Illinois Administrative Code
Title 59 - MENTAL HEALTH
Part 116 - ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION IN COMMUNITY SETTINGS
Section 116.40 - Training and Authorization of Non-Licensed Staff by Nurse-Trainers
Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 12, March 22, 2024
a) Only a Nurse-Trainer may delegate, supervise and authorize the tasks of medication administration to authorized direct care staff.
b) Prior to training non-licensed staff to administer medication to an individual, the Nurse-Trainer must have an understanding and knowledge of the individual's physical and mental status, medical history, medication orders and medications prescribed to initially train and authorize unlicensed staff to administer medications and to provide any additional medication related training of non-licensed authorized staff. The following is acceptable evidence of that understanding and knowledge:
c) Non-licensed direct care staff who are to be authorized to administer medications under the delegation of Nurse-Trainer shall meet the following criteria:
d) Initial competency-based training toward delegation for medication administration shall include:
e) The Nurse-Trainer may delegate the administration of insulin subcutaneously using an insulin pen pre-filled with insulin by the manufacturer to authorized staff after the authorized staff has successfully completed a DHS approved advanced training program specific to diabetes and insulin administration.
f) Staff, after training, may administer epinephrine by auto-injector as prescribed by a physician as an emergency measure when an individual experiences a serious allergic reaction (e.g., anaphylactic shock). The administration of epinephrine by auto-injector by staff is not the responsibility of the Nurse-Trainer.
g) The Nurse-Trainer may authorize direct care staff to administer medications through an enteral tube after the authorized staff has successfully completed a DHS approved advanced training program specific to enteral tubes, their maintenance and medication administration.
h) Authorized direct care staff shall be re-evaluated by a Nurse-Trainer at least annually or more frequently at the discretion of the registered professional nurse. Any retraining shall be to the extent that is necessary to ensure competency of the authorized direct care staff to administer medication [ 20 ILCS 1705/15.4(c) ], as judged by a Nurse-Trainer.
i) Authorized direct care staff shall receive specific additional competency-based training and assessment by a Nurse-Trainer, as deemed necessary by the Nurse-Trainer, whenever a change of medication, including, but not limited to, dosage, time and route, occurs or a new individual who requires medication enters the program.
j) Direct care staff who fail to qualify for competency to administer medications shall be given additional education and testing to meet criteria for delegation authority to administer medications. Any direct care staff person who fails to qualify as an authorized direct care staff after initial training and testing must, within three months, be given another opportunity for retraining and retesting. A direct care staff person who fails to meet criteria for delegated authority to administer medication, including, but not limited to, failure of the written test on two occasions, shall be given consideration for shift transfer or reassignment, if possible. No employee shall be terminated for failure to qualify during the three month time period following initial testing. Refusal to complete training and testing required by this Section may be grounds for immediate dismissal [ 20 ILCS 1705/15.4(h) ].
k) No authorized direct care staff person delegated to administer medication shall be subject to suspension or discharge for errors resulting from the staff person's acts or omissions when performing the functions unless the staff person's actions or omissions constitute willful and wanton conduct [ 20 ILCS 1705/15.4(i) ].
l) Authorization of staff to administer medication shall be revoked if, in the opinion of the Nurse-Trainer, the authorized direct care staff person is no longer competent to administer medication [ 20 ILCS 1705/15.4(c) ]. The degree of retraining and reassessment of competency should occur at the discretion of the Nurse-Trainer.
m) Clear documentation of training, retraining and evaluation shall be kept in each staff or contractual person's personnel file by each agency where authorized direct care staff are employed.