• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Vaccines and similar preparations usually require refrigerated storage and may deteriorate rapidly if exposed to heat.

Patient’s own drugs

Patients are encouraged to bring their medication into hospital with them to facilitate a comprehensive medicines reconciliation process. This can also be useful if the organization has a policy of using the patient’s own drugs.

These medicines remain the property of the patient and should not be destroyed without prior consent from the patient or their representative. If the patient does agree to the destruction of the medicines, they must be sent to the pharmacy for destruction. If the patient does not want the medicines to be stored in the hospital or sent to pharmacy for destruction, they must be sent home with the patient’s representative. These medicines should only be used if they can be positively identified, are of a suitable quality and are labelled according to labelling requirements. They should be stored to the same security standards as other medicine stock on the ward. They should be used for the sole use of the patient whose property they remain (RPSGB 2005).

Methods for preparation

The NMC clearly states that:

It is unacceptable to prepare substances for injection in advance of their immediate use or to administer medication drawn into a syringe or container by another registrant when not in their presence. An exception of this is an already established infusion which has been instigated by another registrant following the principles set out above, or medication prepared under the direction of a pharmacist from a central intravenous additive service and clearly labelled for that patient/client.

(NMC 2008a, p. 28)

However, the NMC acknowledges that a registrant ‘may be required in an emergency to prepare substances for other professionals’ (NMC 2008a).

Methods for administration

The nurse is responsible for the administration of drugs by a variety of methods. The NMC Standards for Medicines Management emphasizes that this ‘is not solely a mechanistic task to be performed in strict compliance with the written prescription of a medical practitioner (now independent supplementary prescriber). It requires thought and the exercise of professional judgement …’ (NMC 2008a, p. 6). Shepherd (2002b) maintains that the administration of a medicine is arguably the most common clinical procedure that a nurse will undertake. He goes on to state that it is the manner in which a medicine is administered that determines to some extent whether or not the patient gains any clinical benefit and whether any adverse effect is experienced.

The nurse is accountable for the safe administration of medicines. In order to do this, the nurse requires a thorough knowledge of the principles and their application and a responsible attitude, which ensures that medications are not given without full knowledge of immediate and late effects, toxicities and nursing implications (NMC 2008a). The nurse must also be able to justify any actions taken and be accountable for the action taken (NMC 2008a). If they delegate any of aspects of the administration of a medicinal product, they are also accountable for ensuring that the patient or carer/care assistant is competent to carry out the task (NMC 2008a). In delegating to unregistered practitioners, it is the registered nurse who must apply the principles of administration and they may then delegate the unregistered practitioner to assist the patient in the ingestion or application of the medicinal product (NMC 2008a, p. 31). Student nurses must never administer/supply medicinal products without direct supervision and both student and registered nurse must sign the medication chart or document the administration in the notes (NMC 2008a).

Medicine administration should ensure that the correct patient receives:

the appropriate medicine

in the appropriate formulation

by the appropriate route

at the appropriate dose

at the appropriate time

at the appropriate