31 Mar Foundation Course in Medicines Administration – Care Homes – Online
Course Overview
This Foundation Course in Medicines Administration covers CQC and Skills for Care core/mandatory training requirements for medicines administration and management. It teaches how to administer medicines in a systematic way against our competence checklist that is continually refined, from years of research into why medication errors occur, thereby reducing the risk of errors made through complacency. It is based on our face-to-face workshop that has been shown to reduce medication errors by 36% in a study by Hampshire County Council. This express version takes around 3 hours to complete. We also have a more comprehensive that includes our Virtual Medicines Round (VMR). Tailor the workshop by selecting the type of medicines administration record (MAR) that you use, and if you use MDS blister packs.
Aimed at
Support workers and nurses working in care homes (both new and experienced staff)
Certification
Two years (click here for details)
Duration
Around 3 hours
Accreditation and Endorsement
This course is accredited by the Royal College of Nursing (when taken by nurses) and we are an Endorsed Learning Provider for Skills for Care.
RCN Accredited until 2024. Accreditation applies only to the educational content and not to any product. RCN cannot confirm competence of any practitioner.
Course Mapping
- The Care Certificate
- CQC Key Line of Enquiry S4 (Proper and Safe Use of Medicines)
- NICE – Management of Medicines in Care Homes, March 2014
- NICE – Management of Medicines in Community Settings, March 2017
- Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) 2014
Course content (click to expand)
- Administering tablets and capsules systematically – current best practice (video demonstration)
- Infection control issues/when are gloves needed?
- Preparation of equipment and a drink
- Checking medicines paperwork (care plans, PRN protocols, body maps etc.)
- Checking the client’s identity
- The checks needed on the medicines chart
- Breakdown of a pharmacy label
- Expiry and period after opening dates
- Checking original packs: the 7-point medicines cross check
- Why medication errors occur and how to avoid them
- Checking cautionary and advisory labels
- Crushing or spiting tablets
- ‘Pop and dot’ and preparing for administration
- Administering in a person-centred way
- Consent
- When medicines are declined
- Covert administration of medicines
- Coding the medicines administration record
- Administering oral liquids systematically – current best practice (video demonstration)
- Applying topical medication to the skin systematically – current best practice (video demonstration)
- Administering inhalers systematically – current best practice (video demonstration)
- Administering eye drops systematically – current best practice (video demonstration)