Registered Nurses in Australia - Essay Example

Registered Nurses in Australia Name Professor Course Date The role of the Registered Nurse in administering medication within Australian residential aged care facilities Introduction Almost everyone in life needs medication young and old alike. However, in this case, the cycle mainly rotates on registered nurses, aged and the phenomenon of medication. The complexity of medication is usually determined by both the age and the severity of the disease. For instance, kids and the aged are regarded as a group that is vulnerable to disease as compared to youths and average people. Perhaps, this is so due to their mechanism capability. It should be understood that aging in place demonstrates that there are a significant number of a certain people who are literally progressing from low to high care, prior to their residency. According to research, residents of aged care usually demand a significantly more medicines as compared to those who are living in a community (Minichiello, & Madison, 2009). In addition, due to that, they are more prone to variety of events as well as interactions not mentioning the worst part of related drug problems. For significant purpose, this essay purpose to discuss and demonstrates the role of registered nurse in administering medication within Australian aged care with taking into account the consideration of the Australian standards and guidelines, monitoring and evaluating outcome of theses medication and the RNs collaboration with multidisciplinary and patient family. What are the key Australian standards and guidelines required in residential aged care facilities? It should be noted that the guidelines are drawn from the Aged Care Act 1997, Residents’ rights, Quality Use of Medicines, Medication Management in Residential Aged Care, Guidelines for Medication Management in Residential Aged Care Facilities, 2002 and Nursing Guidelines for the Management of Medicines in an Aged Care Setting, 2002) It is obvious that in every organization, rules and guidelines usually give out a proper revelation that all should adhere to when trying to get to a certain set goal. Further the guidelines aims at improving the quality and safety of care for the aged. The guidelines have basically been designed for health professional that bears the mandate of providing care in Australian residential aged, where they also offer a consistent approach that is of national level. This approach prevents the falls that are based on the perfect practice recommendations. The Australian residential aged care bears the responsibility of both funding and managing the rules (Chaboyer, Wallis, Duffield, Courtney, Seato &, Holzhauser, 2008). According to reliable sources, it can as well be noted that the guidelines advocate independence, rehabilitation, autonomy all in the context of satisfactory risk falling. In promoting autonomy in older people, it should be noted that a degree of risk is primarily inevitable. Here, it is better to understand that any fall, is a consideration of the context of the care provided that it is very relative practice for the individual within a certain given milieu (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy, 2013). The guidelines explain that; that any incident of fall should be reported either to the police, or to the social services department. Among the fall incidents are all the allegations and suspected reportable assaults (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy,2013). According to the guideline, it is stipulated that the report should be within twenty-four hours prior to tan occurrence, or immediate a provider is approved of a suspected assault. The second thing that guidelines explains is that, reasonable measures should be taken to ensure staff members are responsible enough to report any allegations or suspected assaults to the approved provider, or to the department as well as to the police. Thirdly, the guidelines expect that members should take reasonable measures in protecting the identity of any member of staff who claims a certain incident. This is important since the reporters needs to be protected from the fact of victimization (whiteny 2007). The department has made it that, the reporting requirement be compulsory so that it can act as one of the responsibilities under the umbrella of providing secure and safe environment. Notably, the above are some of the reasons that have hitherto been controlling the Australian registered nurses (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy,2013). What do they say about medication administration in these facilities? The aged care act 2007 To understand this phenomenon perfectly, it is better to put into considerations several aspects. First, one is the aged care act 2007. Here, according to experts, they demonstrate any amendment that is currently affecting the compiled act to date. This act makes it possible for everyone who needs aged care to have its access, regardless of culture, race, gender, language, economic differences or even geographical location as long as it is available. It further promotes high quality care services that can meet both personal needs in regards to protecting wellbeing and personal health. Rights and responsibility are all controlled by the aged care act 2007. However, the general right is that every resident is entitled to treatment and access of drugs, and all the services that are brought forth by the department, despite the culture, race and economic differences just to mention but a few. Moreover, every older resident undergoing through aged services is entitled to the ongoing assessment by a more qualified professional (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy,2013). The care should be from a professional who is able to get the access of clinical judgment with regards to integrating physical, behavioral and mental assessment, all this are done with relevant to contextual variables. These are just but a few. Quality Use of Medicines Medicines are the best stuffs that from the time immemorial have been acting as a way out of certain types of diseases. However, if the same medicines are used inappropriately, it should be noted that the medicine however genuine they are could cause harm. Therefore, all the drug dependent persons are urged to use drugs in a wise manner. They can only do this by following up the prescription of the physician (Browne et al, 2013). The main concern of medical management is to ensure the concerns are achieving medical the best health outcomes for the natives. It also focuses on the use of medicine, since the department ensures a proper use of the medicine is adhered. They therefore select the management options more wisely, they also fronts the fact of choosing an alternative medicine if the current medicine is proved un-worthy. The management board also ensures that the medicines are used properly. The above carries the flag of the medical management, all in the efforts of trying to give out the best ever services in the country (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy,2013). The guidelines for medical management in uptown aged concern facility aims at promoting quality, safety, the good use of medicine and a consideration of the medication management in RACFs. In this way, experts illustrate that RACFs are assisted with regard to development, evaluation and implementation of locally specified procedures and policies. Further, the cat supports all residents in the process that involves meditational management. All the above are some of the process that that the medical management have submerged into with the effort of giving the concerned the best (Courtney et al, 2012, p.40). In the same way, also nurses have to follow a certain guideline in when working under the umbrella of the medical management of the aged, a phenomenon that was discovered in 2002. Nurse guide on medicine administration of the aged care 2002 In as much as nurse might be consider professionals, they also need to follow certain route in ensuring all is well and that they have successfully completed their service without causing harm be it on personal grounds or clinical grounds they have to ensure they are following a certain guideline. The first one is that they should ensure that: there is a prior agreement, which bear the residential medical practitioners’ stamp illustrating that they have the mandate to use nurse initiated and non-prescription medicine (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy, 2013). Secondly, they are required to apply QUM approach as well as professional judgment. They should always ensure to include considerations of the non-medicine alternatives. The nurses also are expected to put into considerations the previous medicine that showed up an adverse reaction a resident (Westrupp et al, 2014). Then make consultations before selecting and administering a drug. Nurses also are expected to record the details of the administration that he or he made on a resident. This should be done on an appropriate section of the medication that that the resident bears. Lastly, they expected to not only document, but also to administer medicine including any experience of side effects (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy, 2013). The above are some of the roles and guidelines that nurse are supposed to follow when practicing their career in Australia. Pertinently, this is what will give any nurse a chance to effectively survive into the market without much struggle. So far, the department has ensured that most of the nurses right now are entitled on such rules, so that they can be more effective on the lives of the aged. In the same way, other guidelines for instance the medication management in residential aged care and residential rights also supports the fact that all the aged should be subjected to medication regardless of race, and class (Hunter et al, 2012, p.12). It also affirms that the aged deserve the right of accessing medicines and clinical care to mention but a few. What is the role of the RN in medication administration in residential aged care facilities? Here the registered nurses bear the mandate of understanding the potential hazards and benefits of the use of medicines. They are further given the authority of ensuring the medicines are administered not only in a safer mood but also in legal way. If that is not enough, the nurses are expected to monitor the efficacy of the medicine and also they are subjected in identifying any adverse effect that may arise (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy, 2013). Due to the skills and training they have, the registered nurses also are expected understand how to assess the dynamic needs of the aged as well as they are supposed to understand the services that they are expected to give to the older people. In other words, they are taught on how to take care of the aged, and so they are of their service. Some of the services that they are expected to give is to evaluate the patients’ respond to medicine and treatment, after which they are expected to accurately give out account on the same. In doing this, they are termed as the best link to the aged people and other health professionals. Some of the professionals that the registered nurses ensures a complete link between them and the aged are pharmacists, allied professionals, medical practitioners and lastly the enrolled nurses. Their responsibility generally is a channel of not only monitoring but also relaying any system of medical administration (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy, 2013). For evaluation, the registered nurses are expected to carry out an efficacy test. Here, they should make a good follow up to evaluation if the medication administered to a certain aged person is effective. After which they are also expected to report the same to the relevant professionals. Further, they evaluate the presence of any side effects and if the results are proved positive, they go ahead to establish the degree of effects. In so doing, the relevant authorities understand the action to take immediate, so that they can control the looming threat. The last main responsibility of the registered nurse is the drug interactions. Here, it is advisable that the professionals should understand drug interaction of the patient so that they can easily monitor the patient’s strength and responds to the drug. All the above are done for the benefit of the aged in Australia under the Australian government (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy, 2013). Who does the RN collaborate with in relation to medication administration? It is on no offense to note that the registered nurse do not work alone. They have to have someone or some department that can help them administer a good service. Some of the people that they are collaborating with are pharmacists, allied professionals, medical practitioners and lastly the enrolled nurses. The above are some of the teams that are available to collaborate and assist the aged via registered nurses in the Australia. However, they have ensured a success in administering medication to the aged in the Australian grounds (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy, 2013). Who are the care partners? The main care partners of the registered nurses in Australia are the enrolled nurse. They all work on the same level, hence administering good and viable treatment to the aged. All this is a systematic strategy that the health systems have so far put in to action all in the effort of giving the aged in Australia what they have long been yearned for. (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy,2013) Their responsibilities are almost the same, however the registered nurse are more liable to the professional following any issue that might arise due to any form of medical administration (Eastman & Martin, 2012, p.330). They further do not only collaborate but also communicate with the residents. They liaise with the family of the concerned, the AIN, EN, EEN, the pharmacists, GP, Dentist and lastly the NP. All the above are the main characters that do not only assist but also they ensure a good and reliable environment has been met for the residents to get full support they are looking for. The above firms have been made to ensure both the nurse and the enrolled nurse participates fully in administering a good support to any given resident despite of race and other aspects (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy,2013 ). Registered Nurses deals with patients and professional doctors. What are some of the ethical issues in regard to medication administration? According to the available ethical principles, it is affirmed that the some ethical issue are not primarily labeled as a research, however they literally cause harm to the patient if not properly taken into consideration (Hall et al, 2012, p.100). For instance, the audit programs and quality assurance, review s the pertinence of the manner to which care should be delivered. After administering the above and the expected review s have been done, the next stage is to ensure a good comparison is met with a set of explicit criteria which ensures that the required standards are being met and that they can be improved (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy,2013) There are several programs set in place, which all explain new approaches that can act as a line of medical improvement. (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy,2013) The activities here raise similar ethical concerns, when it comes to research. For example, patient’s privacy and confidentiality should be adhered to. In this way, it calls for the nursing ethical consideration that will literally direct a nurse in Australia and around the world to withhold any information that they get from patients. Obviously this information should be private and very confidential. And this will, only come true if when nurse understands the ethical of nursing (Chaboyer, Wallis, Duffield, Courtney, Seaton, Holzhauser, 2008). Apart from the above, it is ethical to note that both the nurses and the aged should, have the consent of medication. Having consent of the medication is ethical since at most, one understand what he or she has to do in regards to consent. Apart from that, self-administration also should be as per the requirements so that the right dosage can easily be met (Porche et al, 2014, p.47). All the method of administration should also be adhered to. Therefore, it is pertinent for the nurses to understand that administration requires a certain kind of method when it comes to administration. Therefore, before administering any medication, methods of administration should be acknowledged first. Lastly, it is ethical to consider the dosage that a person requires. If a person is given over does there will arise a harm and if the same dose is administered in under-dose manner, still a harm might be caused to the under taker (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy, 2013). Therefore, a correct t dose administration should be noted to the last bit. All the above arte some of the ethics that should be put into consideration so that the aged may enjoy the services being offered, thus prolonging his or her life. The main methods of administration here entail self and nurse monitored administration. Dosage on the other hand is determined with the severity of the disorder. Therefore, it is administered hourly, where those who are in severe state are subjected to close intervals in dosage medication (Tan et al, 2014). What are the resident’s rights in regard to medication administration? The residents should understand that they have rights when it comes to medical administration of the aged in Australia. Here, the aged should note that they have the rights to be provided approved providers. This is per the age care act of 1997. They also should understand that the supply, prescription and administration can strictly be regulated by the professionals all in the name of keeping the public safer (Giles et al, 2010). All the residents also should understand that they have the right and mandate of accessing medication regardless of their race, economic instability, or geographical origin. They are only expected to be the genuine residents. Appropriate ensures that the aged are getting the expected medication, prior to being examined. In so doing, the system is ensured stability and that all the patients that are under this service can feel better and more comfortable in the hands of the nurses. In other words, the appropriators ensure that correct and more reliable services are met with regard to how a patient should be considered and then be taken care of, with minimal favorism (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy,2013). All these are primarily done under a certain guideline. Some of the implications of healthy aging are that; it is obvious that good health is a path in ensuring that people remain in a more stable environment and that they can add value to the community and family at large (Yelland, Sutherland, & Brown, 2012, p.217). This further prevents the onset of chronic disease, thus promoting life-long health promotion in style. Some of the chronic diseases are heart disease, cancer, and stroke. The above are some of the chronic disease that has so far engulfed the aging. However, with healthy aging, the above are pushed further hence allowing the aging to live a peaceful life (Chaboyer, Wallis, Duffield, Courtney, Seaton, Holzhauser, 2008). According to the research, it is noted that at times polypharmacy usually arise with complications. In this case, it is important to identify risk factors among the patients that they treat. This phenomenon is said to increase the inappropriate prescriptions, falls, cognitive disorders, depression, hip fractures and incontinence, just to mention but a few. This is a phenomenon that needs very appropriate medication, however inappropriate medication will literally complicate the cure of the disease (Evans, Duggan, & Boldy,2013). In other words, inappropriate treatment will primary cause the patient or the aged who is facing polypharmacy to be in a worst condition. To regulate effectively this phenomenon, the experts affirm that the registered nurse should ensure that, each patient’s medication is reviewed frequently. This gives room for both the potential interactions as well as side effects that makes fall risks to be heightened (Smith et al, . After which, they should eliminate or reduce medications or even they can select a certain meditational alternatives. Here, most of nurse that have dealt with such an incident affirm that in reducing number of medications, the target medication should be sleeping pills, tranquilizers as well as anti-anxiety. This at times might be a dangerous encounter that clinicians should take with all of their efforts (Chaboyer, Wallis, Duffield, Courtney, Seaton, Holzhauser, 2008). Conclusion It is fortunate to understand that to a greater degree, the Australian age care facilities have been on its heightened level, all in the name of assisting those individual who are gradually growing tired and should be encouraged to live happily. The passage has so far described the role of both the nurse and enrolled nurse, and other pertinent personnel in the field of health in aging people. In doing this, the country has so far helped a lot of people who have been neglected and then they are brought to a level that gives them humble time to leave and experience life. If the above are considered when dealing with medicine, it is of no offense to acknowledge that the real goal of any given medicine is to ensure that the people, mostly the aged are leading a quality life (Minichiello, & Madison, 2009). Accordingly, research stipulates that psychological changes affect the manner in which human body responds to medicines. At most, due to aging, physicians affirm that pharmacokinetic changes usually occur in an individual at this time; however there are effects of pathology which References Bennett, C. (1978). The costs of training registered nurses in Australia. Bedford Park, S. Aust.: National Institute of Labour Studies, The Flinders University of South Australia. Browne, J. L., Scibilia, R. R., & Speight, J. J. (2013). The needs, concerns, and characteristics of younger Australian adults with Type 2 diabetes. Diabetic Medicine, 30(5), 620-626. Burford, N., & Nursing, A. (1988). Continuing education needs of registered nurses in Australia: a survey. 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