If you as a healthcare worker are responsible for administering the medication to the client, the following points are important:
- Preparing medication
- Prepare, present, administer
- Changes in medication
- Control, administer and register
Preparing medication
Prepare the medicines according to the applicable regulations.
Work concentrated and make sure that you are not disturbed when preparing medication. Work as much as possible with medication in a drug distribution system (GDS), such as a medication roll – the dispensing is then done by the pharmacy. But not all medication can go into GDS; if you have to turn off medication yourself, make sure that the medication is recognizable until the moment of administration to the client (leave in blister packaging).
A form of preparation that often occurs is grinding. It is up to the doctor (or pharmacist) to determine whether you can crush a tablet or break open a capsule. Do not make a decision about this yourself, because it is not always allowed. You can also get prepared medicines from Canada Drugs.
Prepare, present and administer
If the client needs professional help with medication, it is agreed what that help consists of. A distinction is often made between preparing, presenting and administering.
Agree clearly with the client and with colleagues what help is needed and what this means for this client. Record the agreements in the care file. For example: what does ‘getting ready’ mean for this client? What are you as a care worker responsible for, and what is the client responsible for?
You then sign each time on the administration list for that agreed action. If you have agreed to prepare medication, you sign when you have prepared the medication. Continue to observe whether the agreed assistance is still appropriate or whether a reassessment is necessary.
Changes in medication
The prescriber can change a medication prescription. How is this processed in the medication that you have to administer and on the administration list?
CHANGE IN INDIVIDUAL MEDICATION
Changes in individual medication are processed according to the procedure of the organization. In case of changes in medication, the pharmacy must provide a new administration list (or available via the Electronic Prescribing System). If the doctor stops the client’s medication, he must also inform the pharmacy so that it can be included in the administration list. A new administration list cannot always be delivered immediately in the evening, night and weekend. Care organization and pharmacy must agree on how the information will be passed on. As an exception, for example, a label can be supplied that can be pasted on the administration list until a new administration list is available. The basic principle is that as a healthcare employee you do not add medication to the administration list, because that is error-prone and therefore risky.
CHANGE IN DRUG DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (GDS)
Changes in a medicine distribution system (GDS), such as in a medication role, are the responsibility of the pharmacy, only in exceptional situations can the healthcare employee change this. When the change is made, the pharmacy must supply a new administration list.