Procedures and Protocols Regarding the Handling, Storing, and Monitoring of Drugs

Drugs Sunday 26: Procedures and protocols regarding the handling, storing, and monitoring of drugs
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Background
The handling, storing and monitoring the use of medications is important to ensure that there is adhere to the guidelines. Proper handling of medications is associated with improved health outcomes and reduced risk of medication errors (Lawton, et al., 2012). The health practitioners prepare and administer the medication to ensure that this is a safe process to avoid medication errors and improve health care. The procedures and protocols for handling, storing, and monitoring the generic and controlled medications support effective patient care, and health practitioners use these guidelines to inform their decisions when catering to patient needs.
In the case of handling, the policies and procedures highlight the people to handle the medications, the place they are handled, when they are handled and they person they are prescribed to, and the reason for the prescription. For Deanna who is taking anti-inflammatory drugs home, they will be informed about the appropriate dosage and instructions for taking these drugs. Since Deanna is an employee it will be necessary to emphasize staff training to prevent problems with misuse of the anti-inflammatory medication, as this sensitizes the staff and training participants to understand different aspects of handling and using the drugs. The mere fact that Deanna works for the institution does not mean that training should not be conducted.
As a staff member handling medication, proper training to handle the medication is necessary and should be accompanied with documenting the instructions. Highlighting the targeted effects of the medication, potential risks, side effects, and the need to follow instructions is necessary to make sure that the medication is handled properly (Smith, Giuliano, & Starkowski, 2011). Another aspect to facilitate medication handling is emphasis on recovery management and follow-up to meet the patient needs and improve health outcomes. In any case, to avoid medication errors awareness on handling the medication emphasizes clinical governance and improving patient care (Lawton, et al., 2012).
Storing the medication properly is important to maintain the quality of the medication, and those that are improperly stored maybe discarded for being less safe (Easty et al. 2015). The medications are to be stored in a secured location while adhering to the legal provisions as specified. The people authorized shall be the ones having access to the medication, which will be stored, safely, securely and appropriately. It is also necessary to inspect the storage area regularly, to make that the medication is properly labeled, packaged and stored. This measure will be undertaken by ensuring that the medication is stored separately from other drugs, since it is used by an employee to avoid confusion.
More caution is exercised w...