Patient Education

Patient Education 

Paper details

Create a one-page patient education tool that explains usage of a medication and factors that can affect outcomes. Then, write 2–3 pages in which you explain how the tool promotes patient safety and quality outcomes, and adheres to the principles and practices of cultural competence. By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria: Competency 1: Apply practice guidelines and standards of evidence-based practice related to pharmacology for safe and effective nursing practice. Explain the appropriate use of a medication. Explain how a patient education tool promotes patient safety related to pharmacology. Competency 2: Explain the relationship between quality patient outcomes, patient safety, and the appropriate use of pharmacology and psychopharmacology. Identify specific factors that may affect the efficacy of a medication. Describe possible chemical reactions, side effects, or other negative reactions a patient may experience from a medication. Explain correct handling, storage, and disposal of a medication. Competency 3: Apply the principles and practices of cultural competence with regard to pharmacological interventions. Explain how a patient education tool adheres to the principles and practices of cultural competence.

Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with the expectations of a nursing professional. Write content clearly and logically with correct use of grammar, punctuation, and mechanics. Correctly format paper, citations, and references using current APA style. In addition to administering medications, nurses are assigned the responsibility of educating patients about the proper use of the medications that have been prescribed for them. Not an easy task! With all the demands on a nurse’s time, it is easy to fall into the habit of reciting instructions without taking the time to make sure those instructions have been understood. When considering patient education, you have to understand the differences between drug reactions, interactions, allergies, and individual variations in drug responses. In order to promote better patient safety and quality outcomes, the instruction that nurses provide must be patient-centered and clearly understood. Proper education helps patients learn about their medications, how to take them correctly, avoid potentially harmful errors or drug interactions, and have the desired quality outcome. Medication errors can occur at any point in the drug administration process. As the last person who touches a medication before the patient actually takes it, it is vital that nurses are familiar with the process of administration and be able to evaluate any discrepancies. Imagine your supervisor has asked you to develop a patient education tool for new medication starts in your current area of practice. This tool needs to provide important information to the patient, yet be concise enough to require no more than one page. Preparation Requirements Complete both Part 1 and Part 2 of this assessment. You may submit both parts in one document or submit them as separate documents. Be sure you complete both parts! Submit a total of 4 pages. Write no more than one page for Part 1. Write 2–3 pages, plus a separate reference page, for Part 2. Part 1: Patient Education Tool Complete the following: Choose one of the following topics as the basis for your patient education tool: Antibiotics (Amoxil/Amoxicillin) for pediatric ear infections. Statin therapy (Zocor/Simvastatin) for a newly diagnosed patient with hypercholesterolemia. Antihypertensive (ACE inhibitors/Lisinopril/Zestril) for a patient who was discovered to have hypertension at a health screening at work. Include the following in your patient education tool: Explain appropriate use of the medication. Identify specific factors (age, access, culture, and so on) that may affect the efficacy of the medication. Describe possible chemical interactions, side effects, or other negative reactions patients need to be aware of. Explain correct handling, storage, and disposal of the medication. Include any other information you feel would be beneficial and promote patient safety and quality outcomes. You may format Part 1, the patient education tool, any way you wish, but be sure it is logical and understandable by the typical patient who would use it. Feel free to include pictures or diagrams to reinforce the information. Part 2: Evidence-Based Practice Provide evidence for the information you included in the patient education tool: