What qualifications are needed to administrate medication in a nursing home, does it have to be a registered nurse? – Susan

Answered by Sheila Scott

Dear Susan,

A  care home (nursing) employs Registered Nurses and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) “requires each Registered Nurse to be individually accountable for making sure that all medicines are administered correctly” and the Registered Nurse is personally accountable. The answer to your question is therefore that the Registered Nurse on duty is responsible for the safe administration of medicines.

The Code does though also set out how a Registered Nurse may delegate the administration of some medicines to a care worker. An example might be the administration of an ointment or cream. In that case it would be the care worker who would sign the medication record.

These are two sets of guidance that you may find helpful.

Best wishes.

Sheila

http://www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/NMC-Publications/NMC-Standards-for-medicines-management.pdf

http://www.rpharms.com/social-care-settings-pdfs/the-handling-of-medicines-in-social-care.pdf