Impact of the Parkinsonʹs disease medication protocol program on nursesʹ knowledge and management of Parkinsonʹs disease medicines in acute and aged care settings

SummaryAims ermine the impact of a Parkinsonʹs medicine education program on nursesʹ knowledge and practices in two settings where people with Parkinsonʹs disease are cared for: hospitals and residential aged care facilities. The Parkinsonʹs Disease Medication Protocol Program aimed to increase nurse knowledge of Parkinsonʹs medication administration and safety in care management in order to improve health outcomes, function and well-being for the person with Parkinsonʹs. ound eing demographic of the developed world is concomitant with an increase in chronic disease, with Parkinsonʹs disease being one of the most debilitating and costly. Individually complex medication regimens and unique spectrums of symptoms require disease-specific knowledge in nurses. People with Parkinsonʹs disease admitted to hospitals and/or living in residential aged care facilities often have multiple co-morbidities, rendering care more complex still. Nurse ignorance of Parkinsonʹs disease medicines, their uses, side effects and administration regimens, and safe care practices, can cause unnecessary distress and dysfunction for the person. o pilot studies employed an eighteen month pre/post-test/follow up design at different time frames, using a questionnaire developed by the study team and an expert panel to evaluate nursesʹ self-assessed ‘perceived’ knowledge and actual knowledge of Parkinsonʹs disease, Parkinsonʹs medicines and safe care practices, and satisfaction with the targeted Parkinsonʹs education program. s/findings in the hospital pilot (2006/8) revealed deficits in pre-test perceived and actual knowledge levels, which increased significantly at post-test and follow-up. In contrast, in the residential aged care pilot (2008/10) the nurses had higher perceived and actual (correct) knowledge relevant to experience at pre-test and these levels increased at follow-up. Both pilot study cohorts were very satisfied with the PDMPP as an education and support vehicle in Parkinsonʹs management. sion study results concur with the international literature which identifies that without targeted clinical education nurses do not necessarily have sufficient knowledge to effectively manage Parkinsonʹs medicines and avoid unnecessary negative outcomes arising from delays, errors and omissions, nor do they know how to provide safe and effective care for persons with Parkinsonʹs. A well-developed and resourced Parkinsonʹs medicine education program, such as the PDMPP, has the potential to improve deficits in clinical practice.