MANJINDER KAUR 220193547 HSNS206

NAME: MANJINDER KAUR

STUDENT NUMBER: 220193547

UNIT CODE: HSNS206

UNIT COORDINATOR: SALLY BRISTOW

WORDS WRITTEN: 503

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Medication errors are a compelling issue, not only in NSW, Australia, but all over
the world. The standards for Registered Nurses (RNs) such as, critical thinking and
analyzing nursing practice, engaging in therapeutic and professional relationships,
maintaining the capability for practice, conducting assessments, developing a plan
for nursing practice, providing safe and responsive quality nursing practice, and
also evaluating the outcomes of nursing practice, are very important
(NMBA,2010). There are various policies, like, social media policy, common
protocol, and exemption from continuing professional development for nurses, re-
entry to practice, English language skills registration policy, and mother craft
nurses policy (NMBA,2015). These policies and standards are aimed to work
together for better patient care.

RNs work in professional as well as therapeutic relationship with patients and their
families. RNs are responsible and accountable for their actions to the Nursing and
Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Total 7 standards are there, which are
inter-linked. The first standard states that the nurse should think critically and
analyze nursing practice. RN must provide safe and quality nursing practice with
evidence based frameworks. Moreover, Second standard states that RN should
engage in therapeutic and professional relationship. There should be a mutual trust
and respect in professional relationships. Third standard is all about maintaining
the capability for practice. This includes self-management and also professional
development and contributing to the development of others. Fourth standard states
that RN should conduct the assessments comprehensively. The RN must follow
holistic approach for assessment and the one which is culturally appropriate, to
know the factors which can affect the health of the patient. According to fifth
standard, RN should develop a plan for nursing practice. These plans are
developed in partnership with other team members and depend upon the evidence
that is documented and communicated. Sixth standard states that it is the
responsibility of RN to provide safe and appropriate nursing practice. There should
be quality and ethical goal directed actions. Furthermore, Seventh standard states
that the RN should evaluate and monitor the progress towards expected goals and
should do documentation as well. The policies also play an important role in
nursing practice because these policies and guidelines help RN to meet the
expectations and requirements of NMBA.

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In the given scenario, Mrs. Mendez was given two different drugs viz.,
trimethoprim and methotrexate. Cudmore, Seftel, Sisler, Zarychanski (2014, pp.
53-56) demonstrated that these two drugs show a drug interaction and can cause
life threatening conditions such as serious toxicity characterized by pancytopenia,
oral mucositis, and nephrotoxicity. Hence, in this case the medication was not
double checked and was not critically analyzed. According to one of the standards
provided by the NMBA, it is the responsibility of RN to critically analyze the
situation and outcomes of nursing practice which is being provided to the patient.
Such conditions can be avoided if the RN and doctors confirm the changes in the
medications at each encounter with the patients. Moreover, electronic health
records have the potential to decrease unintentional errors (Boughton, Roper,
Conaghan, 2018; pp. 37-40).

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References

Boughton, S., Roper, K., Conaghan, P. (2018). Strategies to prevent medication

errors between acute and primary care. Medicine Today. The peer reviewed
journal of clinical practice.

Cudmore, J., Seftel, M., Sisler, J., Zarychanski, R. (2014). Methotrexate and
trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Cam Fam Physician. US National Library
of Medicine. National Institute of Health.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia(NMBA). 2010. Registered nurses

standards for practice, ‘A nurse’s guide to professional boundaries.’
Retrieved 05 January 2015.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). 2015. Supervision

guidelines for nursing and midwifery.’ Retrieved 25 September 2015.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) policies for RN. Retrieved
from https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines-
statements/policies.aspx