The position of the PNA following endorsement of the NEC on 15th November 2018 is;

‘That no PNA member will engage in the training, supervision and assessment of non-nursing staff in the area of administration of medication’

The Following is the advice from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI)

Delegation takes places where the nurse (the delegator) who has the authority for the delivery of healthcare, transfers to another person the responsibility of a particular role or activity that is normally within the scope of practice of the delegator.

When delegating a particular role or activity, the nurse must take account of several principles. The individual nurse must:

1. Ensure that the primary motivation for delegation is to service the interests and needs of the patient; 2. Assess the degree of risk involved in the delegation; 3. Ensure that the delegation is appropriate with reference to the definitions and philosophies of nursing; 4. Take into account the level of experience, competence, role and scope of practice of the person taking on the delegated task; 5. Do not delegate to junior colleagues or other HCW tasks and responsibilities that are beyond their colleagues’ competence to perform. 6. Ensure appropriate assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the delegated role or activity; 7. Communicate the details of the role or activity in a clear, understandable way; 8. Decide on the level of supervision and feedback required; 9. Ensure that the practice setting supports the delegation of the role or activity. Delegation of the task should be consistent with organisational PPPGs. 10. The nurse or midwife who is delegating a particular role or activity (the delegator) is accountable for the decision to delegate. This means that the delegator is accountable for ensuring that the delegated role or activity is appropriate and that resources and supervision, where required, are available. They are also accountable for appropriate assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the delegated role or activity (Scope of Practice Framework, NMBI, 2015)

In making decisions about their individual scope of practice, nurses should keep to the fore the rights, needs and overall benefit to the patient and the importance of promoting and maintaining the highest standards of quality in the health services. They must adhere to the principles, values and standards as outlined in the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics (NMBI, 2014), paying particular attention to Principle 2 and 5 regarding professional responsibility and accountability and collaboration with others.

Guidance to Nurses and Midwives on Medication Management (ABA, 2007) describe the responsibilities and conduct expected of nurses and midwives in their involvement in medicines management, which provides a standard of care expected by patients. In the interest of patient safety, utilising a skill mix for the purposes of administration of medicines should not lower this standard.