Exam Pass Notes

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Use these notes to direct your revision before the final assessment. The exam checks practical medicines safety for care staff, not prescribing, diagnosis or pharmacist-level advice.

Core messages

• Medicines support must be assessed: only provide support if the care plan specifies that the person needs it and who is responsible.
• Stay within competence: administer or support medicines only after training, a competence check and formal authorisation.
• Use the 6 Rs: right person, right medicine, right route, right dose, right time and right to decline.
• Check before removing medicine: make sure the person is ready, confirm the MAR or eMAR, and verify the dose has not already been given.
• Record promptly: document support for each medicine on every occasion, including refusals, omitted doses and PRN outcomes.
• Respect refusal: a person with capacity can refuse. Record the refusal, explore reasons, retry if appropriate and escalate according to the level of risk.
• PRN needs a protocol: record the reason, dose, time and effect. Escalate if use is frequent, if there is no effect or if instructions are unclear.
• Time-sensitive medicines matter: some medicines must be given at specific times or intervals for safety and effectiveness; follow instructions precisely.
• Controlled drugs require exact handling: follow policy for storage, register entries, witnessing, balance checks, disposal and reporting discrepancies.
• Covert administration is formal: it requires a capacity assessment, a best-interests decision, prescriber and pharmacist input, clear care plan instructions and review.
• Do not alter medicines casually: crushing, opening capsules or mixing with food needs authorised professional advice and person-specific instructions.
• Different formulations need different checks: creams, patches, inhalers, eye drops, liquids and rescue medicines need correct technique and recording.
• Storage protects effectiveness: keep medicines secure, in date and at the correct temperature, including those stored in a fridge.
• Report errors and near misses: escalate immediately, seek clinical advice where needed and record factual details clearly.
• Communicate changes: confirm, record and hand over hospital discharge changes, verbal instructions, new medicines and stopped medicines.

High-risk exam reminders

• Never give a medicine prescribed for one person to another person.
• Never hide medicine in food or drink without following the formal covert administration process.
• Never sign for a medicine you did not give.
• Never fill a MAR or eMAR gap by guessing.
• Never crush a modified-release medicine unless authorised advice confirms it is safe.
• Always escalate uncertainty before continuing with a medicines task.

For the exam, remember: check, support, record and escalate. Medicines safety depends on accurate practice, not on confidence alone.