Is there a limit on the number of residents in a nursing home setting that a nurse should administer medication in the morning?

Answered by Lindsay Rees

There is no set limit, but there should be an allocated number of residents per nurse per shift. The allocated number of residents per nurse for the medication round should be determined according to the needs of the residents and their individual level of dependency. To assess the dependency level of the residents, you should consider many things including their ability to consent to take medication, level of assistance needed to take medication, how many medications each resident has prescribed and what route of administration is needed. For example, administering medication via an injection or via use of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) may take considerably more time than more simple oral tablet administration.

The allocated number of residents per nurse should also take into account other considerations such as the layout of the nursing home and the level of experience/confidence of the nurse on duty. There should also be contingency planning in place should any of the nurses on duty not be able to attend or complete their shift due to sickness or any other unplanned absence.

Please also note what the CQC says on staffing levels.

Regulation 18: Staffing

To meet the regulation, providers must provide sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff to meet the needs of the people using the service at all times and the other regulatory requirements set out in this part of the above regulations: https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/regulations-enforcement/regulation-18-staffing