Insights from U.S. nursing pharmacology education: toward strengthening nursing pharmacology in Japan

Title : Insights from U.S. nursing pharmacology education: toward strengthening nursing pharmacology in Japan

Abstract:

Aim: To clarify the current state of nursing pharmacology education in the United States, where pharmacology education for nurses is more advanced, and to obtain insights for improving nursing pharmacology education in Japan.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in July 2024 in Hawaii with three participants who had experience as registered nurses and nursing educators in the U.S. Thematic analysis was applied to extract and categorize key concepts related to nursing pharmacology education and clinical practice.
Results: Five essential elements were identified in undergraduate nursing pharmacology education: Assessment ability, integration with anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology, simulation-based learning, active learning, and clinical medication experience. In clinical settings, important components included assessment ability, nursing documentation, interprofessional collaboration, communication skills, clinical judgment,
and accountability for patient safety.
Conclusion: Findings highlight the central role of assessment ability, indicating that strengthening physical assessment competencies within pharmacology education is crucial for developing nurses capable of making safe and informed medication-related decisions in Japan.

Biography:

Dr. Michiko Tanaka has completed her BSN and MSN from California State University, Fullerton and her Ph.D. from Department of Health Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Japan. She has currently worked as an associate professor at Department of Nursing, Daiichi University of Pharmacy in Japan. She is a registered nurse in Japan and California, USA and have an experience of working as a RN in both countries. Her clinical specialties are critical care nursing, cardiovascular nursing, and nursing administration. Her research area is nursing professionalism, evidence-based nursing, gene therapy for peripheral artery, and nursing pharmacology.