Medication Safety in Children, Reaction Paper Example

Introduction

The purpose of the reflection paper is to provide a summary of the project, to consider my role and involvement in the project, to evaluate the lessons that I have learned, and to utilize constructive criticism in an effective manner. This project was designed to address medication safety issues for children, including past programs, as well as future directions in this area. The primary goals of the medication safety project were to promote advocacy, to identify current educational programs, and to emerge from the project as experts in this focus area.

Reflection on individual performance:

Background & Research:  The group divided this section into several different components, including the introduction, goals, and background. One member was asked to write the introduction and two other members were asked to perform the necessary research and write the background section. I learned as the project went on that this was not the appropriate strategy because the team member who wrote the introduction was not aware of the information that was written by the other members. Therefore, when the introduction was reviewed, a number of adjustments were made in order for this section to be cohesive with the remainder of the project. In a future team environment, all members should collaborate and write the introduction so that it is appropriate and it coincides with the information elsewhere in the project. This strategy will go a long way in ensuring that the team is successful in creating a consistent and organized project.

Methods: This section described some of the medication safety programs that are currently in existence. Myself and another team member performed research regarding this topic. When I shared my research with the other team member, I realized that some of our findings were the same; therefore, we found it difficult to combine our findings in a cohesive manner. From this experience, I recognized that it is necessary for team members to collaborate regarding similar assignments so that they do not perform unnecessary work and waste valuable time. These actions will enable the team to make informed decisions regarding the project that will contribute to successful results.

Conclusion and Outcomes: The team assigned the conclusion to one of the members. However, I learned soon after that this was not the correct approach because this team member did not have any real work to do until much of the paper was completed so that the conclusion could be written. Furthermore, the team member did not contribute at the same level as the other team members due to this mishap. In future team assignments, all members must contribute in writing the conclusion so that shared knowledge may be included in this section to bring together a more cohesive report.

Spelling Grammar Style: All group members read the final paper but did not seek outside assistance for additional review and feedback. This is an important step to take in future team projects so that outsiders might provide valuable feedback that could improve the project and the information that is provided.

Sources: Locating sources was very difficult for this topic. Google and Pubmed are not sufficient in locating valuable sources because some articles are not available in their full text versions. Therefore, it is necessary in future projects to use other resources, such as library databases, in order to obtain full text articles as needed to enhance project support.

Reflection on group performance:

All team members contributed to the project in some way; however, not all members were able to make group meetings, and this made it very difficult to determine if progress had been made regarding their assigned tasks. In future projects, all team members must be able to make all meetings so that there is no miscommunication or lack of communication regarding tasks and progress. In addition, Google doc and other tools were used, but not all team members were familiar with these tools and therefore, did not use them. In the future, all team members must possess knowledge of these technologies in order to enhance communication, full participation, and progress within the group setting.

Final ranking and discussion

In a leadership capacity, I ranked myself the highest because I consistently communicated with other team members, initiated meetings, and organized the project in different ways. I was able to hold the team together using these skills as necessary.

In a collegiality capacity, I ranked Richard Ekanem the highest because he was easy to work with and was able to understand where other team members were coming from by listening carefully to all sides to make recommendations as needed.

With enthusiasm, I also ranked Richard Ekanem the highest because he addressed medication safety with the principal of his son’s school prior to starting the project. This was important because there is support for the project at the school, and Richard’s enthusiasm will be effective in disseminating this program within the school setting.

For the contribution to the public issue, Richard Ekanem should be ranked the highest because he is very interested in this topic and in providing education to children and other parents regarding medication safety.

Conclusion

This project was a learning experience because it expanded knowledge regarding medication safety and its impact on children. Existing programs only scratch the surface of what is available to educate children, parents, and teachers regarding medication safety and strategies to protect children against accidental overdoses or ingestion of the wrong medications. The team effort also provided a learning curve for future projects in order to accomplish the necessary objectives in a more cohesive manner.

Appendix

Bonus Points Section: advice for P2 student to do well on this assignment

1. Guidance on advocacy topic: Choose a topic for which you are passionate because it will show in the project results. In addition, consider time constraints and whether or not the project is feasible to complete in the desired timeframe. In the future, I would recommend a project regarding obesity in children.
2. Selection of group members: It is necessary to select team members that you can depend on and who will come through for the team and provide them with the necessary materials in a timely manner. This involves prioritizing team responsibilities and ensuring that procrastination is not an option. Finally, technology-based skills are necessary to communicate effectively through all phases of the project.
3. Group process: Each member must work cohesively as a team. In other words, team members cannot work independently without sharing ideas and communicating with other team members because this is a recipe for disaster. There must be multiple meetings as a group on a regular basis to avoid last minute disasters.
4. Your own experience with the project: I enjoyed this project because I was not fully aware of the programs that were currently available to address medication safety. Since the team was comprised of seven members, this was also a significant learning curve and provided me with an opportunity to work with a diverse group of people with common goals and objectives. Live meetings online was also an interesting aspect of the project. The topic should be interesting and appropriate for the target audience. Finally, meeting with the instructor early on before any real work begins is essential to make sure that the team is on the right track with the chosen topic.