Question

I would prefer a nurse to answer this question please. Thanks

Medication reconciliation is an essential competency for the RN.

Explain the RN’s role in medication reconciliation and how it promotes patient safety.

Based on the QSEN Competencies, identify interventions the RN can implement to promote a culture of safety across the continuum of patient care.

Case Western Reserve University. (2014). QSEN Competencies. Retrieved from http://qsen.org/competencies/pre-licensure-ksas/

Base your initial post on your readings and research of this topic. Your initial post must contain a minimum of 250 words. References, citations, and repeating the question do not count towards the 250 word minimum.

Answer 1

Medical reconciliation is a newly evolved process in which the various medications taken by the patient is assessed inorder to avoid medication errors such as ommissions, duplications,dosing errors and drug interactions. This is mainly done taking into consideration the safety of the patient.

In the process of medical reconciliation, the nurse compares the newly prescribed medications with that of all the other medications that has been prescibed to the patient before he was admitted to the health care organisation. This also includes self-prescibed medications ,over the counter drugs, herbal supplements,vaccines and vitamins.

The nurse plays a major role in medical reconciliation.This includes

On admission

• obtaining the history of the present medications taken by the patient on his/her admission to the healthcare facility.
• verifying the history with family members and previous records
• proper doumentation of the medication history in a medication reconciliation form
• writing the present medication regimen
• creating and maintaining medication administration record.

On discarge

• determining the medication regimen to be followed after discharge
• developing instructions regarding medications to be taken at home
• educating the patient regarding post discharge medications
• transmitting the medication list to the follow up physician
• liasing with the physician and pharmacist.

If the patient is in home care or hospice

• documenting a complete list of current medications
• updating on the list whenever medications are added or changed.

By following this process of medication reconciliation, a patient is safe from

• any medication being omitted or duplicated
• over dosage of any drugs
• drug-drug or food-drug interactions
• allergic reactions .

The QSEN competencies is a movement where the nurses are guided to provide a high quality and safe nursing care. The interventions that can be provided by a RN to promote safety include

• identifying the health hazards appropriately
• discussing the problems with the other health care providers
• setting priorities
• delegating responsibilities
• taking proper action.
• documenting the occurences properly

In doing so the nurse applies these competencies at both individual and system levels of care, thereby maintaining a culture of safety across the contiuum of patient care.