (Choo et al., 2010) No matter how much experience a nurse has, they are still humans and may make mistakes, but medication errors are preventable. Taking simple steps such as following the “five
Although one ethical limitation of a counselor is that they are not able to prescribe medication, the counselor still plays a major role in the clients overall treatment, to include medication. The role of the counselor is to offer recommendations to the physician for medication use, constant consultation and screening of the client for the need for medication, monitoring and evaluation of effects of medication, education to clients and family members, and advocating for the client to the physician. It is also a counselor’s responsibility to inform the client of available treatment methods (King & Anderson, 2004). For example, if I am seeing a client for depression I would be legally responsible for informing the client about antidepressant medication used to treat depression in addition to possible counseling treatments to ensure the clients right to effective treatment. Because counselors are responsible for assisting physicians in ensuring the best possible care for the client, it is important that I familiarize myself with psychotropic medication.
The patient has a right to decide one’s medical care. One also has a right to know of any side effects of treatments. June needs to be told what may happen without the feeding tube and what can be expected with the feeding tube. June also has a right to have her health information kept confidential, with information given only to those she designates as being allowed to have her health information (Showalter, 2008). It is noted that in the absence of a progressive terminal disease, the feeding tube may be used to prolong life and since the patient is not dying of another cause, discontinuing the feeding tube would imply a desire to cause the patient’s death.
(Lloyd & Craig, 2007, p. 42) stated, “It is essential to allow sufficient time to complete the history. Not allowing enough time can result in incomplete information, which may adversely affect the patient’s care”. In addition, the nurse needs to remember not to rush, or hurry the patent and make sure they feel comfortable in the environment. The next key point is communication. The nurse needs to be open, nonjudgmental, using verbal and nonverbal communication, and remain professional.
2009). In order to guide their patients to health, nurses must be able change medical lingo into everyday language. For example; instead of asking a patient if they have ‘voided’, he or she should be asking their client if they have passed urine. In most cases, finding the appropriate language to get the message across can be easily predicted. However, in some cases, Nurses have to re-ask a question in order to allow an understanding between them and the patient.
Patients with altered mental states and infants and young children cannot be approached with this theory (Senn, 2012, p. 32). Implementation of Peplau's theory of interpersonal relations is simple and can be easily applied into practice, but requires the nurse to control their behavior, while letting the patient make their own decisions (Graham, 2006, p. 30). This can be especially difficult in situations, such as long term care, where nurses become too involved with the patient and can make poor judgments and decisions (Graham, 2006, p. 30). Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations Hildegard Peplau was one of the first nursing theorists to recognize how important the work of a nurse was, rather then trying to define and delineate nursing. She firmly believed that nursing should be based on an interpersonal process and the nurse-patient
Registered Nurses work very hard to meet the needs of their patients, both emotional and physical. However, after this diagnosis is given the patient it is not uncommon for RNs’ to feel inadequate to the situation. Delivering bad news to a patient is very difficult and something to be studied. 3. Phenomenological descriptive approach was utilized in this study to help the research Perceive and interpret events and participants relationship to then.
The reason for this window of time for the infection to develop is because hospitals try to have the duration of hospital stays decreased. Therefore, the symptoms of the infections aren’t discovered until after the patient has returned home. Hospital-acquired infections are also an indication of how well patient care and safety is at the hospital. The safety and quality of care for the patients should always be a hospital’s first priority. Hospital-acquired infections are preventable and preventing them is straightforward: a code of cleanliness.
There are many steps to take in order to improve communication skills in nursing such as honesty, availability and responsiveness. The first step towards effective communication in nursing is honesty. As nurses, we may often find ourselves making promises that we can’t keep. This could be anything along the lines of, “I’ll be back in 2 minutes” or “The doctor will be with you shortly.” Although we may have good intentions, and we may often forget the promises we make, our patients are relying on us to be honest and follow through with these promises. It is important not to make promises we cannot keep.
Or did you help the patient?” As a nurse you want to help the patient in every situation. This is an ethical issue nurses have to deal with every day. Since every case is different you are not always able to help the patient in the way they want to be helped. Some patients think that you are their friend and you will do anything they ask. But you aren’t able to; you have to do what is required of your job.