As long as informed consent is obtained first, unlicensed medicines can be administered to patients using a patient-specific direction, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
Cases of meningitis W are rising rapidly in England, with university first-year students most at risk. Encouraging uptake of the meningitis ACWY vaccine is imperative if we are to protect young people from this horrific illness, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
Despite a call from experts for patients to stop taking antibiotics when they feel better, nurses should still advise patients to complete the course of treatment, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
All medicines have the potential to cause harm to patients. Before prescribing any medication, consider whether the patient really needs it, and look for non-pharmacological interventions first where possible, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
As part of its overhaul of nursing education, the Nursing and Midwifery Council is consulting on plans to withdraw its standards for medicines management. But medicines legislation is complicated and this could put both patients and nurses at risk, warns medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
A ‘fair blame’ instead of ‘no blame’ approach would help ensure practitioners are not afraid to report medication errors while also addressing negligent or poor practice, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
Overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance. This is becoming a major problem worldwide, and we urgently need to change the way we prescribe and use antibiotics, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
Raw marijuana could benefit patients with certain conditions and the UK government should review its use, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
A 28-day supply of medicines is considered best practice, but with the holiday period on the horizon you may have to amend your prescribing practices to meet patient need, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
Allowing newly qualified nurses to prescribe from a limited formulary could give patients safer access to medicines, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
For community nurses whose prescribing powers are limited, undertaking the independent nurse prescribing course can future-proof your qualification, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
‘Look alike’ and ‘sound alike’ medicines are a constant threat to patient safety, but nurses can take steps to minimise the risk, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
There are more than 70,000 nurse prescribers in the UK, many of whom have years of experience which should be shared with trainee prescribers, says medicines management expert Matt Griffiths.
Nurses in independent schools have huge medicines management responsibilities, but this can be a highly rewarding role, says Matt Griffiths.
Lock medicines away or risk disciplinary action, advises Matt Griffiths.
Teenagers and ‘freshers’ are being advised to have a vaccination to prevent meningitis W disease, says Matt Griffiths.
Extending consultation times could enable practitioners to explore medication usage in more depth, says Matt Griffiths.
Matt Griffiths advises how to keep your cool when storing medications in summer