Nurse Prescribing Case Study

LEGAL ISSUES

Collaboration with Others, a key principle of the NMBI Code, applies to the standards of medicines management. Nurses and midwives share responsibility with colleagues from other health care disciplines for providing safe quality health care. Additionally, collaborating and working together helps to achieve safe and effective management of the patient’s medication. Any authorised person administering a medicine to a patient or checking the administration must be satisfied that she or he knows the therapeutic uses of the medicine, its normal licenced dosage, side effects, precautions and contra- indications[ref]. It seems to be a best practice that a second suitable person to check all medicines for accuracy before administering.

Through this opportunity, I have become aware of legal, ethical and professional regulations of the nurse prescribing. I have gained a comprehensive knowledge of pharmacology, especially on the medications to achieve the competencies essential for a successful nurse prescriber. The development process has enlightened me with the gravity of my new role, and the accountability and responsibility which accompanies it. Through the innovation of the nurse prescribing process, the professional boundaries of nurses are being redefined for the benefit of both patient and nurse. The structured reflective practice has the potential to develop staff and improve the implementation of professional standards. Reflection can help to make sense of complicated and difficult situations, as well as learn from the experiences. Thus, a healthcare staff can identify educational needs, workload stressors, highlight barriers to development and provide evidence of continuing professional development. In addition, staff could become increasingly more motivated to empower performance and patient care. Healthcare providers have an ethical obligation to inform patients about their on-going plan of care, including if a medical error has occurred. Current thinking in nursing advocates the need for education in the ways of autonomy, critical thinking, and sensitivity to others. Good communication encourages collaboration and helps prevent medication errors. Many potential and actual medical errors fall within the sphere of nursing practice. Thus, nurses have an ethical obligation to help prevent and manage medical