Did you know: Around 1 in 20 prescriptions contain an error? More than 1 in 7 British adults admit to buying medicines online because they think they are getting cheaper drugs and faster delivery? Around 4-5% of hospital admissions are due to problems caused by the incorrect use of medicines?
Safe handling of medicines is crucial; this is an estimated cost of £466 million a year to the NHS in England? Only a quarter of parents know which children medicines contain paracetamol?
The NHS spent more than £13 billion on medicines in 2012 and experts believe that more than 50% of all medicines are prescribed, dispensed or sold inappropriately every single year. Furthermore, half of all patients in the UK fail to take their medicines correctly.
This online course is ideal for a vast array of people and businesses to study from home in your own time. It is ideal for those who are already employed in a health and social care context, or those who wish to study the course as part of their own continuous professional development or for those who wish to improve their understanding to increase their opportunities of finding work.
The aim of this course is to develop the learner’s understanding of the different types of medication, and the requirements for the safe handling, storage and disposal of them. You may wish to access this training with a view to progress on to further qualifications or study this course to complement other programmes.
On this Safe Handling of Medicines course, you will:
- Develop your knowledge of the safe handling of medicines
- Be introduced to the various medicines you are likely to encounter in a work environment
- Cover how the medication is supplied and administered and the possible side effects
- Procedures for obtaining, storing and disposing of medicines and the legislation surrounding these three areas
- Learn about the importance of the audit process and issues surrounding responsibility, accountability and confidentiality.
Benefits for Businesses
- Up-skill staff members
- Increase teamwork and morale as staff become more aware of how to communicate effectively and support colleagues
- The course offer can be used as a staff benefit or as part of a development scheme
- Increase the health, safety and security in the workplace as the course covers this.
Benefits for people
- Enhance both personal skills and professional development
- Courses are delivered as distance learning, learn at your convenience
- Personal tutors are assigned to ensure learners have the support needed
- Add something different and worthwhile and relevant to your CV
Gain insight of different types of medication, and the requirements for the safe handling, storage and disposal to them.
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Study with winnersWe’re an award-winning learning provider and have been recognised for our cutting-edge learning techniques.
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At your own pace
Study this course as quickly or slowly as you wish; we’ll work at a speed that suits you.
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Unlimited Tutor Support
Get as much help and support as you want from your personal course tutor via email and phone.
- Awarding body: NCFE Customised Qualifications
With a heritage stretching back over 150 years, NCFE is one of the largest awarding bodies in the UK. Over 340,000 students were awarded certification by NCFE last year. Our NCFE Customised Qualifications are bespoke, unregulated qualifications developed to meet the needs of our learners. They’ve also been accredited by NCFE/CACHE after meeting strict criteria, demonstrating great quality and rigor. Completing Customised Qualifications does not lead to an OFQUAL regulated qualification, but they can be used as evidence of knowledge and skills towards future study.
Study Hours
Up to 60 hours, which is around 20 minutes per day for 6 months.
Study Method
The course is specially designed for study by distance learning. Throughout the course, there will be self-assessment questions, and tutor marked assignments (TMAs), to enable you to monitor your progress.
Course Duration
You have up to a year to complete this course and we have included a suggested number of study hours. This is usually ample time for learners, even with full-time jobs and other commitments. Don’t worry if you go over the year though, we can organise an extension to your course for an additional fee, which also extends your tutor support.
Assessment
Each unit is followed by a written tutor-marked assignment (TMA), which is submitted and then marked by your tutor. You will not be required to take an external exam.
Course Outcomes
At the end of this course, successful learners will receive an NCFE Customised Qualification and a Learner Unit Summary (which lists the details all of the units you have completed as part of your course). You can read more about NCFE here.
Additional Information
Difficulty - Level 2
Entry requirements - There are no formal entry requirements for this course, however, it is recommended that you have an intermediate ability to read and write English.
Course Content
1:
Ordering of Medicines
2:
Storage of Medicines
3:
Administration of Medicines
4:
Self-Administration of Medicines
5:
Homely Remedies
6:
How Oral Medicines Work
7:
Refusal of Medicines
8:
Controlled Drugs
9:
Common Side Effects from Medicines in the Older Service User
10:
Errors Associated with the Administration of Medicine
11:
Oxygen Therapy in a Care Home
12:
Disposal of Medicines Confidentiality
13:
Confidentiality
14:
Competency in Clinical
Show 8 more modules
Frequently Asked Questions
We have some answers to common student questions, but if you can't find the answer you're looking for then please contact us and we will do everything we can to answer your questions.
You will have access to your personal tutor, via email and telephone, who will mark your assignments and guide you through the course. In addition, you will be supplied with a comprehensive Study Guide which will help you through the study and assessment process. Your personal tutor will be highly experienced in their subject area and qualified to teach.
You don’t need any prior skills in the subject area to start. However, as with all of our courses, we recommend a reasonable level of English reading and writing ability.
We provide all the specially written learning materials you require to study this course at home. The course fee also includes tutor support for 12 months.
You will receive everything you need to complete this course within the study pack we send to you.
No, this course is assessed by coursework alone.
No, all of the study materials are supplied within your learning pack.
Most students finish comfortably within the course duration period given. However, if you do need more time, your personal tutor support can be extended for an additional fee.
That’s fine, this course can be studied anywhere and is completed by submitting Tutor marked assignments (TMAs).
Please check our FAQs section or Contact Us, we are happy to answer any questions you have.