Sometimes it is necessary to administer medication to a resident covertly, for the well-being of the resident. This must have been agreed by the family of the resident, the Home Manager and the GP before being put into practice, and it must be in the best interests of the resident and outweigh any possible negatives.
Covert medication can be placed in the resident’s food or drink and are given without the residents consent or knowledge. There will be a clear policy of how to give medication covertly within the Care Home and this should be strictly adhered to.
A note can be placed on the residents profile page to highlight that the medication for this resident is given covertly, so that all users are aware. For more information click hereFAQ: How to add a note on Atlas eMAR
Recording covert medication as given on Atlas eMAR is done in exactly the same way as giving any other medication to a resident. The medication should be added to the pot as it is prepared, and only once the user is sure that the medication has been taken successfully should the pot be confirmed on Atlas eMAR .
If the covert medication administration is unsuccessful, for example the resident spits the medication out, the medication should be accounted for as "not given" on the Atlas device and the homes policy and usual procedures should be followed.