Healthcare

We want to ensure our patients' optimum use and administration of medicines. To provide the assistance needed, a medication management strategy is important.  This course will provide you with an overview of the essential things you must learn about medication management. 

Know about the categories and common types of medication and their use
Understand and apply the techniques in administering medication
Record and report on the use of medication
Safely transfer, store, and dispose of medication supplies


**To succeed in medication management, you must be able to: **


In this lesson, we will discuss the categories and common types of medication and their use.


Which of the following forms of medicine is where the active ingredient is pressed into a certain shape after being mixed with another substance?


**Additional Reading **


Introduction to Medication Management

**In this lesson, you will be able to: **
learn which essential information must be recorded and known before medication administration,
define medication administration,
be familiar with the seven rights of medication administration, and
apply the proper guidelines in medication administration.


**Ready? **
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Record the following details in the patient's care plan:
Their needs and preferences
Their expectations for confidentiality and advance care planning
How you will seek consent
Details of who to contact about their medicines - this can be the person needing support or a contact they choose
What support they need for each medicine
How the medicines support will be given
Who provides medicines support, particularly when more than one care provider is involved
When the medicines support will be reviewed - for example, after six weeks


As part of a person's overall assessment, you should determine what kind of medication support they require.


To safeguard both your patients and yourself, we strongly advise that you become familiar with the SEVEN RIGHTS of medication administration.


Right Individual
Before giving medication, it's normal practice to double-check with at least two other sources that you're dealing with the right person.
When weary, overworked, or managing multiple patients at once, even the most seasoned nurses can make a mistake.


Right Medication
For many reasons, having the correct medication is critical.
Medical allergies, unpleasant reactions, and unexpected symptoms can all occur in patients, with potentially fatal consequences.
Check the drug label, triple-check the patient's charts, and be sure you're giving the proper medication to the right patient.


Right Dose
The correct dose is also critical. An incorrect dose could result in a patient overdosing and possibly hurting them.
The patient's right dose should be indicated in their records, and you should also be aware of the drug form they should be receiving.
Do they take pills, get drugs through an IV, or drink liquids? All of these procedures necessitate different dosages.


Right Time
Many drugs require administration at a specified time, either because of the patient's other medications or because of their meals.
Although not all prescriptions need to be taken at a set time, it is your job to know which ones do.
Every time medication is given to a patient, it should be documented so that everyone caring for them knows when it was last given.


Right Route
"Route" refers to the location and method of administering medication to a patient.
Although most medicines are taken by mouth, we learned that that is not always the case.
They can be administered rectally, vaginally, through the skin, in the eyes, ears, and lungs, which gives a lot of possibility for error if not communicated properly.


Right Documentation
It is your responsibility to document medication administrations accurately.
Communication between medical providers can be lost if sufficient documentation is not kept.
Always double-check your paperwork to ensure that all pertinent information is correct.


Right Response
Any time patients are given medication, their response should be recorded so that everyone treating them is aware of it.
Furthermore, the extent to which the drug aids the patient should be recorded in order to keep track of which medications are effective and which are not.


The following are essential details that you must know or record, EXCEPT:


GUIDELINES FOR SAFE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION


Avoid reliance on memory; use checklists and memory aids
Slips in memory are caused by lack of attention, fatigue, distractions. Mistakes are often referred to as attentional behaviours where lack of training or knowledge is the cause of the error.
Slips account for most errors in heath care. If possible, follow a standard list of steps for every patient.


Communicate with your patient before and after administration
Provide information to patient about the medication before administering it. Answer questions regarding usage, dose, and special considerations.
Give the patient an opportunity to ask questions. Include family members if appropriate.


Avoid workarounds
A workaround is a process that bypasses a procedure, policy, or problem in a system.
For example, a nurse may “borrow” a medication from another patient while waiting for an order to be filled by the pharmacy. These workarounds fail to follow agency policy to ensure safe medication practices.


Ensure medication has not expired
Medication may be inactive if expired.


Always clarify an order or procedure that is unclear
Always ask for help whenever you are uncertain or unclear about an order.
Consult with the pharmacist, charge nurse, or other health care providers and be sure to resolve all questions before proceeding with medication administration.


Medicine Administration Techniques

Ordering, Transferring, Storing, and Disposing Medications


In this lesson, you will be able to:
Take the steps when transporting medications,
Know where to store the medications, and
Properly dispose of the medications.


For transporting medicines, you must complete a risk assessment.


Which of the following must be identified and recorded when ordering medications?


Separate the medicines each people in a household take to prevent you from taking the wrong one.
Use a nearby countertop or tabletop when opening a bottle of medicine so that it is lying on a level surface.
If you drop a pill, it will fall on the tabletop rather than into the sink or onto the floor.
If there are toddlers, young children, or teenagers in the house, never leave your medicine bottles out on the counter.
The storage area must have good lighting to prevent you from getting the wrong medication.
Keep the drug in the original bottle.
Prescription containers are amber in color, which protects the medicine from light.
You'll also find information about the medicine, how much to take, and how often to take it on the label.
The pharmacy's phone number will also be on the label, so you may call when it's time for a refill.
Keep the original bottles if you use a weekly pillbox to help you remember to take your medications.
This way, you can immediately access dose instructions and refill information that is usually stated on the bottle or package.
Mixing several medicines in the same bottle is never a good idea. You can wind up selecting the incorrect one by accident.
Keep the prescription bottles' lids firmly closed.


**More storage tips: **


Tips for proper medicine disposal
Use unpleasant substances like dirt, kitten litter, or used coffee grounds (do not crush the tablets or capsules) to mix with the medicine. This avoids medicine theft or diversion from the trash.


Tips for proper medicine disposal
Put the mixture in a container, such as a zip-lock or sealable plastic bag, and toss the container in the garbage.


Tips for proper medicine disposal
When discarding a prescription vial, remove the label and/or scratch off all personal information on the label.


Tips for proper medicine disposal
Only flush prescription medicines down the toilet if the label says so (for example, prescription pain relievers with a high risk for abuse; see the FDA's list of medications indicated for flushing). Otherwise, you can throw them away in the trash if they are not used.


Tips for proper medicine disposal
To dispose of old or expired drugs, maximize the pharmacy "take-back" programs or solid trash initiatives.


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