Assist in the administration of medication
Overview
Who is this unit for?
This unit is for those who assist with the administration of medication to pupils in schools. This unit will apply only to those who have responsibility for administering medication under the direction of a qualified healthcare practitioner. Training in the administration of medication is an essential pre- requisite for those undertaking this role.
What is this unit about?
This unit is about assisting in the administration of medication to an individual pupil, or as part of a larger process where a “drug round” may be undertaken. You will always work with other staff within this context whose role is to lead the process and you must always work within your own role and area of delegated responsibility for the administration of medication.
The administration may include medication(s) from various drug categories such as:
- general sales list
- pharmacy only
- prescription only
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
P1 apply standard precautions for infection control and other relevant health and safety measures
P2 check that all medication administration records or protocols are available, up to date and legible with the member of staff leading the process
P3 report any discrepancies or omissions you might find to the person in control of the administration and to relevant staff as appropriate
P4 read the medication administration record with the person leading the administration, checking and confirming the medication required, the dose and the route of administration against the record/protocol, and confirming the expiry date of the medication
P5 refer confusing or incomplete instructions back to the relevant member of staff or the pharmacist
P6 check and confirm the identity of the individual who is to receive the medication with the person leading the activity and with the individual themselves, using a variety of methods, before the medication is administered
P7 contribute to administering the medication to the individual in the appropriate manner, using the correct technique and at the prescribed time according to the care plan
P8 assist the individual to be as self managing as possible and refer any problems or queries to the relevant staff or pharmacist
P9 seek help and advice from a relevant member of staff if the individual will not or cannot take the medication
P10 check and confirm that the individual actually takes the medication and does not pass medication to others
P11 contribute to completing the necessary records relating to the administration of medications legibly, accurately and completely
P12 return medication administration records to the agreed place for storage and maintain the confidentiality of information relating to the individual at all times
P13 ensure the security of medications throughout the process and ensure all medication is stored in the correct safe place when administration is complete
P14 check the stock level of medications and assist in the reordering if
necessary and applicable
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
Legislation, policy and good practice
K1 a factual awareness of the current European and national legislation, national guidelines and local policies and protocols which affect your
work practice in relation to assisting in the administration of medication
K2 a working knowledge of your responsibilities and accountability in
relation to the current European and national legislation, national
guidelines and local policies and protocols
K3 a factual awareness of the importance of working within your own sphere
of competence and seeking advice when faced with situations outside
your sphere of competence
K4 a working knowledge of the importance of applying standard precautions
and the potential consequences of poor practice
K5 a working knowledge of why medication should only be administered
against the individual's medication administration record and consistent
with the prescriber's advice
K6 a working knowledge of who is responsible within your work setting for
checking and confirming that the details and instructions on the
medication label are correct for the client and with the medication
administration record sheet/protocol
K7 a working knowledge of the actions you should take if you disagree with
the person leading the administration of medication
K8 a working knowledge of the instructions for the use of medication on
patient information leaflets and manufacturers' instructions
Care and support of the individual
Procedures and techniques
K9 a working knowledge of the different routes for the administration of medication
K10 a working knowledge of the information which needs to be on the label of a medication and its significance
K11 a working knowledge of the various aids which can be used to help individuals take their medication
K12 a working knowledge of the importance of communication and different ways in which you can communicate
K13 a working knowledge of the importance of identifying the individual for whom the medications are prescribed
K14 a working knowledge of why it is vital that you confirm the medication against the prescription/protocol with the person leading the
administration before administering it
Records and documentation
K15 a working knowledge of the importance of correctly recording your activities as required
K16 a working knowledge of the importance of keeping accurate and up-to- date records
K17 a working knowledge of the importance of immediately reporting any
issues which are outside your own sphere of competence without delay to the relevant member of staff
Scope/range
Scope/range related to performance criteria 1. appropriate manner includes:
1.1. slowly, from a spoon or medication pot for oral medication
1.2. without handling the drug yourself
2. equipment
2.1. drugs
2.2. trolley
2.3. medication
2.4. pots
2.5. spoons
2.6. syringes
2.7. water jugs
2.8. drinking glasses
2.9. prescription charts
2.10. disposal bags
2.11. medication
2.12. bottles
2.13. packets
3. methods include:
3.1. verbally
3.2. by using other appropriate communication e.g. Makaton
3.3. by using identity bracelets
4. person leading the administration includes a more senior member of staff such as:
4.1. a registered nurse in all contexts
4.2. registered midwife
4.3. social worker
5. relevant staff includes:
5.1. person in charge
5.2. nurse
5.3. midwife
5.4. social worker
5.5. doctor
5.6. pharmacist
6. standard precautions and health and safety measures
a series of interventions which will minimise or prevent infection and cross infection, including:
6.1. hand washing/cleansing before during and after the activity
6.2. the use of personal protective clothing and additional protective equipment when appropriate
also includes:
6.3. handling contaminated items
6.4. disposing of waste
6.5. safe moving and handling techniques
6.6. untoward incident procedures
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Additional protective equipment
includes types of personal protective equipment such as visors, protective eyewear and radiation protective equipment as appropriate to the situation
Contaminated
includes items contaminated with body fluids, chemicals or radionuclides any pack/item opened and not used should be treated as contaminated
Individuals
the persons for whom the medication has been ordered/prescribed. This could be adults and/or children, depending upon the care setting in which you
work
Medication administration record and/or drug protocols
denotes the term used for the documentation on which the medication has been ordered/prescribed – this will vary across care settings and environments, such as hospital and community settings, including medications prescribed by general practitioners (GPs) and dispensed by community pharmacists, where the instructions will be found on the medication packaging
Personal protective clothing
includes items such as plastic aprons, gloves – both clean and sterile, footwear, dresses, trousers and shirts and all-in-one trouser suits. These may be single-use disposable clothing or reusable clothing
Links To Other NOS
Origin of this unit
This unit is taken from the National Occupational Standards for Clinical Healthcare Support developed by Skills for Health, where it appears as CHS2.