Elderly Patients

Prescription drugs pose many health risks including both short term and long term side effects. Every prescription information sheet from any local pharmacy lists a plethora of warnings, cautions, and possible side effects. In many cases, the patient is forced to wonder if the prescription drug will help their illness, or cause further medical issues. Side effects that are considered “mild” are still troubling. Side effects such as drowsiness, sleeplessness, muscle pain, dizziness, nausea and bouts of depression may not appear to be harmful but can cause serious consequences. Dizziness, for example, can cause falls and broken bones, especially in elderly patients who are already unsteady on their feet. Even a side effect such as muscle aches can affect one’s ability to work. In addition to common side effects, many drugs can cause dangerous side effects. These risks include heart attack, stroke, cancer, and suicide. Patricia Barry, a healthcare columnist, points out that medications can lead to completely separate health problems. Barry insists that when patients consult with their doctors about the side effect, they are only treated with yet another drug; this is known as a drug “cascade.” She goes on to claim that tens of millions of people suffer each day due to the side effects of drugs. Also, she acknowledges that adverse side effects cause for 4.5 million emergency room and doctor’s office visits per year. Moreover, Barry acknowledges that serious drug reactions are the fourth leading cause of hospital deaths, only topped by stroke, cancer, and heart disease. The facts Barry offers are notable because of the cyclical effect drug use imposes on patients: a patient takes drugs, the patient has side effects which land him or her in the emergency room or hospital, the patient is prescribed new or “better” drugs, the patient continues to have side

The films One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest and, A Beautiful Mind portray Hollywood images of the treatment. It pictures the dramatic scene of a pleading patient dragged to a treatment room, forcibly administered electric currents as his jaw clenches, his back arches, and his body shakes while being held down by burly attendants or by foot and wrist restraints. The truth is that patients are not covered into treatment. They may be anxious and reluctant, but they come willingly. They have been told why the treatment is recommended, the procedures have been explained, and many have seen videos images of the procedures. The result is the application of the Hippocratic axiom “premium non nocere” (above all, do no harm), which combines the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence: “I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but I will never use it to injure or wrong them.”

Although the veterans are asked their full name and last four of their social security, the scanning provides the added comfort of providing the security or safety for everyone involved. The outcome of this research will show data that will be analyzed pre and post implementation of the BMCA system, which the approach is to show a significant change in the medication error rate. The outcome will be based on pre and post implementation of the barcode medication system by measuring the medication error rate. There will be 100 veteran patients that will be assessed prior to implementation of the BCMA, and 100 veterans post implementations. Observers that will analyze administration errors, presence or absence of an error in the dose of medication administered during the observation period.

Recognizing, acknowledging, and understanding medication safety is important when administering medications. Understanding which medications are high-risk ones, being familiar with the medications being given, remembering the five most important rights when administering medications, communicating clearly, developing checking habits, and reporting the medication errors will lead to safe outcomes for the residents. However, errors do occur from a lack of experience, rushing, distractions, fatigue, doing too many things at once, not double checking, poor communication, and lack of team work. It is not only the staff that commit errors, but also the work environment that contributes to the medication error. Two examples are poor reporting systems

One last component includes socioeconomic status of Black individuals. Those with lower income and educational levels have poorer lifestyle choices than those of higher levels (Walker, 2012). A huge problem that contributes to negative overall health in Black Americans is a lack of adequate insurance. Those of lower economic status are less likely to have insurance, and therefore less likely to receive treatment for medical problems. Even when an individual has insurance, many private insurance plans have very high out-of-pocket expenses that may deter individuals from seeing a doctor or from following up a new prescription medication (Walker, 2012). Complications may arise due to medications being discontinued abruptly and without physician’s approval.

Clostridium difficile is becoming a major problem inside of hospitals. There are many reasons as to why the bacteria is becoming a top priority while treating patients mainly inside of the hospital setting. Hospital-induced infections, lack of a proper diet, and even when people do not perform proper hygiene is causing this bacteria that is considered normal biota, to flourish and cause gastrointestinal distress. Bacteria have spent millions of years growing and their whole goal is to keep doing that.

Meta Description: Home health care in Echo Park focuses on patient safety, including the removal of household hazards like the laundry pods that pose a risk to dementia patients.

Before I discus on the potential action plans if at all there is reoccurrences on the similar incident, I would like to stress on that such incidence should not had taken place at all. I strongly believe that all the nurses including me had learned a lot from this incident and we do not wish to compromise another patient’s life by repeating the same error again. However, medication error is not something new in healthcare service. Researchers had identified medication error is the high numbers of incidents involving nursing practice. Therefore, we still need to plan as there is a saying ‘if we fail to plan then we are planning to fail’. A proper and well designed organizational system should be in place for the process of administration of

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2016), forty percent of adults, ages sixty-five and older, drink alcohol and this can complicate common health problems older adults already face such as diabetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, liver problems and mood or memory disorders. Alcohol consumption or other substance use can predispose patients to dangerous interaction with certain medications. Effects of a substance abuse disorder can easily be misinterpreted as signs and symptoms of physical and emotional abuse and often lead to issues with self-neglect.

changes on treatment of diabetes in older adults. Decreased renal function and increased sensitivity to medication were discussed as challenges in medication therapy. Therefore the authors suggested medication dosages be adjusted based on individual health patterns and not just based on age alone. The article pointed out the importance of less aggressive, low coast and more individualized goal setting treatment plans towards older adults with diabetes.

Many nursing home residents all over the United States experience not only physical abuse, but drug abuse also. “In 2011, a government study found that 88 percent of Medicare claims for antipsychotics prescribed in nursing homes were for treating symptoms of dementia, even though the drugs aren't approved for that’” (Jaffe). Antipsychotic drugs are used to treat short or long-term bipolar disorders. The drugs treat schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, hallucinations, depression and a vast amount of other bipolar disorders. Caretakers who work in nursing homes are responsible for treating their patients with the correct care and treatment needed. Many residents of nursing homes are given drugs that are not required, whether it is the incorrect medicine for their illness, or too much of one

According to Julia Wood (2004), “communication is a systemic process in which individuals interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meanings. However, Sheppard (1993) suggests that, in the nurse–patient relationship, communication involves more than the transmission of information; it also involves transmitting feelings, recognizing these feelings and letting the patient know that their feelings have been recognized (M, 1993)”. It is a two way process. The patient conveys their fears and concerns to their nurse and helps them make a correct nursing diagnosis. An excellent communication skill between nurses and patients is essential for the successful outcome of individualized nursing care of each patient. The ability to communicate

Prescribing medications to patients is a part of the advanced practice registered nurse’s (ARNP) role. As I started Advanced Pharmacology a few short eleven weeks ago, I did not realize how much more there was to that “simple” task. As I reflect on my journey through Advanced Pharmacology, I will share with you a few important facts about my journey, such as how my expectations of prescribing changed, any ah ha moments I had, what I felt to be the most significant piece of knowledge I acquired and finally what I think about Florida’s approved medication schedule for ARNPs.

Safe medication administration is a big aspect of nursing care, because if medications aren’t given safely, then it can lead to some serious adverse effects to the patients. There are many things that can go wrong, and that’s why nurses have to be very careful when handling and giving medications. Nurses can make mistakes, and give the wrong med, give it to the wrong person, or even give too much or too little of the drug. Careful medication administration can lead to not making big mistakes that can lead to hurting others.

There are many benefits in carrying out a clinical audit. It allows nurses to evaluate the care they are giving, encourages them to keep better records, focuses on the care given rather than the care giver themselves and achieves a feasible quality of nursing care (Harmer and Collinson 2005).