Administration: Learning outcomes
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After completing this tutorial, you will be able to:
- Outline the types of clinical problem that hospital pharmacists must solve concerning the safe administration of medicines.
- Describe the different methods by which injectable medicines are given.
- Recognise the issues of concern when patients who need medicines cannot receive them by mouth, or cannot swallow tablets and capsules.
You can download a PDF of the whole tutorial (without interactive elements such as Learning Exercises) and a one-page summary of key points.

Competencies
If you are a hospital pre-registration pharmacist, this tutorial may help you achieve GPhC performance standards such as these:- A.3 Manage problems.
- B1.11 Provide information and advice appropriate to the needs of the recipient(s).
- C2.1 Provide considered and correct answers to queries, founded on research-based evidence.
- C2.4 Actively provide information and advice to healthcare professionals
If you are a foundation pharmacist, this tutorial may assist with meeting certain competencies from the RPS framework including:
- 1.4 Selection of the medicine (medicine-patient interactions).
- 1.5 Medicine specific issues (selection of formulation and concentration)
- 1.6 Medicines information and patient education.
- 3.4 Providing information
Continuing professional development
Finally, here are some CPD activities you could consider:
★ When you next assist a patient who has swallowing difficulties or is nil-by-mouth, write a reflective account of how you intervened and the difference it made to your patient. Were you able to communicate with the patient or their carer?
★ Schedule a time to read your Trust's Administration of Medicines policy, and/or its IV Medicines policy. What did you learn? Do you feel better equipped as a pharmacist as a result of being familiar with these policies?
★ When you next assist a patient who has swallowing difficulties or is nil-by-mouth, write a reflective account of how you intervened and the difference it made to your patient. Were you able to communicate with the patient or their carer?
★ Schedule a time to read your Trust's Administration of Medicines policy, and/or its IV Medicines policy. What did you learn? Do you feel better equipped as a pharmacist as a result of being familiar with these policies?