OSCA Reflection on Medication Administration: Learning and Improvement

This reflective essay analyzes a nursing student's experience with medication administration during an Objective Structured Clinical Assessment (OSCA). The student reflects on the feedback received from the skill assessor, focusing on areas for improvement such as explaining procedures to patients, adhering to the Australian injectable guidelines, and implementing double-checking protocols. The essay employs the DIEP model (Description, Interpretation, Evaluation, Planning) to dissect the learning process, evaluate the value of the experience, and outline plans for applying these lessons in future practice. The student emphasizes the importance of patient education, accurate medication preparation, and continuous self-assessment to enhance patient safety and improve nursing skills. The reflection highlights the significance of the OSCA assessment in identifying weaknesses and fostering a commitment to lifelong learning in nursing.

Reflection assessment
This is a reflective essay where I will discuss and reflect on my learning experience while
with my OCSA skill assessor. I will consider both the verbal and written feedback that he gave
us following the assessment. I will use the DIEP model in this reflection and support it with
evidenced-based literature. The DIEP model comprises of; Description, Interpreting, Evaluation
and Planning (Krishnaiyer, Mushahar, & Ahmad, 2012. The description involves the explanation
of what happens and the lesson learned through the scenario. Interpretation will then try to figure
out the meaning of the scenario means and reason of it happening. The evaluation will look at
how valuable the learning experience and the last part, that is, planning discusses how the lesson
learned can be applied to future practice.
Describe
I was administering medication to a patient under my OCSA skill assessor. The medication
was injectable and the skill assessor monitors how I went about the medication procedures and
thereafter gave me feedback. It is through this experience that I learned that I need to explain to
the patient everything he or she needs to know prior to giving medication (Carman, et.al, 2013).
This includes; letting him know which medications I am going to give, dosage, the side effects
and even the mechanism of action. I also need to assess the site that is going to give them
injectable. The feedback from my OCSA skill assessor also enabled me to know that I need to
refer to the Australian injectable guidelines book while preparing such medication. Moreover, I
learned that I need to glove in order to prepare for the medication. For intramuscular injection, I
learned that I need to administer the injection at an angle of 90 . It is through this that I also⁰
learned to always check the medication with another nurse, where double check 1 involves
looking at the medication chart while double check 2 will look at both the medication chart and
the medication itself (Liu, Manias, & Gerdtz, 2012). Finally, I also learned that I should not try
to aspirate too much.
Interpret

This experience means a lot to me. I was able to learn a lot of things that I had no clear idea
about them previously. I was able to understand that explaining the procedure to the patient is
important since the patient will not only get information about his medication but also be able to
cooperate throughout the medication. For example, the patient will get to understand the side
effect of the drugs and hence will be in apposition to let the nurse or physician know in case of
such effects. I also knew that I have to use the Australian Injectables guideline which really
makes the preparation easier and more accurate for me. In most cases, a nurse usually ends up
giving the wrong medication or even expired ones. Therefore, I learned that through double
checking with other nurses, such mistakes are avoided. At times, an injection can be given even
at the wrong time (Karch, 2015), which still can be eliminated with double checking of the
medication chart. It was also meaningful for me to learn that I should not aspirate too much as I
did before.
Evaluate
The learning experience that I encountered is so much valuable. This is because it aims at
letting become a better nurse and also have a clear understanding of injectables. I was also able
to appreciate the fact the OSCA professor also understood my weak areas and therefore, by
giving me the feedback, I will improve on those areas and hence making the medication
administration better for me. This also implies that I will be able to make the patient experience
better when administrating the injectables.
Plan
I will apply the lessons I have learned in every nursing care that requires injectables both as
a student nurse and even later during my career. Such lessons will be important to me especially
in my future career since I will be working alone and not under my assessor or another nurse and
hence, I will be able to perform better. I can also be able to apply them in educator my other
colleagues who may not be aware of such factors. With that, I will have to help them avoid a lot
of mistakes that may cause serious effects to a client. I will also apply these learning to teach any
student nurse in the future who will be working under me. This, therefore, will be important in

such many ways
Conclusion
Reflection helps a lot in helping one to recall the lessons that he or she has learned after a
particular experience. The use of DIEP model comprehensively highlights all the parts a
reflection and helps one to ensure that all parts of a reflection. With such lessons, I so much
convinced that I will be a better nurse in the future.

References
Carman, K. L., Dardess, P., Maurer, M., Sofaer, S., Adams, K., Bechtel, C., & Sweeney, J.
(2013). Patient and family engagement: a framework for understanding the elements and
developing interventions and policies. Health Affairs, 32(2), 223-231.
Karch, A. (2015). Lippincott nursing drug guide. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Krishnaiyer, S. S., Mushahar, R. H. R., & Ahmad, N. (2012). Using blogs as a tool to facilitate
students’ reflection. GEMA Online® Journal of Language Studies, 12(3).
Liu, W., Manias, E., & Gerdtz, M. (2012). Medication communication between nurses and
patients during nursing handovers on medical wards: a critical ethnographic
study. International journal of nursing studies, 49(8), 941-952.