Supporting people who administer their own medication
(in a Mental Health Context)

This one day course is designed for support workers who do not administer medication but rather support service users who administer their own medication.

The course aims to provide a general background regarding medication, with a specific emphasis on typical medication that might be prescribed in a Mental Health context. Some common ethical and practical dilemmas are discussed as is the role of the support worker as ‘internal advocate’.

Learning objectives:

By the end of the course learners should understand:

• A brief overview of treatments before the introduction of the major tranquilisers and how the introduction of the major tranquilisers enabled hospital gates to open
• The action of the major tranquilisers, non compliance when patients went on home leave or were discharged and the introduction of depot injections
• The main drugs that are now prescribed in Mental Health services
• What each one is prescribed for, their side effects and the different routes of administration
• The role of the Psychiatrist, GP, Practice Nurse and CPN in medication in the community
• The role of the worker regarding medication administration and support for those administering their own (with reference to the organisation’s policy)
• The ethics of medication and the law, to include consent issues
• What the anti-psychiatry movement says about medication
• How medication may impact of the individual in terms of self-esteem, dignity, sexuality, self image etc.
• Why compliance may be such a difficult issue for users and different ways in which people may mask non compliance
• What non compliance can lead to (case examples of when this led to serious consequences) and the need to learn what reduction or discontinuation may mean to the individual incl. risk assessment based on their personal history
• How to respond to requests for reduction of medication or discontinuation-the need to take a balanced view and not to collude
• How to help service users comply, including supporting coping strategies regarding side effects
• What advocacy means and how the support worker cannot be true advocates due to conflict of interest
• The skills that are required in order to advocate for service users regarding medication and how to support service users to self advocate
• How to advocate with Psychiatrists in a professional way without compromising any parties incl. the organisation
• Advocacy information when unable to help

Learning methods:

• Tutor presentations
• OHP/PowerPoint
• Handouts
• Discussion
• Word shower method
• Pairs work
• Small groups
• Chalk & talk

CP250/7.9