The Medicines Act 1981 Flashcards
Prescription medicines
A medicine that can only be sold, supplied or administered pursuant to a prescription by:
A person authorised to prescribe medicines eg Medical practitioner Dentist Registered midwife Veterinarian Nurse practitioner Optometrist A designated prescriber By a delegated prescriber In accordance with a standing order
Restricted medicines
Known as pharmacist-only medicines.
A medicine which can only be sold or supplied by a pharmacist in a pharmacy or hospital, or in accordance with a standing order.
Pharmacy-only medicines
A medicine which can be sold or supplied from a pharmacy or hospital or an isolated shop which has a licence to sell specific medicines, or in accordance with a standing order.
General sale medicines
Are not scheduled or classified and can be supplied from any retail outlet.
Every prescription form must
1) Be legibly and indelibly printed
2) Be signed personally by the prescriber with his/her usual signature, not being a facsimile or other stamp), and dated.
3) Set out the prescriber’s full name, full street address of the prescriber’s place of work or the postal address of the prescriber and the prescriber’s telephone number.
4) Set out the surname, each given name and the address of the person for whose use the prescription is given; (NZNO also reccomends including date of birth and the national health index (NHI) number. In the case of a child under 13 years, the date of birth of the child must be included.
5) Indicate by name the medicine and, where appropriate, the strength at which it is required to be dispensed.
6) Indicate the total amount of medicine that may be sold or dispensed, or the total period of supply.
7) State if the medicine is to be administered by injection, or by insertion into any cavity of the body, or by swallowing, indicate the dose and frequency of dose.
8) State if the medication is for application externally, and indicate the method and frequency of use.
Before administration the nurse must
Ensure all prescriptions include all of the specifics. If all these elements are not present, then the nurse must not administer the medicine.
When a nurse encounters poor prescribing practice
It is essential this is addressed directly with the prescriber. NZNO recommends the nurse documents the poor prescribing practice and reports this to their manager. Completion of an incident report may be required. Where the prescriber is also the manager, the nurse may wish to seek further advice from their NZNO organiser.
Which section under The Medicines Act 1981 describes details of how medicines should be prescribed?
Section 41
What is my responsibility as a nurse?
1) Have a comprehensive understanding of the laws
2) Recognise limits of my knowledge and skill
3) Possible legal liability - Breach of the statutory provisions and breach of the duty of care owed to a person (negligence)
