Ordering and recording nutritional supplements on the NIMC and PBS HMC

The National Inpatient Medication Chart (NIMC) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Hospital Medication Chart (PBS HMC) are not designed for charting and recording administration of oral or enteral nutritional supplements. Use for these purposes may result in:

• Confusion between nutritional supplements and medicines
• Potential for patients to receive medicines in error
• Delays in providing and administering nutrition to patients if the chart is sent to the pharmacy for dispensing.

Health services that choose to use the NIMC or PBS HMC for ordering nutritional supplements should assess the risk of doing so, and have a local policy or procedure on ordering and recording administration of nutritional supplements.

The same requirements that apply to safer prescribing and administration of medicines on the NIMC and PBS HMC should also apply to ordering and recording administration of nutritional products on the NIMC and PBS HMC.

Resources for ordering and recording nutritional supplements 

More information is available in the NIMC User Guide, including recommendations for local policies on ordering and recording administration of nutritional supplements on the NIMC and PBS HMC.

Some health services have a separate clinical nutrition chart for ordering and recording the administration of nutritional supplements. An example of a clinical nutrition chart is kindly provided by the Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia. Royal Adelaide Hospital Clinical Nutrition Chart (PDF 421KB)