title: Effective medication management.
abstract: The effectiveness of a drug treatment is based on its efficacy, tolerability, safety, and acceptability. Effective medication management implies that the process of selecting and managing prescribed drugs results in an optimal patient outcome. Effectively prescribing medications includes gaining a mastery of drug knowledge, learning the nuts and bolts of treatment using medication, and appreciating the fundamental importance of psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational processes in medication management. Nurses have an essential role in providing effective medication management, given their direct level of patient contact and their collaborative relationship with physicians.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. HowlandRH@upmc.edu
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Howland
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D057915:Drug Substitution; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D056687:Off-Label Use; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D019555:Physician-Nurse Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome