1807NRS Safe Administration of Medications Assessment
AIM: The purpose of this assessment is to enable you to demonstrate your understanding of:
1. How medications are regulated in Australia
2. The principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics;
3. The roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals involved in the medication cycle;
4. The contributing factors to medication errors (and near-miss incidents), associated with prescribing, dispensing, administering monitoring medications and preventative strategies to reduce errors.
Question 1: Describe TWO (2) ways that Therapeutic Goods Administration contributes to the safe use of medications.
Question 2: Briefly, define the terms pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
Question 3: In relation to oral medications, explain the phenomenon known as the 'hepatic first pass effect'.
Question 4: Briefly describe why Glyceryl Trinitrate 600 mircogram tablets must only be administered sublingually (8 marks). List FOUR (4) areas of patient education in relation to Glyceryl Trinitrate.
Question 5: Outline the different roles and responsibilities of the Registered Nurse, Doctor and Pharmacist involved in the safe use of medications.
Question 6: You become aware of a medication error:
a) Describe FIVE (5) different types of medication error and a possible cause for each;
b) Identify and explain TWO (2) nursing actions that you should implement as soon as you become aware of the error
Question 7: a) Explain the differences between the person-centred approach and the system approach to human error (10 marks).
b) Describe James Reason's Swiss cheese model
c) In relation to medication errors identify:
THREE (3) possible Latent conditions and
THREE (3) possible Active failures.