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Think about the last time you experienced pain. Maybe it was a headache after
staring at a screen all day. Maybe it was stepping on a discarded Lego piece, or
stubbing your toe after chasing an unruly dog around the living room. If you’re
anything like me and my injuries, once you’ve finished quietly swearing under your
breath, you probably reached for the pain relief. In my case, that involves reaching
above my head to open a cupboard, bringing down a box full of bandages and boxed
medications, and rummaging through it until I find a blister pack full of sweet relief.
Whatever the ache or pain, it’s pretty easy for most of us to get it sorted. It’s a matter
of popping a couple of tablets out of a blister pack, filling a glass of water to wash
them down, and away we go. But for a large portion of the population, everything we
just did isn’t so easy. People with limited mobility can’t reach above their heads to
retrieve a box full of medication. Someone living with arthritis or unsteady hands
might not be able to open a medicine packet or even hold a glass still long enough to
have a sip. A person living with dementia might completely forget to take their
medication. An older person might not know how to use an inhaler or how often they
should apply an ointment. All of these plausible scenarios can be dangerous to the
health of older people and in many cases, it can be fatal.
Older people are the largest consumers of medication in Australia. They tend to have
more health problems and complex medical conditions which require them to take
multiple medications. Medications can offer an alternative to surgery and improve the
quality of life for older people, which in turn helps them to lead the lives they choose
and maintain their independence. However, medication can also cause serious
health issues like side effects, adverse reactions or interactions with other
medications or foods. This can be due to the way older people absorb, distribute,
utilise and eliminate medications. Personal care workers and support workers need
to have the knowledge and skills required to assist older people with medications
safely.
Our subject matter expert is a passionate advocate for high quality training and
improving the lives of older people in care. She had this to say about the course and
its contents:
“The unit of competency HLTHPS006 Assist Clients with Medication, will enhance
the knowledge and skills you or your learners need to facilitate a person-centred
approach to medication support. Personal care workers have a duty of care in the
provision of safe medication management in their workplace. This includes client and
medication preparation, support for clients during medication assistance, handling
contingencies and completing medication distribution and documentation.
Person-centred medication assistance respects the client’s wishes and preferences,
provides clients with emotional support and physical comfort, ensures informed
consent is obtained, provides information using effective communication techniques
and involves the client's family or other people the client wishes. Personal care
workers are required to follow organisational policies and procedures, work
according to legislation and their scope of practice and importantly, know who to
contact if they have any concerns about medications to help ensure clients receive a
continuous supply of their prescribed medication.”
We’re excited to announce that we have rebuilt our Assist Clients with Medication
course to further align with the unit of competency HLTHPS006 ‘Assist Clients with
Medication’. This course will provide your learners with an understanding of:
• how to prepare to assist clients with their medication
• how to prepare the client for assistance with their medication
• how to support clients with their medication
• how to handle medication contingencies
• how to complete medication distribution and documentation.
Here at Kineo Courses, we take pride in the courses we provide our clients, and we
are confident that this course will benefit your learners and the clients they work with.
