Welcome to our weekly quality improvement support series for 2021.
“It’s our polite nudge in the ribs to help you and your team stay organised and on task.”
This week’s subject is Administration of medication
Element 2.1.2: Health practices and procedures
Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented
Does your service have clear, strict procedures in place that are well known, understood, and followed by all staff and educators for the safe administration of medication?
For services providing care to children above preschool age, do you have an up-to-date policy and procedure for self-administration of medication?
In addition to obtaining detailed authorisations for medication to be administered to children whilst being educated and cared for, services must ensure they follow specific procedures when administering medication to a child.
The educator administering the medication must ensure that:
- A parent or person nominated for medication authority on the child’s enrolment record has completed the medication authorisation form
- The medication to be administered has been prescribed by a registered medical practitioner
- The medication is in the original container with the original label that details, the name of the child and instructions for administration of the medication
- The medication label has a use by/expiry date, and the medication is being administered prior to the use by/expiry date
- The medication is administered in line with the instructions detailed on the label or written/verbal instructions provided by a medical practitioner
- A witness has checked that the correct dosage is being administered and to the correct child (excluding Family Day Care/ single staffed services).
- When administering paracetamol, the parent has given written authorisation on the child’s enrolment record and the parent or person nominated for medication authority on the child’s enrolment record has been contacted to provide verbal authorisation
Education and care services providing care to children over preschool age may allow children to self-administer their medication provided that:
- The service has a policy/procedure in place for self-administration of medication or the service’s policy and procedure for administration of medication includes provisions for self-administration of medication
- A parent or person nominated for medication authority on the child’s enrolment record has adequately completed the medication authorisation form which includes authorisation for the child to self-administer the medication
Resources:
Safely administering medication
Children with medical conditions attending education and care services
Within System7 go to QA 2/ Module 10 to submit self-assessment notes and if required, open a QIP issue if you detect compliance gaps.
To ensure compliance with regards to medication records the Childcare Centre Desktop has a range of resources including administration of medication record and procedure.
Resources, NQS Element, Regulation and System7 links
Childcare Centre Desktop – Medical conditions
National Quality Standard – QA 2/ 2.1.2: Health practices and procedures
National Regulations – 92, 93, 94, 95, 96
System7 Module – QA 2/ Module 10
If you have any questions send us a note via the Contact page here!
