Medicines in Care - Prompting vs Administration

Prompting Vs Administration of medicines.....medicines?
A topic close to many of our hearts if we are inTherefore, if you are prompting medication you
the business of caring for people who take or useare actually administering it, there is no difference
any form of medication. It's a mine field isn't it? Ifin the eyes of the law. The same checks need to
you or your care staff were administeringbe in place, the same record keeping needs to be
medicines to your service users - you would wantcompleted, the same level of knowledge is
to ensure that they were fully trained andrequired to fully support the client - even if you
competent to do so wouldn't you? Me too.only prompt from a monitored dosage system.
Supporting people in taking their medication is all aThe monitored dosage system must be prepared
bit scary. What if you get it wrong? The resultsby the pharmacy or a dispensing doctor for you
could be disastrous and therefore many agenciesto legally prompt or administer from it and whilst
prefer to think they are acting on the safe sidethey have a responsibility to ensure that it leaves
by not getting involved in medicines administrationthe pharmacy with the correct medication inside,
at all.you still have the responsibility to ensure that the
As a result care organisations are still not trainingright person gets the right dose of the right
their carers in this vitally important area of care.medicines by the right route at the right time.
Why? Because they are under the mis perceptionSo - if you are supporting service users who use
that because they only prompt the administrationmedication you must ensure that you give your
of medicines, and do not (in their eyes) administercare workers the best possible training, relevant
it, they therefore do not need to go to theto your sector of care, that meets CSCI and
trouble or expense of training their team.Skills for Care requirements in order to safe
BUT - did you know that in the eyes of the lawguard your clients, your care workers and your
Administration means to both personallybusiness.
administer AND to prompt the administration of