Medication Management for NDIS Workers

Medication support ranges from reminding a participant to take their medicine, to helping open packaging, to administering medication directly. This lesson explains the difference between these levels, what workers can and cannot do, and why medication support must always follow a current medication plan, written instructions from a prescriber, our policy and your training. Key points: this course builds knowledge only, you must be trained and assessed as competent for each participant where required, you must never change, crush, split or recommend medicines yourself, and you should always ask when unsure.

Participants have the right to make decisions about their own medication, including the right to refuse. This lesson explains how consent applies to medication support, how to support people to be as independent as possible, and why medication must never be hidden in food or drink or used to control behaviour unless this is formally authorised. Key points: explain what the medication is and ask for consent each time, support self administration where the person is able, respect refusals, and remember that medication used mainly to control behaviour may be a restrictive practice.

The rights of medication administration are a checklist that prevents errors. Before giving any medication, check the right person, right medicine, right dose, right time and right route, and afterwards complete the right documentation. The person also has the right to refuse. This lesson explains each right with examples from disability support. Key points: check the rights every time, not just the first time, check the label against the medication chart, never give medication prepared by someone else, and stop and ask if anything does not match.

Many participants have their regular tablets packed by a pharmacist into a dose administration aid, often called a Webster pack, with each blister sealed by day and time. This lesson explains how to use these packs safely and what to do if a pack looks wrong or a tablet is dropped. It also covers PRN, or as needed, medication, which must only be given according to a written PRN protocol. Key points: never add to, remove from or repack a Webster pack, check the pack against the chart, and for PRN check the reason, the time since the last dose and the maximum dose.

Safe storage keeps medication effective and stops it being taken by the wrong person. This lesson covers keeping medication in its original packaging, storing it securely and away from heat and moisture, following label instructions for refrigeration, managing medications with extra legal requirements such as Schedule 8 medicines, and returning unused or expired medication to a pharmacy. Key points: store medication as the label and our policy say, keep it locked where required, check expiry dates, never keep medication in your own bag, and never throw medicines in the bin or toilet.

Accurate records protect participants by making sure everyone knows what was given, when and why. This lesson covers the medication chart, sometimes called a medication administration record, the codes used when a dose is not given, progress notes, and handover. It also explains why you must never sign for someone else or sign in advance. Key points: sign immediately after each dose, use the correct code and a note when a dose is not given, record observations and side effects, pass on changes at handover, and never alter a record without following our policy.

A participant may refuse medication for many reasons: side effects, difficulty swallowing, feeling unwell, not understanding what it is for, or simply not wanting it. This lesson explains how to respond respectfully, including finding out the reason, offering again later where the plan allows, and never forcing, tricking or threatening. Key points: respect the refusal, try to understand why, do not hide medication in food, record the refusal with the correct code, follow the plan for critical medications, and tell your team leader so the prescriber can be informed if needed.

A medication error is any mistake in prescribing, dispensing, storing or giving medication, including a wrong dose, wrong medicine, wrong person, wrong time, a missed dose or a recording error. This lesson explains how to respond: check the person, get medical advice, call triple zero if they are unwell, tell your team leader, and report the error as an incident. Key points: the person's safety comes first, the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 can give advice at any time, be honest about what happened, and report every error so we can learn and prevent repeats.

This case study follows Kylie, a support worker, as she supports Hannah, a participant with epilepsy and asthma, on a weekend camping trip. The lesson shows how to plan medication for an outing: taking the right packs, charts and PRN protocols, storing medication safely away from home, and keeping records. It then explores what to do when another camper kindly offers Hannah some of their own tablets for a headache. Key points: plan ahead, take the chart and protocols with you, never share medicines, and follow the plan exactly wherever you are.

This case study follows Sam, a support worker on a morning shift in a supported home, who finds a participant's evening tablets still in last night's blister, although the chart shows them signed as given. The lesson shows how to respond when a record does not match what happened: check the person, get advice before doing anything with the missed dose, tell the team leader, report the incident and support learning without blame. Key points: records must match reality, never guess what to do with a missed dose, and report honestly.