Which activities are included in the implementation phase of pharmacologic therapy?

• A. Administering the drugs, monitoring for adverse effects, and documenting medications and patient teaching
• B. Assessing patient needs and priorities
• C. Writing nursing diagnoses
• D. Evaluating the effectiveness of the medication

Answer: (A)

Implementation in pharmacologic therapy is about putting the plan into action. It includes administering the drugs, monitoring the patient for adverse effects and therapeutic response, and documenting what was given along with patient teaching. This is the hands-on phase where you carry out the medication plan and ensure safety and understanding—verifying the right drug, dose, route, and schedule, watching for reactions, and teaching the patient about what to expect and how to take the medication correctly.

Activities like assessing patient needs and priorities belong in the assessment phase, writing nursing diagnoses is part of planning, and evaluating the effectiveness of the medication is the evaluation phase.