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1. What do you need to know about medication?
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Correct answer:
- Medicines management and administration - not only general principles but also specific trust guidelines that you may need to adhere to.
- Medication legislation - for example, the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 and Patient Group Directives.
- NMC - Standards for Medicines Management 2008.
- Study skills to help you practice drug calculations.
- Drug groups/classification, usage and effects - important to know, as many people with a learning disability (LD) may take a number of different drugs.
- Terminology.
- Drug calculations - essential to know formulas to ensure competency in administering drugs.
- Facilitating consent and concordance.
- Nursing observations and care - for example reporting side effects, knowing contra-indications and so on.
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2. Why do medicines need management?
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Correct answer:
- Prescribing is the most common therapeutic intervention in the NHS.
- The complexity, volume and cost of medicines are all increasing.
- Medicines have the potential to do harm as well as be beneficial.
- Medicines management is often seen as 'someone else's job'.
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3. What are some of the things to think about when administering medication?
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Correct answer:
- Challenges to concordance (cooperation/compliance) which means that medication forms and routes need careful assessment, for example swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), spitting out behaviour, regurgitation, vomiting, skills and breath control in using inhalers.
- Challenges where medication is to be administered before or after food plus temptations to disguise medication in food/drink for ease of administration.
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4. What other issues need to be considered?
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Correct answer:
- Complex health needs often require a range of different medications leading to complications of pharmacological compatibility.
- Medication can often cause side effects which impact upon optimum individual functioning, participation in 'therapeutic activities' and learning potential.
- Effects of medication are often exacerbated by abnormal brain pathology.
- There is often limited evidence of the effectiveness of medication amongst the learning disabled population.
- Conflicts may arise between the perceptions of need for medication between 'carers' and professionals.
