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How  to  Prevent  Medication  Errors:  Effective  Tips  for  Nurses

How to Prevent Medication Errors: Effective Tips for Nurses

Nurses are part of the patient care team and have a responsibility in preventing medication errors. A flaw in medication can put the life of a patient in grave danger. Nursing profession entails preventing medication errors, and these tips help nurses to achieve prevention.

1.Create proper medication labels

It is not safe to put drugs into a different container other than the original package. You must properly label the new container well if you must put medicine in it. Ensure that you indicate the dosage, expiry date, generic and brand name of the dosage. The new medication label should be in narrow and straightforward font that everyone can read. It is more convenient if you can peel an old label from the previous canister containing the drugs and stick it to the new one.

2.Inquire about the allergy status of patients

Some patients have allergies to particular drugs, and it is essential to make a habit of asking before dispensing. Nurses can prevent unnecessary drug reactions by finding out from patients if they have known drug allergies before administering new medications. There are occasions where patients forget about their drug allergies during the initial history taking. It is important to ask them another time soon after noticing early symptoms of adverse reaction Healthcare workers may also forget to record known drug allergies of a patient in a chart. It makes it essential to rectify such oversight by verifying and asking patients about drug allergies before starting new medications without assuming that other medical professionals asked the question.

3.Check with a drug handbook

It is sometimes not clear about the appropriate drug to administer for a particular illness. In such an instance a nurse should double check with a drug handbook to determine the correct medicine. A drug handbook has plenty of valuable information about different drugs including their incompatibilities, adverse reactions and precautions. Develop the habit of checking drug information before giving it to patients when you have time to read. Frequent reading allows memorizing of relevant information on different types of medicine which is essential when administering.

4.Maintain clear communication

Information on medication can be lost during communication between nurses, pharmacists, and doctors. It is essential to take precautions that prevent miscommunication when carrying out orders for new medication. One of the precautions is to write the instructions when receiving orders on the phone and repeat everything to confirm. Legibly write the names of medicine and avoid improper abbreviations.

5.Clarify new medication orders in the case of doubt

It is not wrong to double check information about medicine from colleagues. It is even necessary to clarify with a doctor if there is a reason to think that newly ordered medication might do more harm to patients that the intended therapeutic effect.

6.Crush and cut up pills carefully

Some tablets usually hypoglycemic and antihypertensive drugs contain extended release coatings. Nurses should be extremely careful in crushing or cutting such drugs because they produce potent effects fast when a patient takes them without an extended release coating.Nurses should first get clarification from a doctor about crushing medicine if it is compelling to give it through a nasogastric tube. The extended-release tablet is not for crushing.

7.Take extra precautions with eye drops and eardrops

Some patients need eardrops, and eye drops at the same time creating a risk to confuse the two. Sticking a simple marker to each can help to prevent confusion of using them interchangeably. Apply a colored sticker to one side of a container indicating if it an eye or ear drop and its generic name. The label should also have the name of a patient if a nurse has a lot of medications to administer to different patients. This is a simple technique that takes a short time to complete but creates safety measures when giving medications to patients.

Nurses should always have the safety of their patients in mind while administering medications to prevent errors. Nurses who are new to the profession should seek guidance about anything that they doubt from their seniors. Seasoned nurses have more techniques on how to prevent medication errors.

Healthiest Breakfast Ideas for Busy Nurses

A healthy breakfast for nurses is essential in generating energy to start the day or shift right. Most nurses skip breakfast to reach their workplace early, but it will also be difficult to get an opportunity to sit for a meal in the middle of a shift. The right thing is to take breakfast before leaving to work.

Busy nurses with a hectic daily routine should not use it as an excuse to skip breakfast but should instead use these breakfast ideas to fix a meal quickly in the morning.

1.Protein bars

Protein bars are excellent for breakfast and snacks during the day. Nurses can carry them easily in the pocket to take when on the move and prevent the risk of experiencing effects of low blood sugar during a shift. There is a choice to buy protein bars or prepare them at home. Nurses who choose to buy from a grocery store should check the nutrition labels. Some of the products contain a lot of calories and sugar yet they are harmful to health. Protein bars are in different flavors, and it is necessary to pick those with taste sweet for taste buds. Pick the appropriate protein source when you decide to make your protein bars. Besides peanut butter and nuts, you may try protein powder.

2.Peanut butter strawberry wrap

Peanut butter strawberry is within ten minutes ready to eat. It only needs peanut butter, tortillas and sliced fruit like bananas. You might also use strawberries in place of bananas. Spread plenty of peanut butter on a tortilla wrapper and top it up with your favorite fruit. It is ready to eat soon after rolling it up.

3.Overnight Oats

Some call overnight oats the “ultimate lazy person breakfast.” It needs you to only combine 1/3 cup of rolled oats with a ½ cup of milk and store the mixture in a refrigerator overnight. The oatmeal will be creamy and tasty in the morning. You can find an instant-no-cook variety if you did not prepare the oats overnight. It is ready to consume variety after adding hot water. You can spice this flexible and straightforward to fix dish by adding these add-ons:

  • Slices fruit
  • Cinnamon spice
  • Nuts
  • Peanut butter
  • Yogurt

Chocolate lovers can spice up their overnight oats by adding cocoa powder. The possibilities to spice it up are endless as you can even add flax seed or chia for a power boost.

4.Microwaved eggs with vegetables

Scrambled eggs with vegetables are a tasty meal that satisfies cravings for a spicy meal. An advantage for busy nurses is that with a microwave, it will cook in a few minutes. It needs mixing sliced vegetables with two well-beaten eggs and a small amount of cheese for an extra flavor in a microwave-safe container. The vegetables can be tomatoes, zucchini or cabbage. Microwave the mixture for about 30 minutes seconds and stir. Microwave the mixture for another 30 seconds after stirring. A tasty savory breakfast meal will be ready for a busy nurse to eat within 3-5 minutes of cooking and preparing.

5.Quinoa fruit salad

A healthy breakfast for nurses who spend much energy at work and might take long before taking another meal should have plenty of protein for energy boosting purpose. Quinoa is a splendid option because it is protein rich and contains other vital amino acids. Make a bowl of quinoa fruit salad by cooking quinoa according to instructions on the package. You can spice the fruit salad by adding a cow, almond or soy milk. Add slices of the favorite fresh fruits after cooking and spice it up with nutmeg or cinnamon.

6.Banana and peanut butter smoothie

Smoothie is the best meal for busy nurses who need a breakfast that they can eat on their way to work. A smoothie of banana and peanut butter is ideal because they are rich in minerals and energy boosting vitamins. You make this smoothie in these steps.

    • Toss a frozen banana
    • Two tablespoons of peanut butter
    • A cup of your chosen type of milk
    • Ice cubes in a blender

Pour the smoothie in a mason jar after blending, and it is ready for drinking.

Taking breakfast for nurses is essential like dinner after a busy shift because it gives energy to the body. It is not necessary to skip it even when the time to work is short as there are many healthiest breakfast ideas for busy nurses to try.

How  To  Make  Your  Own  Nursing  Shadow  Box

How To Make Your Own Nursing Shadow Box

A nurse shadow box is one of the best ways of preserving special memories from nursing school. Many nurses agree that nursing shadow boxes get a lot of attention and flattering remarks. A shadow box is an enclosed glass containing objects with much personal and sentimental value that a nurse wants to remember in future years. It is usually a unifying theme because it brings all objects together.

The most common theme for nurse shadow boxes is graduation from a nursing school although there are those who create some for memories of a particular moment during their career or at retirement. Nursing training and career have many interesting moments that provide plenty of reasons for making shadow boxes. They are easy to make and here is how to do it.

1.Plan your nursing shadow box

A shadow box should have a tying central theme or idea. Although many people create them to celebrate graduation from nursing school, you can create one about anything. The design can be creative according to your desires. A first step is to think of the purpose of making the nursing shadow box. The second step of planning is to collect all stuff that should go into the shadow box. A collection of souvenirs to place into a shadow box is likely to be in place if you already have a theme.

2.Putting the shadow box together

After designing and planning on the material to place in the display box, the remaining task is to assemble the mementos and make the best most creative presentation. You can use one of these materials to place the stuff at their perfect place.

  • Paste
  • Glue
  • Pins
  • Glue gun

You might even sew objects to the back of a nursing shadow box with a needle and thread. A shadow box should store the memories you treasure most, and it cannot accommodate. You should narrow down choices to the best 3-5 items after deciding on a theme and gathering the items that fit within the parameters.

The size of the frame determines the number of items. You can make creating the shadow box is the fun part. Before gluing anything into place, set out all the mementos and decide on the best layout for them. You can try layering the elements to give the shadow box intrigue and more depth. Some overlapping enables you to prevent the shadow box from looking empty. Secure everything to the frame backing after the scene satisfies you. You can use glue, tacks, pins or brooches.

Tips To Make Your Shadow Box More Exciting

These tips will help to increase color and appeal to your project.

  • Add colorful text and label
  • Make cute drawings with colored pencils or pens
  • Recycle ribbons stationary, cloth and lace to make the cute or buy the unique from a craft shop
  • Add sparkly or glitter accessories if you like flamboyance
  • Use washi tape

Reassemble the frame or close the shadow box’s glass door at the front. Take a quick pause to determine if the handiwork is appealing before anybody else sees it. If the nursing shadow box delights others, find a spot where they can see instead of putting it against a wall. Find a measuring tape, a marking pencil, a level, hammer, and nails to measure the proper spot on a wall, mark, and hammer away. Do not rely on your eyes to determine if the shadow box is hanging straight on a nail. A level will provide you with an accurate measure that shows if it straight or tipping to one side.

A nurse can have tons of stuff that should require safekeeping and display. You can create more shadow boxes to show them after you successfully make the first. You can crate others to decorate the walls and use them for commemorating occasions such as:

  • Remembering friends and colleagues at former workplaces
  • To gift a very close nurse who is leaving for another place or retiring
  • Create a motivational and inspirational board on your chosen profession
  • Display items for commemorating overseas trips
  • Make a display case of rewards for achievements at school or work including certifications

Learning how to make your own nursing shadow box enables you to present the things you want to commemorate in a way that creates a dramatic visual result.

Natural Remedies for Nurses’ Feet Pain

Foot pain bothers many nurses considering that they spend many hours on their feet working in long shifts. Severe pain on the feet or ankles can prevent a nurse from working and become a form of disability. Luckily nurses can use natural remedies to manage, eliminate and prevent feet pain.

The valuable methods for management of nurses’ feet pain are:

1. Wear the right shoes

Choose nursing shoes that are comfortable with adequate wiggle room for the toes and a firm grip on the heels. Lacing shoes are good for nurses and the best time to fit when buying is at the end of a shift when the feet are bigger. You can determine the correct size that will accommodate the feet even if they swell by trying new shoes when feet are at their biggest. Nursing shoes should also have excellent arch support and cushioning to prevent overpronation. Consider adding shoe inserts that make shoes to accommodate specific food conditions like high arches, flat feet or plantar facilities. A custom shoes insert by a podiatrist ensures that you get the right product.

2.Alternate and replace shoes often

The structural support of a shoe starts breaking down after using months. It is essential to check and replace if necessary after every 8-12 months. Wearing the same shoes everyday wears them faster .it also makes them get into contact with same points of pressure by the feet, increasing risk of repetitive strain injury. It is important for nurses to have at least two pairs of shoes.

3.Wearing cushioned socks or compression stockings

Cushioned socks protect the feet especially when fats pads on the feet wear away as fat pads advance. Compression stockings can prevent swelling on the feet and legs for a while.

4.Vinegar

Vinegar is one of the useful natural remedies right in the kitchen shelves and can help much in reducing inflammation that causes muscle strain. Vinegar helps to reduce feet pain by using it in one of these variations. A.Hydrotherapy Vinegar for hydrotherapy should be in equal amounts to the water. You should prepare two containers of cold and hot water and add the same measure of vinegar to each. Soak a small clean towel into the water a wrap it around the foot for 5 minutes. You should alternate wrapping the towel between the cold and hot water repeating the process for up to four times. B.Footbath Add 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar to a warm bath. Add Epsom or sea salt to the water and soak the feet in it for 10-20 minutes.

5.Herbal oil massages

Herbal oils help to loosen tight tissues and increase circulation if you use it to massage the feet. The herbal oil contains distinct medicinal properties that also help to alleviate foot pain. A gentle massage on the aching feet provides quick relief because you can feel the tension and pain easing while the oil warms on the skin. Some of the recommended types of herbal oils are:

  • olive oil
  • mustard oil
  • chamomile oil
  • lavender
  • clove oil
  • sweet marjoram
  • rosemary
  • eucalyptus
  • thyme
  • peppermint

Nurses with sensitive skins or open breaks can dilute the herbal oil with a teaspoon of extra coconut or olive oil before using it to massage the feet.

6.Ginger

Ginger more so turmeric ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce inflammation that causes pain and swelling on the feet. Nurses with low blood pressure or any blood disease should not use this remedy.

7.Diet

Change of diet is a general act when dealing with arthritis or any other feet pain malady. One of the ways to reduce feet pain is to avoid eating food that increases inflammation like animal products and citric foods. The best diet to take when having feet pain should have a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids like cold water fish, flaxseeds and walnuts. It should also have plenty of carbohydrates. Cherry fruit or juice also helps t reduce inflammation because it contains antioxidant properties. Drink diluted fresh juice or eats at least 10 cherries every day. A serving of three-ounce pitted dark cherries gives 82-297 milligrams of anthocyanins (antioxidant properties that relieve inflammation).

8.Exercising

Stretching exercises targeting the legs, back, shoulders and neck before work activate the body’s nervous system and prevent strain injuries .exercises prepare the feet to endure physical stresses and enhance performance. Performing similar stretch exercises and some yoga poses after work hastens recovery of the foot muscles from any minute injuries after a shift. Nurses might not avoid feet pain due to much walking, but natural remedies help to restore the comfort without pooping pain relievers.

Ways of Calming a Patient Before a Shot

Nurses and doctors need to define ways of calming a patient before a shot because some have a fear of injections. It is usual to encounter patients with a phobia for shots in clinical settings. It is something that is difficult to overcome, and the nurses can try what they can to calm a patient before an injection to prevent the person from incurring a trauma. Nurses who are just starting their careers should master these strategies that help to calm patients before they get shots.

1.Instruct the patient to breathe in deeply

Instruct a patient to take a deep breath then exhale like during the process of blowing out a candle. The best time to inject is when the patient exhales. Tensed muscles relax more when breathing out, and the patient will feel lesser pain when receiving the shot. Giving an injection when a patient is anxious and the muscles are tense makes the needle to feel more painful.

2.Distraction

Distracting a patient by diverting attention before administering the shot helps to reduce the anxiety that a patient has at that moment. Starting a friendly conversation is a superb method of distracting a patient who fears shots from impending injection explores the interests of the patient when preparing to give the patient an injection. The focus will shift to the matter when a nurse hooks the attention of the patient. Nurses can explain the injection procedure then start discussing other issues such as hobbies or favorite activities. When a patient is in the exciting moment, a nurse should begin injecting the drug, and the process will be over before the patient gets anxious. Encouraging deep breathing and asking questions about favorite or singing a song can help nurses to distract as well as calm children before a shot.

3.Crack a joke

Many patients feel nervous, uncomfortable and sweaty because of the panic they have about getting a shot. A nurse who tells a good joke helps to overcome the nervousness. Humor triggers laughter that distracts nervous patients as it helps to relieve and relax them. Telling a funny joke also helps to establish a rapport with the patient. Some nurses have a sense of humor, and it can be of much help in making their patients forget the ordeal of receiving an injection and the entire ordeal will pass without much pain. It also relaxes the muscles which help to reduce the pain that occurs during injection than when they are tense.

4.Provide the right information

Providing patients with unrealistic assurances before an injection is wrong. For instance, there is no point in telling a patient that a needle will not hurt only for them to feel the “sting.”The right thing is to prepare patients in advance by informing them that shot will hurt but not severely as they fear. A nurse may also inform a patient who fears shots that the pain will not last for long. You can also assure them that you will do the best to lessen the pain by completing the process within a short moment and using a small size needle.

5.Using creams or the buzzy on the skin

Some types of topical creams can work as anesthetics that block the sensation of pain by the needle. Pharmacists know about the most common creams for the treatment of needle phobia. The buzzy is a personal pain relieving device developed a by a pediatrician. It works by overwhelming the nerves with buzzing and a cold sensation to prevent the user from feeling the pain that a needle causes as it passes through the skin to the vein. The buzzy now has a version for adults and a new version for kids. The latest for children resembles a bee, and it includes distraction cards.

Many people fear the needle and nurses or physicians should not condemn patients for their phobia. They should not ridicule the patients but instead, let them know that they should not be a cause of shame. It helps to reduce the phobia and make injections to be more manageable.

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