University Reflection on Clinical Practice: Drug Administration

This reflective writing piece, submitted by a student, delves into the complexities of drug administration within a clinical setting. Utilizing Gibbs' reflective cycle, the author examines various methods, including oral, subcutaneous, and intramuscular injections. The reflection details personal experiences, analyzing the effectiveness and potential complications associated with each administration route. It highlights the importance of considering individual patient needs and reactions when selecting the appropriate method. The author discusses the benefits of oral medication, the practices of subcutaneous injections, and the potential pitfalls of intramuscular injections. Furthermore, the reflection considers the influence of these experiences on the student's perception and understanding of patient care, emphasizing the need for proper strategies and techniques based on patient status and medical history. The student's insights provide a valuable learning experience on proper drug administration strategies.

Running head: REFLECTION ON CLINICAL PRACTICE 1
Reflection on Clinical Practice
Student’s Name
University Affiliation

REFLECTION ON CLINICAL PRACTICE 2
Introduction
The rationale of this reflective writing is to enable learners to develop personal and
professional self-awareness regarding professional practice. It uses Gibbs reflective cycle to
focus on the different types of drug administration which include oral, subcutaneous and
intramuscular injection. The cycle encourages one to think systematically about the stages of an
experience (Moon, 2013); hence all of its headings (description, feelings, evaluation, analysis,
and action plan) will be used throughout the reflection.
Events Influencing my Performance about Drug Administration
My performance about giving oral medication would be good because the oral route is
one of the easiest as well as the most commonly used method for administration of drugs. The
drugs can exert both systemic and local effects, and patients can be in a position to take
medications orally and independently with a few complications. Besides, situations can arise that
keep a client from taking drugs by this rote. According to Mignani et al., (2013), if a person is
nauseated or is vomiting another route can be used. Before administering, oral drugs, I would
assess the patient for swallowing difficulties and ensure he/she is in a proper position to reduce
risks of choking or aspirating
Medications can also be administered via subcutaneous injection; drugs that require slow
plus sustained absorption are administered subcutaneously (Jin et al., 2015). Although the route
is commonly used for heparin and insulin, the administration is done below the dermis as well as
the epidermis layers into the subcutaneous tissues. The goodness of this practice is that
absorption is very fast from the abdomen, slower from the upper arm, thigh, hip and the buttock.
However, the arm appears to be less painful, but the abdomen is usually chosen since it has thick
subcutaneous tissues.

REFLECTION ON CLINICAL PRACTICE 3
The poor practice of administering intramuscular injections (IM) (a procedure used to
deliver medication deep into the muscles) can have debilitating consequences to the patient.
Although it is normal to experience discomfort after the injection, certain complications can arise
to cause more severe problems. The poor practice of intramuscular injection can lead to
prolonged bleeding, numbness/tingling, allergic reactions and severe pain at the region of
injection (Mignani et al., 2013).
The three events discussed above (the goodness of giving oral medication, the good
practice of subcutaneous injection and the poor practice of IM injection) have influenced my
perception a lot regarding the type of drug administration to different clients. However, from the
mentioned events, I have learned that people react differently to different injections hence it
would be significant to examine the patient first before deciding on the route to use.
The different types of administration of drugs have broadened my learning experience on
different routes that can be used to deliver medications to patients. This is because different
people react differently to different medications hence it would be in my best interest to choose
the best administrations that do not bring complication into the patient’s health.
The clinical learning that transpired from these practice skills is the use of proper drug
administration strategies depending on the current status and medical history of a patient. As it
evident some drugs are bitter or have bad taste when taken orally, and to help on that it would be
ideal to mix the medicine with a small amount of food like ice-cream or applesauce. For the
children, do not mix the drugs with formula or milk since they may refuse it later.

REFLECTION ON CLINICAL PRACTICE 4
References
Jin, J. F., Zhu, L. L., Chen, M., Xu, H. M., Wang, H. F., Feng, X. Q., ... & Zhou, Q. (2015). The
optimal choice of medication administration route regarding intravenous, intramuscular,
and subcutaneous injection. Patient preference and adherence, 9, 923.
Mignani, S., El Kazzouli, S., Bousmina, M., & Majoral, J. P. (2013). Expand classical drug
administration ways by emerging routes using dendrimer drug delivery systems: a
concise overview. Advanced drug delivery reviews, 65(10), 1316-1330.
Moon, J. A. (2013). Reflection in learning and professional development: Theory and practice.
Routledge.