Nurses' responsibilities and tasks in pharmaceutical care: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Pharmacology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Pharmaceutical care encompasses a wide range of activities crucial for patient outcomes.
• Nurses' roles in medication management are evolving beyond traditional administration.
• Understanding these expanded responsibilities is vital for optimizing healthcare delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize the diverse responsibilities and tasks undertaken by nurses within pharmaceutical care.
• To provide a comprehensive overview of nurses' contributions to medication management.
• To identify key areas of nursing involvement in pharmaceutical care.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review was conducted using MEDLINE and Scopus databases.
• Recent original research papers focusing on nurses' pharmaceutical care roles were systematically searched.
• Data extraction and synthesis followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines, focusing on titles and abstracts.

Main Results:

• Seven primary areas of nursing responsibility in pharmaceutical care were identified.
• These include managing therapeutic/adverse effects, adherence, self-management, and patient education.
• Nurses also manage prescription processes, medication safety, and care transitions.

Conclusions:

• Nurses' responsibilities in pharmaceutical care are extensive and multifaceted.
• Their roles extend significantly beyond medication preparation and administration.
• Recognizing and supporting these expanded duties can enhance patient safety and therapeutic effectiveness.