Elements and Performance Criteria
- Elements define the essential outcomes
- Identify situations that are a potential risk to the safe administration of medications
- Access and read information to enable identification of substance incompatibilities based on care plan and delegation
- Identify environmental and time management issues that may impact on or contraindicate administration of medication
- Report potential risks related to medication administration to delegating health professional
- Confirm client identity and if any allergies exist
- Identify drugs and poisons schedules and classifications as determined by law
- Pro-actively identify any limitations in own capability in relation to undertaking delegated medication administration function and report to delegating health professional
- Prepare for medication administration
- Confirm delegating health professionals authority to proceed with delegation of medication administration according to organisation policies, guidelines and protocols and jurisdictional legislative and regulatory requirements
- Clarify own role and limitations in providing assistance with medication administration with delegating health professional
- Check that all equipment, including dose administration aids, are complete, ready for use, up to date and tamper free before proceeding
- Follow infection control procedures
- Confirm medication administration route and procedure
- Confirm purpose and function of prescribed medications from care plans and delegating health professional
- Accurately calculate medication dosages according to authorised documented request
- Prepare medications according to delegated role and in line with legal and environmental guidelines
- Identify and prepare the client for administration of medication
- Greet and identify client according to organisation procedures and prepare for medication administration
- Check client medication according to organisation guidelines and the delegation from the health professional
- Accurately explain the administration procedure to the client
- Prior to the administration of medication, check the client for any physical or behavioural changes that may indicate the need to report todelegating health professional
- Administer medications within legal parameters
- Administer medications as delegated within role responsibility
- Administer medications according to "rights of medication", specific requirements from the form prescribed and in accordance with defined legislation, organisation procedures, professional standards and prescriber’s written instructions where available
- Assist the client taking the medication as required and according to documented procedures and professional standards
- Oversee and observe the client when taking medication and confirm ingestion or completion of administration
- Dispose of all used and unused medication, containers, according to organisation procedures
- Identify signs from client "when necessary" medications might be required, then inform delegating health practitioner and act in accordance with organisation’s policies, procedures, delegation and role responsibility
- Record administration of medications according to organisation policy
- Provide accurate information to clients and carers on medication administration, including possible side effects as per instructions of the delegating health professional
- Monitor client response to administered medication
- Identify possible acute and delayed adverse reactions to medications, respond within role responsibility and report to supervisor or health professional
- Implement emergency response for identified acute and delayed adverse reactions within role responsibility
- Record and report response to emergency strategies
- Identify signs of a client experiencing pain and report to health professional
- Observe and record client response to pain relieving medication and report to health professional
- Handle medication contingencies
- Report medication refusal or incomplete ingestion to supervising health professional according to organisation’s procedures and protocols
- Clearly identify contaminated or out of date medication and implement organisation’s procedures for safe and appropriate disposal
- Observe and record changes in the client’s condition according to the organisation’s guidelines and report to supervisor and health professional
- Record and report any inconsistencies according to delegation and organisation guidelines and procedures
- Complete medication distribution and administration
- Manage medication equipment and used containers according to infection control guidelines
- Complete arrangements and procedures to replenish dose administration aids and supplies
- Store medication charts, care plans and treatment sheets according to the organisation’s procedures
- Complete medication storage procedures in compliance with legislation and own role responsibility