Lakeman, R. & Kunst, E. (2016). Medication Administration (pp 247-278) In Clinical Nursing Skills: An Australian Perspective. Sydney: Cambridge University Press



This chapter will address the competencies needed to administer medication by the most common routes. Medications affect the body in different ways. They have a specific desired (therapeutic) effect, but they can also have unwanted side-effects, and even life-threatening adverse effects and unpredictable interactions with other medications. Nurses therefore need to be familiar with the expected effects of any medication they administer, and recognise and be prepared to address any unexpected adverse effects. The particular forms of medication administration addressed in this chapter are oral, topical, injections, intravenous therapy and blood transfusions. Finally, dealing with adverse events and anaphylaxis is addressed..