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Medication management by graduate nurses: Before, during and following medication administration
Author(s) -
Manias Elizabeth,
Aitken Robyn,
Dunning Trisha
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
nursing and health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.563
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1442-2018
pISSN - 1441-0745
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-2018.2004.00178.x
Subject(s) - nursing , acute care , medicine , context (archaeology) , qualitative research , psychological intervention , health care , graduate students , schedule , perception , medical education , family medicine , psychology , paleontology , social science , neuroscience , operating system , sociology , computer science , economics , biology , economic growth
The purpose of the present study was to explore graduate nurses’ perceptions of their medication management activities in the acute care context. A qualitative research design with a semistructured interview schedule was used to elicit information from participants. The sampling population consisted of graduate nurses involved in direct patient care in medical and surgical wards of a Melbourne metropolitan teaching hospital, completing a graduate nurse program. Twelve graduate nurses participated in the interviews. Two major themes emerged: (i) monitoring medications and (ii) interventions for patient care. The findings indicate that graduate nurses are required to address several facets of the medication management role in their daily practice. It is pertinent to examine ward dynamics to ensure that graduate nurses have ready access to experienced health care professionals. Through collegial support, graduate nurses should also be encouraged to critically examine the different possibilities when making clinical judgments about monitoring patient medications.