Question

List four nursing implications for Geriatric patients.

What are the 5-plus-5 rights of drug administration?

Define half-life. What are the nursing considerations for half-life?

Answer 1

1. The following are four nursing implications for Geriatric patients and elderly population:

i. Injury management - With the older age geriatric population faces major physiological issues such as loss of strength, reduced physical systems such as reduced cardiac output and renal issues, etc. With that it increases the chances of injury occurrence and nursing care is require for proper health and functioning. Preventative measures and associated rehabilitation and care can help significantly recover and reduce he risks of injury in geriatric population

ii. Balance loss and fall management - The geriatric population has major impact on mobility, altered sensory perception and sensitivity, reduced reflex and reactions from the body. Risk of fall due to concomitant medications also has an impact. Nursing interventions like identification and mitigation of the risk factors for fall management and providing accessible support equipment and devices to prevent the fall and balance loss with nearby nursing help.

iii. Increased dependence and adult failure to thrive - With age progression loss of independence, impaired cognitive functions, chronic health conditions, malnutrition causes the geriatric patients to have more dependence on the support medical staff and family. Nursing intervention can be a comprehensive assessment of the physiological conditions and issue management, provide emotional support and address issues such as fear, frustration concern to be shared, support of nursing physiotherapist and social services

iv. Disturbed sleeping pattern and constipation - The most common nursing implications in geriatric populations is disturbed sleeping pattern and digestive problems such as constipation. The sleep distortion, decreased physical activity, reduced digestive system function, etc can cause such issues. The nursing interventions such as physical activity levels, dietary changes, psychological and emotional issue management and assistive medications such as laxatives can help with these problems.

2. What are the 5-plus-5 rights of drug administration?

The 5-plus-5 rights of drug administration for correct drug administration, reduced medical errors and rights of the patients to obtain the medication for good healthcare delivery and safety. The following are the five rights for the medication administration:

i. Right drug

ii. Right dose

iii. Right time

iv. Right route

v. Right patient

3. Define half-life. What are the nursing considerations for half-life?

Half life can be defined as the time required by the drug in the plasma to get reduced by half or 50% of the total amount which means the concentration that drug shall have in the body exactly half from the administration of the medication. According to nursing considerations knowing the half life of the drug is important as when administering the doses of medication if the drug concentrations are not reduced or eliminated before the next drug administration then the accumulation of the residual drug in the body can adversely affect the body systems and ability to eliminate the drugs. Drugs with longer half life has to be given in low frequency as the therapeutic effect persists for a loner time and it is an important nursing consideration when a nurse has to administer any medical treatment to the patient.