Final answer:
The nurse manager should include teaching on writing the full medication name, the dose in the correct units, and the route of administration when reviewing medication documentation. Checking the expiration date is a safety check before administration, not typically documented. Nurses must also be proficient in unit conversions, as dosage calculations are critical.
Step-by-step explanation:
Medication Documentation for Newly Licensed Nurses
When reviewing medication documentation with newly licensed nurses, the nurse manager should emphasize several key points to ensure patient safety and compliance with legal and professional standards. These include:
- Writing the medication name in full to avoid confusion with similarly named drugs and to ensure clarity.
- Documenting the dose specifically in milligrams or another appropriate unit of measure to guarantee accurate administration.
- Recording the route of administration, as this can affect the medication's efficacy and the patient's response.
- While it's critical to check a medication's expiration date before administration, documenting this on the medication record is not typically standard practice; instead, it's essential to document the time and date when the medication was administered.
In clinical practice, recording the expiration date on the medication documentation is not usually required, but verifying the expiration date is a part of medication safety checks before administration.
Additionally, understanding unit conversions is crucial. For instance, if a nurse needs to administer 0.2 g of aspirin and only has 50 mg tablets, they must know that 0.2 g is equivalent to 200 mg, requiring four tablets to provide the correct dose.
It's paramount for nurses to remain vigilant in their medication practices, as calculating the wrong dose can lead to significant harm or even be fatal to the patient.