How to administer oral medicines safely in health and social care settings
To refresh or enhance your knowledge of safe administration of oral medicines
To understand the regulatory requirements for nurses in relation to administration of medicines
To recognise the complexity of medication errors and the importance of adhering to relevant protocols to prevent them
The safe administration of oral medicines is a fundamental aspect of healthcare practice and is essential for optimising patient outcomes and preventing adverse events. This article outlines a step-by-step procedure that nurses can follow to ensure patients receive oral medicines correctly and safely, without causing harm.
• Oral medicines include tablets, capsules or liquid preparations.
• When administering oral medicines, it is important to consult the patient’s prescription chart or medication administration record and to use the ‘6 Rs’ of medicines administration as a guide.
• Oral medicines should not be blindly crushed or spilt because this can affect the absorption rate and dose, and may lead to adverse effects such as gastrointestinal irritation.
‘How to’ articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence-based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of:
• How this article might improve your practice when administering oral medicines.
• How you could use this information to educate nursing students or enable colleagues to reflect on their own practice in safely administering oral medicines.
