Question

A company called Covestro has came up with a concept drug delivery device that monitors whether or not the patient is taking the medications and reports behaviors to the physician . The device also has the capability to allow the patient to see when their next dose is due and how much medication is left in order to assist with compliance. Demonstrate the use of patient talk to educate the family about the innovation and highlight nursing’s role in development or implementation.

Answer 1

Ans) There are many ways to ensure drug delivery to achieve desired clinical outcome. Some of the more traditional approaches include solubility enhancements for poorly soluble drugs, permeation enhancements for poorly permeable drugs, and simple MR formulations.

- Some of the more modern approaches include complex MR formulations, prodrug delivery, and targeted drug delivery. There are regulatory and product developmental challenges associated especially with complex dosage forms.

- Understanding the relationship among the drug delivery design, pharmacokinetics, and the clinical effect would require cross-discipline collaboration, as well as collaboration among the industry, academia, regulatory agencies, patient advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders. However, the future of drug delivery is more exciting than ever. Continuing advances in understanding of traditional and modern delivery systems and emerging technology in personalized medicine are expected to provide greater clinical improvement in all therapeutic areas.

- Solving drug-delivery problems may seem out of reach for nurses and patients, as these issues are largely system related. But through education and advocacy, you can take steps to keep patients safe from these problems—and other drug problems that could emerge in the future.

- The best way to help patients stay safe is to teach them to advocate for themselves. Traditionally, the nurse has been the patient’s advocate in the clinical setting. But today, a patient may be seen in many different settings; in some, he or she may not see a nurse at all. What’s more, the patient and the healthcare professional who gives the drug typically are the only ones present during drug administration. This makes it all the more crucial for patients to act as their own advocates.

- As a nurse and a patient advocate, one of your key goals is to help patients feel comfortable sharing information with healthcare providers and asking them questions about their health care, especially drugs. Teaching patients to provide feedback and input to providers is critical to good nursing care. Help them feel empowered to ask questions of healthcare practitioners without fearing their inquisitiveness or self-advocacy could affect the care they receive. (See Crucial patient-teaching points by clicking the PDF icon above.)

- Keep in mind, too, that many patients are prescribed drugs by multiple providers, and some patients take over-the-counter drugs and nutritional or herbal supplements as well. What’s more, even if providers obtain a thorough drug history, only the patient knows what he or she is actually taking. (Just because a drug is prescribed doesn’t mean the patient’s taking it.)

- Given the changes in our healthcare system and the information overload of the 21st century, today’s patient must be perceived as a key healthcare team member—and even take the lead. This will require a major shift in approach and attitude on the part of both healthcare providers and patients. Nurses can be pivotal in making this happen.