Home / Resources / Units of Competency / Health / HLTHPS007
← Back to units in HLT
HLTHPS007 Current

Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to administer medications to people and monitor them, as per the delegation from a relevant health professional, in accordance with legislation and the employing organisation’s medication and delegation policies and practice.
This unit applies to community services and health workers with the relevant authority in their state or territory to administer medication and monitor them as per the delegation from a relevant health professional.
Ongoing requirements to demonstrate competency in drug calculations may apply, and users should refer to relevant state/territory regulatory requirements.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

What You'll Learn

1.

  • 1.1 Access and read information to enable identification of substance incompatibilities based on care plan and delegation
  • 1.3 Report potential risks related to medication administration to delegating health professional
  • 1.4 Confirm client identity and if any allergies exist
  • 1.5 Identify drugs and poisons schedules and classifications as determined by law
  • 1.6 Pro-actively identify any limitations in own capability in relation to undertaking delegated medication administration function and report to delegating health professional

2.

  • 2.1 Confirm delegating health professionals authority to proceed with delegation of medication administration according to organisation policies, guidelines and protocols and jurisdictional legislative and regulatory requirements
  • 2.3 Check that all equipment, including dose administration aids, are complete, ready for use, up to date and tamper free before proceeding
  • 2.4 Follow infection control procedures
  • 2.5 Confirm medication administration route and procedure
  • 2.6 Confirm purpose and function of prescribed medications from care plans and delegating health professional
  • 2.7 Accurately calculate medication dosages according to authorised documented request
  • 2.8 Prepare medications according to delegated role and in line with legal and environmental guidelines

3.

  • 3.1 Greet and identify client according to organisation procedures and prepare for medication administration
  • 3.3 Accurately explain the administration procedure to the client
  • 3.4 Prior to the administration of medication, check the client for any physical or behavioural changes that may indicate the need to report to delegating health professional

4.

  • 4.1 Administer medications as delegated within role responsibility
  • 4.3 Assist the client taking the medication as required and according to documented procedures and professional standards
  • 4.4 Oversee and observe the client when taking medication and confirm ingestion or completion of administration
  • 4.5 Dispose of all used and unused medication, containers, according to organisation procedures
  • 4.6 Identify signs from client "when necessary" medications might be required, then inform delegating health practitioner and act in accordance with organisation’s policies, procedures, delegation and role responsibility
  • 4.7 Record administration of medications according to organisation policy
  • 4.8 Provide accurate information to clients and carers on medication administration, including possible side effects as per instructions of the delegating health professional

5.

  • 5.1 Identify possible acute and delayed adverse reactions to medications, respond within role responsibility and report to supervisor or health professional
  • 5.3 Record and report response to emergency strategies
  • 5.4 Identify signs of a client experiencing pain and report to health professional
  • 5.5 Observe and record client response to pain relieving medication and report to health professional

6.

  • 6.1 Report medication refusal or incomplete ingestion to supervising health professional according to organisation’s procedures and protocols
  • 6.3 Observe and record changes in the client’s condition according to the organisation’s guidelines and report to supervisor and health professional
  • 6.4 Record and report any inconsistencies according to delegation and organisation guidelines and procedures

7.

  • 7.1 Manage medication equipment and used containers according to infection control guidelines
  • 7.3 Store medication charts, care plans and treatment sheets according to the organisation’s procedures
  • 7.4 Complete medication storage procedures in compliance with legislation and own role responsibility

Assessment Requirements

Performance Evidence

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:
• safely administered medication to at least 10 different people, including:
• applied the rights of medication
• consulted and confirmed actions with an authorised practitioner at all relevant times
• determined medication requirements
• understood and responded appropriately to orders and instructions for medication
• calculated medications with 100% accuracy and used the rights of medication and standard precautions to administer medication, using each of the following routes or methods:
• oral
• sublingual/buccal
• dry powder inhalers
• metered dose/spacer inhalers
• nebulisers
• topical medications
• suppositories
• sub-cutaneous injection using pre-loaded syringes or pens
• documented the administration of medication according to legislative requirements and organisation procedures and policies

Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:
• legislation, regulations, codes of practice, professional standards and workplace policies, including:
• commonwealth and state/territory legislation concerning administration of medication, including the Drugs and Poisons Act
• Disability Services Acts (commonwealth and state/territory)
• Aged Care Act
• duty of care
• work health and safety
• standard and additional precautions
• principles, practices and regulatory framework underpinning delegation and supervision, accountability and responsibility
• roles and responsibilities of those involved in assisting with medications and limitations of own role
• scheduled medications and interpretation of scheduling:
• schedule 2
• schedule 3
• schedule 4
• schedule 8
• forms of medication, and how they are handled, administered and stored, including:
• capsules
• drops
• inhalants
• liquid
• lotion and cream
• ointments
• patches
• powder
• tablets
• wafers
• pessary
• suppository
• basic pharmacology of medications, including:
• pharmacodynamics (biochemical and physiological effects of commonly used pharmacology on the body)
• pharmacokinetics (the action of commonly used pharmacology in the body over a period of time, including the processes of absorption) pharmacotherapeutics (therapeutic uses and effects of pharmacology used for common medical conditions)
• toxicology (adverse effects of chemicals on the organs of the body)
• key aspects of medication groups and categories and their general effect on body systems and major disorders, including:
• central nervous system
• musculo-skeletal system
• peripheral nervous system
• endocrine system
• cardiovascular system
• respiratory system
• gastrointestinal system
• renal/urinary system
• reproductive systems
• immune system
• integumentary system
• eye, ear and special senses
• micro-organisms
• neoplastic disease
• major factors that affect the action of drugs, including:
• age
• disease
• processes
• nutrition
• hydration
• cross infection and prevention strategies including:
• correct hand washing techniques
• glove usage
• awareness of how infection is spread
• procedures and legal requirements for different medication administration routes and consequences of incorrect use:
• aural
• insulin by sub-cutaneous injection using pre-loaded syringes or pens
• intranasal
• ocular
• oral
• rectal
• topical (including transdermal)
• vaginal
• substance incompatibilities and contra-indications, including those related to:
• warfarin and aspirin
• medication and diet
• medication and sunlight
• infection
• alcohol
• basic understanding of:
• anaphylactic reactions
• side effects
• precautions
• characteristics of at least twenty commonly used medications in the area of work, including prescribed and over the counter medications:
• purpose
• expected effects and potential reactions, including anaphylactic reactions
• contraindications for use
• consequences of incorrect use
• storage requirements
• disposal requirements
• documentation requirements for medication administration:
• purpose
• potential impacts of errors and reasons for error
• medication charts, their role and procedures for use

Assessment Conditions

Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace with the addition of simulations and scenarios where the full range of contexts and situations has not been provided in the workplace. The following aspects of the performance evidence must have been demonstrated using simulation prior to demonstration in the workplace or with members of the general public and where state/territory legislation prevents this practice in the workplace:
• calculated medications with 100% accuracy and used the rights of medication and standard precautions to administer medication
The following conditions must be met for this unit:
• use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:
• placebo medication, administration equipment, charts and documentation
• individualised plans
• workplace policies and procedures
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
In addition, assessors must be a registered nurse or registered enrolled nurse or registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner.

Related Units

Generate Compliant Training Materials for HLTHPS007

RTOFlow automatically creates learner guides, assessment workbooks, marking guides, and trainer resources aligned to this unit of competency — saving you weeks of manual work.

Request Early Access

Last updated from training.gov.au: 07 April 2026