Foundations of Adult Nursing
Chapter 5: Medicines management
Description: The aim of this research study is to describe SA during medication administration and interruption handling strategies.
Recommended readings
Journal Article 5.2: Fahrni, M.L., Franklin, B.D., Rawaf, S. and Majeed, A. (2014) ‘Improving medication safety in UK care homes: challenges and current perspective,’ Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Open, 5(2): 1–6.
Description: The objective of this paper is to highlight an important and neglected issue for the growing population of institutionalized older adults.
Journal Article 5.3: Lowery-Brady, H. (2017) ‘Achieving prescribing competencies,’ Nurse Prescribing, 15(9): 458-461.
Description: To gain the independent and supplementary prescribing qualification, it is essential to meet the competencies within the ‘Single Competency Framework’ for prescribers and the professional standards set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The NMC are currently reviewing the ‘Standards of Proficiency for Nurse and Midwife Prescribers’ and are looking to move to using the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's ‘Single Competency Framework’. In this article, reflections on how each competency has been achieved and how this has been evidenced are discussed. This includes reflective practice, supervised practice and case studies, which are identified as essential for achieving competence in prescribing.
Book Chapter 5.1: The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (2016) A Competency Framework for all Prescribers. RPS.
Description: Overview of the agreed competency framework for all prescribers.
Book Chapter 5.2: Duerden, M., Avery, T. and Payne, R. (2013) Polypharmacy and Medicines Optimisation: Making It Safe and Sound. London: The Kings Fund.
Description: This report proposes a pragmatic approach, offering the terms ‘appropriate’ and ‘problematic’ polypharmacy to help define when polypharmacy can be beneficial. Drawing on literature from predominantly Western countries, the report traces the occurrence of polypharmacy in primary and secondary care, and in care homes. It explores systems for managing polypharmacy and considers it in the context of multi-morbidity and older people, offering recommendations for improving care in both cases.