Recording off-schedule medications

When a dose is given outside its scheduled window — what gets captured, who approves.

Off-schedule means a dose given outside its administration buffer window — earlier or later than the prescribed time would normally allow. Carerealm captures this as a distinct recording with its own audit trail.

When you might record off-schedule

  • Supported person was away from home at the scheduled time and the dose can't be skipped.

  • Prescriber has given a one-off "shift this dose to X" instruction.

  • Emergency / urgent administration outside the normal schedule.

How off-schedule recording works

  1. Click the cell you want to record against.

  2. The recorder flags that you're outside the buffer window and asks for a reason.

  3. Pick the outcome and add the reason.

  4. Submit. The administration record carries an "off-schedule" flag and your reason text.

  5. The timeline shows a yellow Off badge on the cell.

Approval modes

Your realm admin sets one of three approval modes for off-schedule administrations:

Mode

Behaviour

None (default)

No approval needed. Off-schedule is recorded with its flag and reason.

Non-blocking

An approval request is created for a manager to review later. The administration goes ahead immediately.

Blocking

The recording is held in approvals queue. A manager must approve before the medication is marked given.

Note — Per-medication overrides exist for the buffer window — some medications are configured to allow wider off-schedule windows than the default. Check the medication record if you're unsure.

Last updated 21 May 2026 · by eMAR migration · Suggest a feature or change to this article
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