Administration Of Medication For Health Care Assistants

By Sharon Leverton

National Code Of Conduct

“Provide a high standard of practice and care at all times” “Keep your skills and knowledge up to date”

• You must have the knowledge and skills for safe and effective practice when working without direct supervision

• You must recognise and work within the limits of your competence• You must keep your knowledge and skills up to date throughout your working life• You must take part in appropriate learning and practice activities that maintain and

develop your competence and performance

“Keep clear and accurate records”• You must keep accurate records of what you tell those in your care, the

assessments you make, the treatment and medicines you give and how effective these have been

Benefits ofMedicine Management

• Improve health• Better access to services• Promote self care• Use of skills• Better patient information• Greater choice for patients• Patient safety• Cost Effectiveness

Why Do Medicines Need Managing?

• Prescribing is the most common therapeutic intervention in the NHS

• The complexity, volume and cost of medicines are all increasing

• Medicines have the potential to do harm as well as be beneficial

Medicine Management And You!

To ensure the right Patient receives the…• Correct medication• Correct dose• Via a correct route• Medication at the right time• Medication for the correct duration of time• Medication administered by appropriately

trained staff

Competencies

• Identifies patient correctly• Is able to discuss the issue of patient consent• Understands patient’s care plan• Checks any known allergies• Knows therapeutic uses of drug, normal dose, side effects,

precautions and contra-indications• Appreciates the need and importance of educating the

patient about their medication and the potential side effects

Competencies Continued

• Understands the importance of accurate record keeping • Understands correct procedure for recording of controlled

drugs stock• Understands the importance of accurate stock control and

correct storage• Understands the procedure for reporting incidents as per

trust guidelines• Understands the procedure for reporting adverse reactions

i.e. Gp and caseload holder/supervisor

Other areas

Disposal of medicines - Excluding Controlled Drugs

• In community settings patients own medicines must be returned to the pharmacy that dispensed them

• Medicines are classed as hazardous waste and must not be transported in unlicensed vehicles

Sharps• Yellow bin

• Includes vaccines or injections with a needle attached

Pharmaceutical waste• Green bin• Tablets, capsules etc.

Food for thought

• Medicines are the most frequent treatment provided for patients in the NHS

• Each year GPs issue over 961.5 million Rx items

• Cost £8.8 billion

• Medicine related errors account for 11% of all adverse events

Any questions?