Medicines

Are first aiders allowed to give tablets and medications to casualties?

This is closely based on the answer on the HSE website http://www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid/faqs.htm#tab

 

Health & Safety Executive (HSE) guidance states that first aid at work does not include giving tablets or medications to treat illness and such

items should not be kept in the statutory first aid box. However, strictly speaking, there is no legal bar to employers making such items available

to employees, if the assessment of first aid needs indicates they should be provided. HSE has no objection to paracetamol or aspirin being made

available in the workplace. First aiders issuing these tablets should have a reasonable understanding of what is involved.

 

HSE has no objection to employers providing vending machines for dispensing paracetamol. It is preferable that these machines are not located

in areas where the public will have access to them.

 

Some workers carry their own medications such as inhalers for asthma or 'Epipens' which contain injectable adrenaline (epinephrine) for the

treatment of severe allergic (anaphylactic) reactions, for example to peanuts. These medications are prescribed by a doctor. If an individual needs

to take their own prescribed medication, the first aider's role is limited to helping them do so and contacting the emergency services as

appropriate. 

 

Medicines legislation restricts the administration of injectable medicines. Unless self administered, they may only be administered by or in

accordance with the instructions of a doctor (eg by a nurse). However, in the case of adrenaline (epinephrine) there is an exemption to this

restriction which means in an emergency, a suitably trained lay person is permitted to administer it by injection for the purpose of saving life. The

use of an Epipen to treat anaphylactic shock falls into this category. Therefore, first aiders may administer an Epipen if they are dealing with a

  life threatening emergency in a casualty who has been prescribed and is in possession of an Epipen and where the first aider is trained to use it.

REMEMBER to check allergies and medical conditions before giving aspirin ...

Heart Attack & Aspirin

Advice from the HSE "First Aid at Work Newsletter" Issue 2. February 1993

 

Current research indicates that the prognosis (outlook) is improved if a casualty, suffering from a heart attack, is given an aspirin to chew. this

 view is supported by the British Heart Foundation.

 

There is no evidence to suggest that the aspirin must be given immediately to be beneficial. The research suggests that the aspirin be given

 within four hours. 

 

Caution, however, needs to be exercised. When the patient is conscious and there is a reasonable degree of certainty that the casualty is

 suffering from a heart attack, then an aspirin can be given, if available.

 

Heart Attack & Aspirin

Advice from the First Aid Manual 8th Edition (fully revised & updated) 2002.  page125.  ISBN: 0-7513-3704-8.   www.dk/com/firstaidmanual

 

 

"If the casualty is fully conscious, give him a full-dose aspirin (300mg) aspirin and advise him to chew it slowly".

 

 

Date this page was lasted edited: 18/04/2004

 
  Please click on the underlined e-mail address here info@firstaidtraining.org.uk to e-mail me with UK first aid questions, comments, web site suggestions, enquiries or non-working hyperlinks.

© 2004  First Aid Training                                                First Aid Training subscribe to the HONcode Principles of the Health on The Net Foundation in our pursuit of our joint aims.