Therapeutics is the treatment and care of a patient for the purpose of preventing or treating the disease or alleviating pain & injury.
The term “Therapeutikos” comes from the Greek word which means “inclined to serve”
In a broad sense, therapeutics means serving and caring for the patient in a comprehensive manner, preventing disease as well as managing specific problems.
Specific measures that are used to treat specific symptoms include
The use of drugs to relieve pain or treat infection
Surgery to remove diseased tissue or replace the non functioning organs with the functioning ones
Counseling or psychotherapy to relieve emotional distress.
Principles of therapeutics in Pharmacology
Be Vigilant: Avoid distractions & Interruptions while preparing medications to avoid medication errors
Know the allergies: Always ask patients about allergies, types of reactions, and severity of reactions.
Use double patient Identification checks: Make sure the drug is administered to the correct patient by doing a double check as identifying the name of the patient from (i) Case file & (ii) Identification band or follow agency policy for patient identification
Prior Assessment: All medications require a prior assessment as review of lab values, pain, respiratory assessment, cardiac assessment, etc.) to ensure the patient is receiving the right medication for the right problem
Be diligent in dosage Calculations: Errors in medication calculations have contributed to dosage errors, especially when adjusting or titrating dosages.
Avoid Reliance on Memory: Follow a standard method like reading the drug chart before administering a drug, mistakes can occur when there is over confidence and relying on memory
Communicate with the patient before & after drug Administration:
Provide information about the drug before administering it to the patient.
Answer questions regarding usage, dose, and special considerations.
Give the patient an opportunity to ask questions.
Include family members if appropriate.
Look for the Expiry date: Medication may be inactive if expired & can cause adverse Side-effects
Clarify the order, if Unclear: Always ask for help or consult with the physician or charge Nurse & make sure to resolve all doubts regarding the medication before drug Administration
Use appropriate Technology for drug Administration:
Technologies like bar code scanning and computerized physician orders can help to decrease medication errors
Use technology when administering medications at the same time, be aware of technology-induced errors & avoid mistakes.
Report any drug errors, adverse reaction and missed dose: Reporting allows for analysis and identification of potential errors, which can lead to improvements and sharing of information for safer patient care.
Be cautious while administering “High Alert Medications” :
High-alert medications are those that are most likely to cause significant harm even when administered correctly
The most common high-alert medications are anticoagulants, narcotics and opiates, insulin, and sedatives.
Stop drug Administration if client expresses concern: If a patient questions a medication, stop and explore the patient’s concerns, review the physician’s order, & notify the physician in charge of the patient.
