Nursing LibGuide

It is essential that nurses are competent in the administration of medications as otherwise patients are put at risk of serious harm.  There are many resources to help new nurses develop their competences and deliver the medications people need safely.

Current SWSLHD Policy, Procedures & Guidelines can be found on the Intranet - for internal access only.

See for example:

SWSLHD_Proc2021_059 Medication Administration

NSW Health Policy Directive PD2022_032 Medication Handling

The Medications tab in CIAP gives access to important resources including the Australian Medicines Handbook, MIMS and Micromedex, the AMH Aged Care and Children's Dosing Companions, the Injectable Medicines Handbook and the Paediatric Injectable Medicines Handbook, NatMed Pro (Natural Medicines) and the Therapeutic Guidelines.

In the CIAP Tools tab you will find a number of calculators which help with medications.

Medication errors can be caused by various factors. Here are a few articles to get you thinking:

Eassey, D., Smith, L., Krass, I., McLAchlan, A., Brien, J. A. (2016). Consumer perspectives of medication-related problems following discharge from hospital in Australia: a quantitative study. International Journal for Quality in Health Care. 28(3), 391-7.
Link to full-text

Wagner, E. A., Fuhrmann, S., Brant, A., VanCamp, C., Dettore, J., Guzman, Y. (2020). Interruptions then and now: impact on nurses' clinical reasoning, emotions, and medication safety. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 36(6), 338-344. https://dx.doi.org/10.1097/NND.0000000000000667
Link to full-text

Williams, G & Halstead, A (2023). Reducing missed medications in surgical patients. British Journal of Nursing. 32(15);730-734 
Link to full-text 

Wright, K. M., & Bonser, M. (2020). The Essential Steps of Medication Administration Practices Project medication administration improvement practices among acute inpatients in a tertiary hospital: a best practice implementation project. JBI evidence implementation, 18(4), 408–419. https://doi.org/10.1097/XEB.0000000000000236
Link to full-text