Courses · Complex Care
Administering a Suppository or Enema
Administer rectal medication safely and with dignity, under a participant-specific plan — including the autonomic dysreflexia and perforation risks that make this a high-intensity support.
Important — this module does not certify you
IMPORTANT — This is a non-accredited course and this Certificate of Completion is not a Statement of Attainment. Administering suppositories and enemas falls within complex bowel care, a High Intensity Daily Personal Activity under the NDIS Practice Standards (High Intensity Daily Personal Activities Module). Knowledge alone does not authorise you to do it. You must be trained and assessed as competent for the specific participant, by an appropriately qualified health practitioner, against that person's current written bowel management plan, and your provider must hold that record. Digital removal of faeces and digital rectal stimulation are separate procedures requiring their own specific authorisation and are not covered here.
About this module
Rectal medication is intimate, invasive and carries real clinical risk, which is why it sits within complex bowel care under the NDIS High Intensity Support Skills Descriptors. This module covers consent and dignity, anatomy, positioning, the technique for suppositories and for small and large volume enemas, autonomic dysreflexia in people with spinal cord injury, contraindications and when to stop, what to observe and record, and the safeguarding obligations that attach to intimate care.
Who it is for
Support workers and SIL staff who have been, or are about to be, trained and signed off to administer rectal medication for a specific participant as part of a bowel management plan.
What you will be able to do
- Explain the authorisation required before administering rectal medication
- Obtain and maintain consent, and protect dignity throughout
- Administer a suppository and an enema using correct technique and positioning
- Recognise autonomic dysreflexia and respond as an emergency
- Identify contraindications, complications and reporting obligations
Aligned to
- NDIS Practice Standards — High Intensity Daily Personal Activities Module
- NDIS High Intensity Support Skills Descriptors — Complex Bowel Care
- NDIS Practice Standards — Management of Medication
- NDIS Code of Conduct and the NDIS (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018
Lesson plan
What the module covers
| # | Lesson | What it covers | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Authorisation, consent and dignity | The permissions that must exist first, and the person at the centre of them. | 18m |
| 02 | Administering a suppository or enema | Anatomy, positioning, technique and the things that must not be done. | 22m |
| 03 | Risks, complications and what to record | Autonomic dysreflexia, contraindications, and a record that is actually useful. | 20m |
| ✓ | Final assessment | 13 scenario-based questions · pass mark 85% · unlimited attempts | ~15m |
Also in Complex Care
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Oral Medication
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