Events
Online Poll?
Should Nursing Education move to higher training institution?
Yes No
Standards of Nursing and Midwifery
Standard for Nursing practice No 1/2008
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINE
DEFINITION OF A DRUG
The WHO definition of a drug:
It is a term of varied usage. In medicine, it refers to any substance with the potential to prevent or cure disease or enhance physical or mental welfare, and in pharmacology to any chemical agent that alters the biochemical physiological processes of tissues or organisms.
www.who.int/substance_abuse/terminology/who_lexicon/en/
AIM
The Nurse/ Midwife should be able to administer drugs proficiently and safely to healthcare users.
OBJECTIVES
The Nurse/Midwife involved in the administration of medicine should be:
• Conversant with the laws of the country related to the Misuse of drugs (e.g the Dangerous Drug Act 2000, the Mental Health Act 1999) with special reference to storage, control and administration of certain specific drugs.
• Familiar with the established rules and regulations of the healthcare institution for medicine administration.
• Knowledgeable from a nursing point of view the pharmacology of the medication to be administered.
• Knowledgeable of the metric system of volume and weight used in dosage calculation of a drug.
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ADMINISTRATION OF :
(A) All form of medicine
• Identify the medicine to be administered on the patient's prescription card. The prescription should be complete, correct and legible.
• Check that the medicine has not already been administered.
• Explain the nursing practice to the patient or the next of kin and gain his/next of kin informed consent and cooperation.
• For psychiatric patient who suffers from severe mental disorder and where it is mandatory for medication therapy the guidelines from the Mental Health Act 1998 section 16, 17, and 18 has to be scrupulously observed.
• The nurse should reinforce any information given to the patient by the Medical practitioner about the medicine and its possible side effect on the body.
• In very specific situation where immediate life saving medication is needed, the Nurse/Midwife has to act according to the Healthcare Institution guidelines or protocols.
• Special care and attention has to paid for pediatric and neonatal drug therapy.
• Wash the hands and wear protective equipments where indicated.
• Collect and prepare the equipment.
• Ensure privacy.
• Select the medicine name and dosage from the container.
• Check the prescription and dosage against the medicine container.
• Identify the patient to whom the medicine to be administered by checking the identification bracelets, unit number and when appropriate by verbal verification of the patient against the details or his prescription card.
• Administer the medicine by the route prescribed
• Ensure that the patient is left feeling as comfortable as possible.
• Dispose of the equipment safely.
• Document the nursing practice appropriately, with date, time and the nurse signature or initial on patient cardex.
• Monitor for any side effects and report abnormal finding immediately.
(B) Specific guidelines for controlled/dangerous drugs
• The nurse must have knowledge on the different legal provisions regarding administration of a controlled drug .
• Special attention has to be given to the storage at ward level, patient prescriptions and recording documents.
• The administration of a controlled drug within a hospital environment must involved two nurses, one of whom must be a registered nurse .
• A controlled drug register is kept on each ward or department giving details of the stock and administration of controlled drugs .
PROCEDURE
• Observe general guideline of administration of drugs
• Check the date of the prescription
• Remove the appropriate medicine from the controlled drugs
store, check the stock number with the number details in the
register with other nurse
• Check the method of administration.
• Remove the appropriate dose from the stock of drugs, checking
the name and the dosage with the second nurse.
• Check the stock number of the remaining controlled drugs.
• Enter into the controlled drug register with appropriate details
such as the date , dose administered, time of administration,
prescribing authority, witness and name of nurse administering
the medication.
• Follow hospital protocol as regard accidental breakage or
spillage of controlled drugs.
Special notice
Please contact the Nursing Council Nursing of Mauritius on nursingcouncil@intnet.mu if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this Nursing standard.
Final date of comment: December 2008
Expiry date : December 2009
List of Standard in Nursing Practice
