Knowledge Lack of knowledge is a barrier to prevention of medical errors. Patients and the medical professional must be educated but the medical professional must set the standard to become educated thus challenging the patient to do likewise (Rodziewicz et al., 2023). Unfortunately, the medical professional and patients alike make decisions and Action There is a need for quality control: almost 50% of all errors in doses and prescriptions in the medication process are caused by missing actions (Tariq et al., 2023). The number Automation of medication administration Many medication errors are preventable, and the implementation of health information technologies, such as bar code medication administration (BCMA) systems, is increasingly being considered as one solution (Rodziewicz et al., 2023). In fact, the American Society of Health- System Pharmacists and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society both recommend the use of BCMA (Shah et al., 2016). BCMA systems reduce medication errors by electronically verifying the “5 rights” of medication administration—right Pharmacological components and patient management Pharmacology deals with all aspects of a particular drug’s effect on living tissues. The actions of a drug, both at the molecular level and also at the macroscopic or whole-body level, are considered. The subject can be divided into three main sections: ● Pharmacodynamics is concerned with how the effects of a drug are generated. ● Pharmacokinetics is concerned with how drugs are distributed around the body, how they are metabolized and how they are finally excreted or eliminated from the body. ● Therapeutics is the use of drugs and the method of administration in treatment for a disease. (Marino et al., 2023) Subjective history A subjective history must be taken for a new patient that includes all previous and current medical problems. It also will note any inconsistencies or omissions from previously reviewed medical records. The subjective history should include all current medications including dosage, frequency, and subjective side effects. It may appear repetitive to take a subjective history since sometimes the therapist is second or third down the line for a treatment plan. However, repetition is another safeguard Safe effective rehabilitation programs An important factor in patient management is to design safe and effective rehabilitation programs addressing or accommodating possible pharmaceutical side effects. Again, the therapist might be the second or third down the line from initial treatment and also from the prescribing doctor. The rehabilitation therapist must consider the types of medication a patient has been prescribed, as well as the possible interactions and side effects of the medication. The subjective history and the objective data taken on the patient must be evaluated in the context of the types of medication that the patient has been prescribed. One rehabilitation program may be perfectly suited for an unmedicated patient. But if the patient is on one or two
consequently take calculated risks. This deficit of knowledge may simply be because there is insufficient information available about the risks, benefits, or use of a certain drug. There may be a lack of up-to-date pharmacologic facts due to the volume of products on the market and the changing safety information.
of errors could be reduced by simple changes of existing procedures or by implementing automated technologies in the medication process.
patient, right dose, right drug, right time, right route—at the patient’s bedside (Shah et al., 2016). For example, when a nurse scans a bar code on his or her identification badge, on the patient’s wristband, and on the medication to be administered, the data are delivered to a computer software system where algorithms check various databases and generate real-time warnings or approvals. Most systems then automatically document, in real time, the administration of the medication in an electronic medication administration record (eMAR). As various healthcare and rehabilitation professionals are responsible for pharmacological management in some settings, all healthcare professionals should have sufficient knowledge about these agents and their side effects. This allows the healthcare professional to act as an advocate for optimal pharmacological management and to support proper usage of medication. Healthcare professionals also must be familiar with pain assessment and measurement approaches in order to implement a variety of management strategies. Specifically for rehabilitation professionals, acquiring, monitoring, and documenting pertinent information from the patient during the initial encounter and subsequent sessions is important related to pharmacological management and the impact on rehabilitation intervention and programming.
INTERVIEWING AND DOCUMENTATION
against medical errors. There are many components to a patient’s prior symptoms, such as the treatment for these symptoms and the medication administered. By being repetitive, fewer errors will slip by unnoticed. Objective data The collection of objective data includes an assessment of all common pharmacological side effects associated with the medications the patient is taking. The details that are collected are vital for the patient, for therapy routines, and for the ultimate betterment of the patient. prescription drugs, the entire landscape will change for the patient, the therapist, and the rehabilitation program. A battle cry for the therapist is details, details, details. It is difficult to know all the details of every drug and all the side effects that may or may not affect a patient. The key is that the only drugs that the therapists must be familiar with are the ones that a patient is taking. At that point, the therapist has the responsibility to study and be familiar with those particular drugs and the side effects they may have on the patient.
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Book Code: MFL1225
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