Answer

Drug selection

How has your understanding changed about identifying the most commonly prescribed agents in the major drug classes?

            My perception has significantly changed about identifying the commonly prescribed drugs in the major drug classes. Initially, I thought the word “common” was used to mean drugs that hat are used for self mediation and can be taken over the counter. Right now, I have realized the commonly used drugs indicate the major diseases that people are suffering from. For example, drugs used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure such as Lisinopril that come in brand names of Prinivil and Zestril are commonly used (Shepshelovich et al., 2019). Additionally, Metformin, a drug used to treat diabetes is commonly prescribed in the United States since more than 30 million Americans are diabetic. I have also learnt that because of their demand and need most patients go for their generic forms.

How confident do you feel about analyzing factors pertinent to making the most effective drug selection for a patient with a specific diagnosis in the primary care setting? What resources are needed, if any, to help you feel more confident?

            I am very confident about my ability to analyze factors that are pertinent to making the most effective drug selection for patients by considering some important factors. One of the factors that I consider is efficacy which is how fast the drug can work. In doing so, both pharmacodynamics as well as pharmacokinetics of a drug are considered during the selection for a specific condition. Other factors to consider include mode of action, safety of the drug in relation to side effects, and the cost of treatment.

How has your understanding changed regarding analyzing client indicators of therapeutic, ineffective, adverse responses and side effects to drug therapy?

            Simply analyzing these indicators based on what is indicated for that specific drug is not enough. That is why my understanding has changed since I now believe that each client is unique. For example, how one client can react to ciprofloxacin, antibiotic drug used to treat typhoid is different from another (Shepshelovich et al., 2019).  There are many factors which can influence these indicators such as current medication or that which has been prescribed in the recent past. On the same note, the severity of the condition must also be checked. Therefore, each client may react uniquely to specific drug therapies.

Reflect on your preparedness to write appropriate prescriptions according to evidence-based practice guidelines. What resources are needed, if any, to help you feel more prepared?

            In relation to writing appropriate prescriptions, I do not feel fully prepared. That is because I have realized that there is a lot that must be considered aside from the expected side effects indicated for specific medications. However, to feel more prepared, access to research that highlights the best evidence-based practice when it comes to writing prescriptions will be quite useful. This is because it will act as a guide on the steps to take before giving out a specific prescription to the patient.