Reflective Essay: Exploring Drug Administration in Nursing Practice

This reflective essay examines a student nurse's experiences with drug administration, focusing on oral and injectable medications, and applying Gibbs' reflective model. The essay details a specific instance of administering cloxapine, highlighting the importance of patient safety and the student's initial nervousness. It contrasts the student's practice with observations of colleagues, including instances of both effective and ineffective techniques for intramuscular and subcutaneous injections, particularly insulin administration. The student evaluates these experiences, emphasizing the need for critical compassion and the impact of actions on patient trust. The analysis focuses on both positive and negative aspects of the experience. The essay concludes with an action plan for future practice, emphasizing the need for more practice to overcome fear and improve nursing skills.

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Reflective essay on Drug Administration
Introduction
Drug administration is an essential aspect in which it informs clinical nursing role.
Medicine prescription is usually done by a doctor and dispense by nurses. Thus in analysing
my key role in drug administration as an element of nursing, Gibbs, (1988) reflective model
will be utilised. Gibbs Model incorporates the following; description, feelings, evaluation and
action plan. This will be of essence in enabling critical thought relating to practical learning
experience as a nurse.
Description
My nursing experience in administering oral medication took centre stage with patient
X , name withhold for confidentiality purposes, (NMC 2015). The cloxapine drug had been
dispensed and was ready for administration. Having my mentor nurse, she took me through
the critical steps, and i took the initiate to administer oral medication to the patient. The drug
medication i had administered to the patient has been categorised as having life threatening
side effects, so i had the responsibility of ensuring I check for any side effects that may arise
so i had to ensure that the patient swallows the drug.
Best practices of my student nurse colleague administering intramuscular injection was
informed by the student experience gained through effective practice on simulation practices
done. Scientifically it has been proven that intramuscular injection is the best safe injection
and tolerated by most patients, (Happell et al 2015). The student had undergone previous
training through practice using dummy bodies, the student however was very cautious,
however the student managed to overcome the challenges through effective practice.
The poor practice of my nursing colleague was occasioned by poor indications of how
the drug could be administered. Drugs administered subcutaneously always allows for slow,
sustained absorption of the medicine, (Ciftci & Avsar, 2017).. My nursing colleague was
administering insulin, normally the drug should be dispensed beneath the fat and connective
tissue, however, her dispensing was deep down the skin and in a swift and fast mode. In
insulin injection, it is recommended that it should be done subcutaneously and not intra
dermally or intramuscular as the she had done, (Ogstone, 2014).
My feelings
My feelings towards dispensing the drug to the patient were concerned to my feelings
with the view that the patient was observing me. I felt that I needed to give the best practices,
hence before administering i become more aware and started feeling nervous. Hence I had to
ensure that the right medication is administered to the patient and I had to ensure i was
competent. Hence I discovered that poor practices lead to loss of patient trust and even cost
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Reflective essay on Drug Administration
me my nursing practice.
Evaluation
When administering drug medication, i need to ensure that incorporate critical
compassion and care. Positive aspects as to nursing experience I observed is that patient trust
and confidence is key towards correct drug medication, (van Staa et al 2016). Negative
aspects revolved on the risk of causing adverse medical side effects to the patient thus
endangering his/her life.
Analysis and action plan
Doing effective practice is essential in gaining the experience fro drug administration.
With critical reflection, there is need for me to understand my feelings as to pertaining drug
administration in overall. Hence my action plan for future practice is that I need to practice
more so as to overcome fear and ensure effective nursing practice is displayed.
References
Ciftci, B., & Avsar, G. (2017). Assessment of Three Sites in Terms of Bruising in
Subcutaneous Heparin Administration. International Journal, 10(1), 285.
Gibbs, G (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford:
Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic
Happell, B., Platania‐Phung, C., Byrne, L., Wynaden, D., Martin, G., & Harris, S. (2015).
Consumer participation in nurse education: A national survey of Australian universities.
International journal of mental health nursing, 24(2), 95-103.
NURSING AND MIDWIFERY COUNCIL (NMC), 2015. The code: professional standards
of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives. London: NMC.
Ogston-Tuck, S. (2014). Intramuscular injection technique: an evidence-based approach.
Nursing Standard, 29(4), 52-59.
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