Assisting with medication management
Medication management is an integral part of aged care services. In Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF), the best practices in medication management are guided by the “Guiding principles for medication management in residential aged care facilities” (Oct 2012). The principles promote safe, quality use of medicines and medication management in Residential Aged Care Facilities.
Aged Care service providers including their delegated managers, staff and all relevant health professionals are subject to the national, state and territory legislation and relevant professional regulations, when engaging in medication management. Under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 (current as at 1st July 2019) and relevant state/ territory legislation and regulation, Registered nurses are qualified and legally authorised to administer medicines. Enrolled nurses engage in medication administration under the direction and supervision of registered nurses (depending on their Registration status). Registered nurses may delegate medication related tasks to personal care workers in accordance with the state or territory legislation, regulation and the RACF policy and procedures for delegation and supervision.
The National Strategy for the Quality Use of Medicines outlines the specific responsibilities through which consumers, health professionals and care facilities can contribute to quality use of medicine.
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Guiding principles for medication management in residential aged care facilities
Medication Management in Aged Care
In context of the new Aged Care Quality standards, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission aims to commence work on identifying and eliminating the use of inappropriate use of medicines in aged care settings including psychotropic medicines and antibiotic medicines.
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Better use of medication in aged care
The 2018 Aged Care National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey: results show room for improvement