126Administration of drugs by midwives under general orders

126 Administration of drugs by midwives under general orders

(1)  In this regulation –

drug means any of the following substances:

(a) ergometrine;

(b) metoclopramide;

(c) morphine;

(d) oxytocin;

(e) pethidine;

(f) promethazine;

general order means an order issued by a medical practitioner under subregulation (2) ;

hospital means a hospital that provides obstetric services.

(2)  Subject to this regulation, a medical practitioner may issue an order to the Director of Nursing of a hospital authorising a midwife who practises midwifery in that hospital to, in the midwife's discretion, do any one or more of the following things in that hospital in accordance with the order:

(a) administer any drug specified in the order to a patient of that medical practitioner;

(b) administer naloxone neonatally to a child born of a patient of that medical practitioner;

(c) administer hepatitis B vaccine neonatally to a child born of a patient of that medical practitioner.

(3)  A medical practitioner must not issue a general order that purports to authorise a midwife to –

(a) administer a scheduled substance other than a drug, naloxone or hepatitis B vaccine; or

(b) administer a drug otherwise than in accordance with subregulation (9) ; or

(c) administer naloxone otherwise than in accordance with subregulation (10) .

(4)  A general order is to –

(a) be in writing; and