Whether you work in an assisted living community, comprehensive personal care home or dementia care facility, dispensing and administering medications is a critical job function. Even mild drugs like aspirin can have devastating effects if administered to the wrong patient. As a result, whoever handles medications for patients must be incredibly careful and have a deep understanding of their role in the healthcare industry.
Nurses must administer as many as 50+ medications per shift, placing them at the highest risk for errors and putting them in the most vulnerable position of any healthcare professional. These risks are heightened when nurses must also consider the cultural context of the work and corresponding implications for patients and staff. For information on Safe handling of medication, go to www.tidaltraining.co.uk
Medication aides or Certified Medication Technicians, often work in partnership with nursing professionals to provide direct patient care and medication management. They perform routine daily medication rounds, monitor patient condition and communicate with nurses, providers, and leadership on any changes they observe in a patient’s status. They also collaborate with the pharmacy to ensure medication availability and perform medication cart audits.
Before dispensing medication to a patient, aides must check the order in their MAR (Medication Administration Record) and the patient’s current status. They also verify the medication is needed by assessing patient responses to questions or observations, observing adherence to medication schedules and identifying any side effects. They must also ensure that the correct dose is dispensed by performing a second check on the medication when it is removed from the multidose container or dispenser and when replacing the container back into the drawer.
