Role of the nurse in administration and safe administration PRN medication Legal and ethical aspects of medication administration Role of the multidisciplinary team

Role of the nurse Skilled mental health nursing includes a sound understanding of psychotropic medications as well as an understanding of the possible issues that may occur for the person taking these medications Nurses are at the front psychopharmacology Nurses need to know every part of the process - prescription - action - administration - management

Nurses play a pivotal role in working with patients and families who may be grappling with issues around medications Any interventions must supportive and therapeutic

The 6 rights 1. Right drug 2. Right individual 3. Right dose 4. Right time 5. Right route 6. Right indication.

Role of the nurse What nurses need to know; - Sound working knowledge of psychotropic medication - Sound working knowledge of neurochemistry - Awareness of the symptoms that particular drugs target - The correct identification of these symptoms - Side effects and management - Polypharmacy

Education Possibly to biggest part of nurses role besides administration. Every time you administer medication you should be educating the client on; what it is for? What it does? The expected benefits and potential risks? Common side effects and management Include the family

PRN medication The need to reduce agitation, distress or aggression rapidly often results in the prescription of PRN(as needed) medication. Generally only needed for short periods The nurse generally needed to make decisions regarding a range of; - Medications - Doses - How and when to deliver

Legal aspect of medication administration National standards and competencies Mental health act Documentation requirements At the end of the day, if you are the last point to stop medication errors. YOU are liable

Challenges to medication administration Pregnancy - Do we take this into consideration ? - Adverse effect vs. Relapse/treatment Children Older persons

Principles of ethical conduct Autonomy ‘The person should have the right to make their own decisions provided that these decisions do not other people autonomy’ Beneficence ‘care must be conducted for the good of the person’ Non-maleficence ‘do no harm’ ‘duty of care’ ‘consider risks of potential harm’ Justice ‘Societies expectations of what is fair and right’

Ethical considerations What are the ethical considerations in psychotropic medications? Discussion - Involuntary treatment - IMI medication - Compliance - Side effects - Physical illness - contraception

Role of multidisciplinary team Multidisciplinary teams are considered routine in the provision of mental health care Disciplines include; - Nurses - Psychiatrists - Psychologists - Social workers - Occupational therapists

Role of the multidisciplinary team The multidisciplinary team honours the complexity of our clients. This is includes psychopharmacology as it looks to holistically care for the client. Although not administering medication it is important that all discipline have a working knowledge of psychopharmacology

Unique role of the multidisciplinary team in psychopharmacology Prescribing Administering Side effect management - ADL’s - Nutrition - Exercise - Management techniques such as relaxation Costs of medications What else??