This document provides instructions for an assessment to create a one-page patient education tool explaining the proper use of a medication. The student must then write a 2-3 page paper explaining how the tool promotes patient safety and quality outcomes by adhering to principles of cultural competence. The paper must cite at least two current resources and follow APA style guidelines. It will demonstrate competencies in applying evidence-based practice guidelines for safe medication use, explaining how quality outcomes relate to pharmacology, applying cultural competence principles to pharmacological interventions, and communicating in a scholarly, professional manner.

1. Create a one-page patient education tool that explains usage of
a medication and factors that can affect outcomes. Then, write 3
pages in which you explain how the tool promotes patient safety
and quality outcomes, and adheres to the principles and
practices of cultural competence.
By successfully completing this assessment, you will
demonstrate your proficiency in the following course
competencies and assessment criteria:
· Competency 1: Apply practice guidelines and standards of
evidence-based practice related to pharmacology for safe and
effective nursing practice.
. Explain the appropriate use of a medication.
. Explain how a patient education tool promotes patient safety
related to pharmacology.
· Competency 2: Explain the relationship between quality
patient outcomes, patient safety, and the appropriate use of
pharmacology and psychopharmacology.
. Identify specific factors that may affect the efficacy of a
medication.
. Describe possible chemical reactions, side effects, or other
negative reactions a patient may experience from a medication.
. Explain correct handling, storage, and disposal of a
medication.
· Competency 3: Apply the principles and practices of cultural
competence with regard to pharmacological interventions.
. Explain how a patient education tool adheres to the principles
and practices of cultural competence.
· Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly,
professional, and consistent with the expectations of a nursing
professional.
. Write content clearly and logically with correct use of
grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
. Correctly format paper, citations, and references using current

2. APA style.
Do any of these sound familiar?
· "I felt better right away, so I did not think I had to take the
rest of the medicine."
· "Every time I took it, I threw up, so I just did not take it
anymore."
· "I lost my health insurance a couple of months ago and cannot
afford my medication all the time. I take it when I can afford to
buy it. This is better than nothing, right?"
In addition to administering medications, nurses are assigned
the responsibility of educating patients about the proper use of
the medications that have been prescribed for them. Not an easy
task! With all the demands on a nurse's time, it is easy to fall
into the habit of reciting instructions without taking the time to
make sure those instructions have been understood. When
considering patient education, you have to understand the
differences between drug reactions, interactions, allergies, and
individual variations in drug responses.
In order to promote better patient safety and quality outcomes,
the instruction that nurses provide must be patient-centered and
clearly understood. Proper education helps patients learn about
their medications, how to take them correctly, avoid potentially
harmful errors or drug interactions, and have the desired quality
outcome.
Medication errors can occur at any point in the drug
administration process. As the last person who touches a
medication before the patient actually takes it, it is vital that
nurses are familiar with the process of administration and be
able to evaluate any discrepancies.
To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider
the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a
work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your
professional community.
· How do the rights of patient medication affect the ability of a

3. nurse to make sure a patient receives medication that is ordered
in a safe, effective manner?
· What types of communication tools, such as the Pyxis
machine, facilitate effective communication and reduce or
eliminate medication errors?
Internet Resources
Access the following resources by clicking the links provided.
Please note that URLs change frequently. Permissions for the
following links have either been granted or deemed appropriate
for educational use at the time of course publication.
· The Joint Commission. (2015). 2015 National Patient Safety
Goals. Retrieved from
http://www.jointcommission.org/standards_information/npsgs.as
px
· U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
(2015). MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse
Event Reporting Program. Retrieved from
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/
· Institute for Safe Medication Practices. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://ismp.org/
Assessment Instructions
Imagine your supervisor has asked you to develop a patient
education tool for new medication starts in your current area of
practice. This tool needs to provide important information to the
patient, yet be concise enough to require no more than one page.
Preparation
Review the suggested list of possible topics in Part 1 of the
Requirements and then search the Internet for supporting
resources. You will need to provide support for the information
you choose to include in the patient education tool.
Requirements
Complete both Part 1 and Part 2 of this assessment. You may
submit both parts in one document or submit them as separate
documents. Be sure you complete both parts!

4. Submit a total of 4 pages. Write no more than one page for Part
1. Write 2–3 pages, plus a separate reference page, for Part 2.
Part 1: Patient Education Tool
Complete the following:
1. Choose one of the following topics as the basis for your
patient education tool:
. Antibiotics (Amoxil/Amoxicillin) for pediatric ear infections.
. Statin therapy (Zocor/Simvastatin) for a newly diagnosed
patient with hypercholesterolemia.
. Antihypertensive (ACE inhibitors/Lisinopril/Zestril) for a
patient who was discovered to have hypertension at a health
screening at work.
. Drugs for treating gastric acidity (Proton pump
inhibitors/antacids/H2 blockers) for a patient complaining of
chronic indigestion and heartburn.
. Ear drops or eye drops (or both) for an elderly patient.
. Any newly released medication for a patient in your area of
practice. This might be a new drug for diabetes, hypertension,
or arthritis or a new antibiotic.
· Include the following in your patient education tool:
. Explain appropriate use of the medication.
. Identify specific factors (age, access, culture, and so on) that
may affect the efficacy of the medication.
. Describe possible chemical interactions, side effects, or other
negative reactions patients need to be aware of.
. Explain correct handling, storage, and disposal of the
medication.
. Include any other information you feel would be beneficial and
promote patient safety and quality outcomes.
You may format Part 1, the patient education tool, any way you
wish, but be sure it is logical and understandable by the typical
patient who would use it. Feel free to include pictures or
diagrams to reinforce the information.
Part 2: Evidence-Based Practice
Provide evidence for the information you included in the patient
education tool:

5. · Explain how the information in the patient education tool
promotes patient safety and quality outcomes.
· Explain how the patient education tool adheres to the
principles and practices of cultural competence. In other words,
is the tool appropriate for all cultures, genders, ages, et cetera;
or could it be easily adapted for specific needs?
Format Part 2 according to APA guidelines. This is not a
document you would provide to a patient but, for this
assessment, it will provide faculty with the academic and
professional principles necessary to evaluate your work.
Additional Requirements
· At least 2 current scholarly or professional resources.
· For Part 2 only:
. Use Times New Roman font, 12 point, double-spaced font.