medications may be transferred to the care staff by the treating physician. However, the care staff must be given appropriate instructions and training. Particularly in the case of psychiatric drugs where there is significant potential for addiction. In such cases appropriate diagnosis by a specialist physician and an initial prescription are required. The progress and success of treatment must be evaluated on a regular basis by specialist physician, since specialist medical knowledge is required for this. In all instances, there must be clear and comprehensive documentation of all administering of medications. This is an area where there are major deficits at some facilities. In many cases there is no documentation regarding medical measures, assessments or medications administered. Moreover, physicians’ prescriptions are not up to date and there are inadequate plans regarding check-ups. Medications are stored in unlocked medicine cabinets or even left out in unlocked offices. Sometimes medicine cabinets are locked but the keys can easily be found by children. In the case of non-prescription medications, prescriptions for use on an as-needed basis are basically permitted. However, in numerous cases the commissions also found prescriptions for psychiatric drugs for use on an as-necessary basis where no concrete instructions for use had been issued, even though the medication in question is subject to strict requirements concerning use. It is not the responsibility of a social pedagogue to be the sole decision-maker regarding physicians’ prescriptions for psychiatric drugs without parameters for use on an as-needed basis or dosage having been clearly established in advance. Efforts should be made to ensure that in an institutional context staff without appropriate medical qualifications do not handle tasks requiring appropriate specialist medical knowledge. Administering of psychiatric drugs on an as-needed basis always requires knowledge of side-effects, interactions or undesired effects. Socio-pedagogic staff must therefore make sure they obtain concrete instructions and prescriptions from physicians. Key distinctions regarding prescriptions for medications administered on an asneeded basis If a member from the team of social pedagogues leaves, his/her successor must verifiably receive appropriate concrete instructions from physicians concerning prescribed medications. Full documentation is particularly important when psychiatric drugs are administered. Such documentation must be very precise to allow rapid diagnosis of any side effects or interactions and to ensure that the correct medications are administered in the correct dosages. The NPM is of the opinion that strict compliance is necessary here.  Documentation regarding administering of medications must be clear and comprehensive.  Physicians must provide concrete instructions and prescriptions.  When administering prescription medications such as psychiatric drugs, close attention 65