How has your knowledge of pharmacology changed?
Do you find yourself thinking about medication use in your current employment differently? Why or why not?
Explain how your appreciation of the advanced practice role changed or did not change?
How do you envision using the knowledge from this course in your future advanced practice role?
Unit 1 previous journal entry/ can use this to help
How do you envision this course adding to your knowledge of pharmacology as a Nurse Practitioner?
This course will be significant to my pharmacological knowledge in numerous ways. First, it will aid me in developing comprehension of the ethical, moral, and legal responsibilities of prescribing different medications to patients as a nurse practitioner. Remarkably, efficacy and safety linked to other medicines are crucial components. I aim to understand and learn more at the advanced level. I envision this course will help me acquire adequate knowledge in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. I hope it will expand my awareness and knowledge of current trends in new medications and biological agents. Therefore, the above knowledge will help me comprehend the mechanism of action of different drugs that are critical to safely prescribing medications.
How do you think you will use knowledge of pharmacology differently as an advanced practice nurse than you do as an RN?
Utilizing pharmacological knowledge as an advanced practice will differ significantly compared to as a registered nurse. I will be assessing and applying numerous factors, particularly when prescribing drugs to different patients. Some of the things that will impact my decision in the above areas include comprehension of a therapeutic index, metabolism, elimination, and bioavailability of different medications. I will have an increase knowledge capacity of various laws that have been formulated for prescribing medications. Therefore, it is significant to comprehend the interactions, adverse reactions, and side effects of different drugs through knowledge of pharmacology.
What are the expectations of your advanced practice role, specifically as a prescriber?
My expectations for my advanced practice role as a prescriber are extremely high. Although the idea of prescribing medications may be intriguing, overwhelming, and sometimes scary, My goal is to always prescribe the right medication for every patient. It is the nurse’s role to familiarize themselves with the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the medication in order to avoid the occurrence of unwanted results (Thomas et al., 2017). I will also monitor the patients’ response to treatments, prevent interactions with medications and ensure each medication is given to specific individuals for specific treatments. Pharmacological education will be a continuous process throughout my career as new medications are introduced.
What do you think the role of standards of care is in the prescribing process?
According to Seifert (2019), the central role of standards of care during the prescription practice is to provide guidance for clinical processes. It encompasses being knowledgeable of the prescribed dosage, the potential adverse reactions, and side effects, past medication history, assessing the current medication history of the patient, comprehending ethnopharmacology, careful and accurate documentation of the assessment, and provision of clear instructions to patients. An advanced nurse practitioner’s duty is to define and evaluate the patient issue, determine the curative aim of the medication therapy selected and choosing a proper medication. The nurse should also ensure that the patient is provided with accurate information and warning of the dosage to avoid unwanted results regarding the prescribed medications, as well as monitor the patient in the course of the treatment. Standards of care, therefore, direct and maintains clinically competent and safe nursing practices.
