Dispensing medication is one of the most important roles of the nurse. This is going to the interaction that most patients remember most about their nurse, so you want to be sure that you are able to dispense medication and handle medication in the proper manner. A failure to do so could result in patients not getting their medication, not getting the proper amount of their medication, or getting the wrong type of medication.
As a nurse you will be taking medication orders from the doctor. The orders should be followed exactly as they are written every time. No guess work should ever be done, if the orders are not clear than a call should be put in to the doctor before you dispense any medication. Clarifying orders should be done as soon after they are received as possible so you can dispense medication to the patient in a timely manner.
When you read the orders be sure that you read them over three times before you draw or take out any medication. When you receive the medication verify the type and the dosage. If you are drawing the medication into a syringe, double check the amount you are giving three times. Checking more than once will help to catch errors before any medication is dispensed to the patient.
Once you have given medication to the patient, you need to follow policy for the medical establishment that you work in. If there is left over medication you may keep it in a cooler or area for the next dose, you may need to dispose of the medication, or you may need to send it back to the pharmacy, when applicable. Check with the policies at your place of employment to ensure that medication is always handled appropriately.