Medication charts and other standardisations
Page Links
- Endorsed national medication charts for adults in Australian hospitals
- Endorsed national medication charts for children in Australian hospitals
- Support materials for the National Inpatient Medication Chart
- Private hospitals
National Inpatient Medication Chart – Medication charts and other standardisations
A major initiative to improve the safe use of medicines is the standardisation of medication ordering in hospitals through the National Inpatient Medication Chart (NIMC). A common medication chart in use in all Australian public hospitals by June 2006 was required by Health Ministers in April 2004.The Commission maintains the National Inpatient Medication Chart, related specialist and ancillary charts and tools and materials to improve the safety and quality of medicines use nationally.
The Commission endorses specialist and ancillary medication charts on the advice of its NIMC Oversight Committee.
- Endorsed national medication charts for adults in Australian hospitals
- National Inpatient Medication Chart 2009 for acute care (PDF 126 KB)
- NIMC long-stay version for acute care (PDF 126 KB)
- National Inpatient Medication Chart 2009 (PDF 125 KB) high resolution for printing
- NIMC long-stay version (for acute care use) (PDF 123 KB) high resolution for printing
- Endorsed national medication charts for children in Australian hospitals Paediatric versions of the NIMC, the NIMC long-stay version and support materials are available.
- Support materials for the National Inpatient Medication Chart
- Using the NIMC and other charts
- Guidelines for use of the National Inpatient Medication Chart including the paediatric version 2009 (PDF 587 KB)
- National terminology, abbreviations and symbols to be used in the prescribing and administering of medicines in Australian hospitals
- Local management of the NIMC
- NIMC education
- NIMC auditing
- NIMC presentations
- Background to the NIMC
- NIMC Implementation, Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, Volume 36, No. 1, 2006 (PDF 88 KB)
- Australian Health Ministers’ Conference joint communiqué (PDF 64 KB)
- Summary rationale for a national medication chart (PDF 25 KB)
- NIMC Pilot Aggregate Data Report (PDF 304 KB)
- Private hospitals Private hospitals have particular issues implementing and using the NIMC. Go to the Private Hospitals web page for more information.
The following versions are high resolution and designed for professional printing.
A four A4 page version of the NIMC has been endorsed. It is intended for general practice electronic prescribing systems used to prescribe for admitted patients. Most general practice electronic prescribing systems are not able to issue medication orders in complying NIMC formats for admitted patients because the NIMC is double side printed on A3 paper. The NIMC Oversight Committee endorsed the four A4 page NIMC intending for it to be incorporated into general practice electronic prescribing systems as they are upgraded. It will permit general practitioners using A4 single side (or double side) printers to issue NIMC complying medication orders.
National Inpatient Medication Chart four A4 page version (PDF 123 KB)
User guidelines have also been developed.
National Inpatient Medication Chart four A4 page version - User advice (PDF 127 KB)
NIMC and other standard medication charts are being incorporated into health professional curricula and other materials. The National Prescribing Service makes available an NIMC web-based e-learning package.
