Medicine Management Flashcards
what is the role of the midwife in medicine management?
- Need to know why medication is being given
- Contradictions
- Side effects
Interpreting prescriptions
when can a midwife only supply and administer medicine without the need for a prescription?
- Midwives exemption (ME)
- Patient group direction (PGD)
what does the human medicine regulations 2012 is used and outlines 3 classes of medicinal products.?
- general sale list medicine
- pharmacy medicine
- prescription only
what is general sale list medicine?
- General sale list medicine (GSL)
GSL medicines need neither a prescription nor the supervision of a pharmacist. They can be bought in shops.
what is pharmacy medicines?
- Pharmacy medicine (P)
A pharmacy medicine does not need a prescription but can only be sold from pharmacies, either by pharmacist or by their staff.
what is prescription only?
- Prescription only (POMs)
These are medicines which may only be sold or supplied in accordance with prescriptions of an appropriate qualified practioner.
what are class A drugs?
- Class A
Drugs are those which are considered harmful when misuses e.g. diamorphine
what are class B drugs?
- Class B
Drugs are considered less dangerous than class A but they can still be harmful e.g. cannabis
what are class C drugs?
- Class C
Drugs are considered less dangerous to the user then class A and B. However, they are still illegal.
what regulation enables Class A,B,C drugs to be used clinically?
Misuse of drugs regulations 2002 enable class A,B, and C drugs to be used clinically.
what is midwives exemptions?
Midwives may supply and administer, in their own initiative, any of the substances specified in medicines legislation under ‘midwives exemptions (ME)’.
Therefore, as a midwife you can administer specified medicine from the ME LIst
- Without the need for prescription, a patient specific direction (PSD) from a medical practioner or a parent group direction (PGD).
- If a medicine is not included in the ME then a prescription, a PSD or a PGD will be required.
what does midwives exemptions cover?
Midwives exemptions cover all general sales list (GSL), all pharmacy (P) and some prescription only medicines (POM) used in the course of their professional practice.
Midwives exemptions will timely medication, such as pain relief to women without the need to involve a qualified prescriber.
This applies to you only in midwifery settings.
what is a patient group direction?
A PGD is a written instruction for the sale, supply and/or administration of named medicines in an identified clinical situation. It applied to group of patients who may not be individually identified before presenting for treatment.
- In midwifery, a PGD would be required where a medicine is not a GSL or a P medicine and is not on the current POM midwives exemption list.
- PGDs can only be administered by a registered practioner.
- PGD should only be used where ME do not apply.
PSD do not need to comply with the requirements specified for a prescription.
what is medicine kardex an example of?
They should include sufficient information to safely administer. Medicine kardex is an example of PSD.
when can midwives prescribe medication?
Midwives can only prescribe medication when you have successfully completed an accredited prescribing course and this has to be noted on your entry in the NMC register.
Midwives who are qualified to prescribe, take responsibility for the clinical assessment of the woman.
As a registrant, in exercising your professional accountability in the best interest of the patient, you must do what?
- Be certain of the identity of the patient to whom the medicine is to be administered
- Check that the patient is not allergic to the medicine prior to administering it
- Know the therapeutic uses of the medicine to be administered, normal dosage, side effects, precautions and contraindications
- Be aware of the patients plan of care
- Check that the label, expiry date, name, calculated weight, dosage, method of administration, route and timing.
what happens with medicines and home birth?
When medicines are prescribed for sue at a home birth (including controlled drugs), they are the woman’s responsibility and it is up to her to store and dispose of them safely.
Under the misuse of drugs regulations (2002) a midwife cannot possess on opiate for home birth without having obtained it via a midwife’s supply order. Therefore, you cannot take an ampoule from the unit drug cupboard to use from a home birth.