Criterion HS123
Adults responsible for administering medicine to children (other than their own) are provided with the necessary information, training, or instruction to do so safely and effectively. This may be from the child’s parent or whānau, or a health professional, as appropriate.
Guidance
How to show you are complying
Before administering medication, an adult must have appropriate information, training or instruction to do so safely and effectively. This can be provided by:
the child’s parent(s) or guardian(s)
the child’s GP or practice nurse
a public health nurse
a nurse practitioner
a pharmacist
an ambulance officer or paramedic holding a current practising certificate
a foundation or society for example Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ.
Adults should also be provided training to understand what signs to look out for, if the child needs medication. For example, if a child is diabetic, the educator should know the signs of high) and low blood sugar (hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia, respectively), and how to respond. For hypoglycaemia, they should know how to use a glucagon pen or how much glucose the child needs based on their blood sugar levels.
Keeping a record of training is a good way to make sure you know who has been trained to administer specific medication.
When assessing whether you comply with HS123
Questions we are likely to ask
Do any of the children in your service need medication on a regular basis? What medication do they need and how is it recorded?
Who administers medication for children who need it on a regular or semi-regular basis? What training do they have to administer the medication and who provided this training?
The tools below are here to support you, but you do not have to use them. You can use other tools or methods that work better for your service.
You might find it useful to adapt the Ministry of Health’s Medicines Management Guide for Community Residential and Facility-based Respite Services – Disability, Mental Health and Addiction for your service.
Before giving medicine to a child, adults need to be sure they’re doing it correctly. Clear guidance helps adults in the service feel confident and gives parents and whānau peace of mind that their children are safe and well cared for.
Doing more than the minimum can shape better outcomes for children. Here are some ideas or examples you might like to consider.
Administering medication
It is best practice for multiple adults in the service to have appropriate information, training and instruction about how to administer a child’s medication. It can be useful to see a demonstration about how to administer the medication.
Recording keeping
You could keep a written or digital record of the authorisation provided by parents. These records could include:
the parent(s) or guardian(s) authorisation (including their name and the date it was authorised)
the information, or a description of the training or instruction provided, and the date it was provided
the name and occupation of the person who provided the adult(s) with the information, training or instruction, and the date it was provided
the name and role of the adult at your service who was provided with information, training or instruction.
You could keep these records alongside the child’s enrolment records.