Medication interventions for African-American adults: Practice-based evidence from two nurse-led clinics

Objective This study was conducted to describe and examine the impact of medication intervention practices among African-American clients in two nurse-led community nursing centers (CNCs). Methods This study used a retrospective-descriptive design. Omaha System data from visits of 196 African-American adults living with chronic disease and having two or more CNC visits in which medication regimen was an identified problem and the main reason for the visit was analyzed. Results The sample had a mean age of 53.1 (6.67) and was primarily women (82%), uninsured, and with high school or less education. A total of 9,259 Medication regimen interventions were documented and implemented during 1,146 client CNC visits. A paired samples t test revealed statistically significant improvements in Knowledge (t = 2.434, p < .01). Behavior (t = 0.077, p = .94) and Status (t = 1.489, p = .14) remained unchanged, although the ratings trended toward improvement for each. Conclusion This study provides evidence that the nursing center model of care does improve the knowledge of medications among African-American clients. The study also demonstrated the Omaha System's utility to evaluate the impact of nursing interventions in community settings.