The role of nurses in medication management in the Czech Republic: A narrative literature review
Jana Heczková*, Alan Bulava**,***
* Institute of Nursing Theory and Practice, Charles University in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine
** České Budějovice Hospital, Joint-Stock Company, Cardiocenter
*** University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Health and Social Studies
Abstract
HECZKOVÁ, J. – BULAVA, A. The role of nurses in medication management in the Czech Republic: narrative literature review. In Ošetrovateľstvo: teória, výskum, vzdelávanie [online], 2016, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 38-43. Available on:https://www.osetrovatelstvo.eu/archiv/2016-rocnik-6/cislo-2/the-role-of-nurses-in-medication-management-in-the-czech-republic-a-narrative-literature-review.
Background: Medication management is considered to be highly important area of health care. It is ensured by different health care professionals, unfortunately their competences are not always clear.
Aim: The aim of this study is to describe role and formal competences of nurses in medication management in the Czech Republic.
Methods: Literature for this review was identified using electronic searches of databases Medline, ProQuest Central, EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect and Web of Science, hand searches of legal norms and hand searches of professional Czech and Slovak journals.
Results: Medication management is highly regulated area covered by many legal norms having different levels of authority. Although many of the activities related to medication management are described in details, certain activities remain poorly defined, everyday practice can differ, and certain health care professionals are exceeding their competencies related to medication management.
Conclusion: To ensure adequate quality of care, formal competencies related to medication management should be effectively matched with responsibilities and duties in real practice.
Keywords: medication administration, medication competence, nurses role
Contact
Mgr. Jana Heczková
Institute of Nursing Theory and Practice, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University
Na Bojišti 1771/1
12000 Praha 2
Czech Republic
E-mail: jana.heczkova@lf1.cuni.cz
Received: 9th February 2016
Accepted: 2nd June 2016