Current through April 3, 2024
(1) A medication
aide shall maintain knowledge of the duties, responsibilities, and
accountabilities of a medication aide and shall act in accordance with the
statutes and rules pertaining to the administration of medication by a
medication aide.
(2) A medication
aide shall display the title "medication aide" at all times when administering
medications to residents of a nursing home, assisted care living facility, or
P.A.C.E.
(3) An MA shall
demonstrate competence and responsibility in the task of medication
administration including any observation about the condition of a resident that
should cause concern to a medication aide and reporting to the delegating
nurse.
(4) An MA shall ensure and
promote a safe environment for nursing home, assisted care living facility, or
P.A.C.E. residents.
(5) An MA shall
accurately document in the patient's or resident's record the following
information immediately after the administration of a medication:
(a) The name of the medication and the dosage
administered;
(b) The route of the
administration;
(c) The date and
time of the administration;
(d) The
name and credentials of the MA who administered the medication;
(e) The name of the licensed nurse who
delegated the administration of the medication;
(f) The resident's refusal or inability to
ingest the medication or comply with the administration of the medication;
and
(g) Any complaints by the
resident about the medication administration or medication
administered.
(6) An MA
shall document in the medical record and report the following to the delegating
nurse or the delegating nurse's supervisor in a timely manner:
(a) The resident's request for an as-needed
medication;
(b) The resident's
refusal or inability to ingest the medication or comply with the administration
of the medication;
(c) Any
deviation from the delegated medication administration; and
(d) Any observations or information about the
resident's condition that causes concern.
(7) An MA shall document contact with the
supervising nurse in the medical record.
(8) An MA shall store drugs in accordance
with the pharmacist's instructions.
(9) An MA shall remove drugs only from a
properly labeled container or packaging that has been dispensed by a licensed
pharmacist that contains the drug name; dosage; strength; name of the resident
to whom it is to be dispensed; and drug expiration date.
(10) An MA shall complete all necessary tasks
to ensure safe medication administration to a resident, including, but not
limited to the following:
(a) Verifying the
identity of the resident to whom the medication is to be
administered;
(b) Ensuring that
medication administration for the resident has been delegated and documented by
the delegating licensed nurse prior to the administration of the
medication;
(c) Ensuring that the
medication is being administered to the resident in accordance with the
delegation and prescriber instructions;
(d) Ensuring that the correct medication in
the correct dosage and route is administered to the resident;
(e) Documenting and reporting a medication
error to the delegating licensed nurse who is on-site at the nursing home,
assisted care living facility, or P.A.C.E. or via a two-way telephone
conversation.
(11) An MA
shall maintain the confidentiality of protected health information obtained in
the course of the MA's duties and responsibilities.
(12) An MA shall not delegate the task of
medication administration to any other person.
(13) An MA shall not falsify any resident
record or any other document prepared or utilized in the course of, or in
conjunction with, the administration of medication.
(14) An MA shall maintain professional
boundaries with each resident.
(15)
An MA shall not:
(a) Administer medication
when such administration would require a dosage decision or calculation
including splitting medications, by the medication aide;
(b) Directly receive orders from a physician
or other medication prescriber;
(c)
Administer barium or other contrast media;
(d) Administer chemotherapeutic
agents;
(e) Administer rectal and
vaginal medications;
(f) Administer
medications delivered by metered hand-held inhalers without a spacer;
(g) Administer medications delivered by
aerosol/nebulizer;
(h) Apply
topical medications ordered for the treatment of pressure ulcers or skin
grafts;
(i) Change a dosage amount
to adhere to a change in a physician's/prescriber's order; or
(j) Administer the initial dose of a
medication ordered for a resident until after a new evaluation has been
performed by a licensed nurse.
(16) An MA shall not, under any
circumstances, administer medications by certain methods or routes, or both.
These include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
(a) Injection;
(b) Intravenous;
(c) Central lines;
(d) Intrathecal;
(e) Colostomy;
(f) A surgically placed feeding tube, e.g.,
gastrostomy, jejunostomy;
(g)
Nasogastric;
(h) Non-metered
inhaler;
(i) Intradermal;
(j) Urethral;
(k) Epidural
(l) Endotracheal;
(m) Intramuscular; or
(n) Subcutaneous.
(17) An MA shall not:
(a) Engage in sexual conduct with a resident
or conduct that may reasonably be interpreted as sexual; or
(b) Engage in any verbal behavior that is
seductive or sexually demeaning to a resident, or that may reasonably be
interpreted as seductive, or sexually demeaning to a resident. (For purposes of
this paragraph, the resident is always presumed incapable of giving free, full,
or informed consent to sexual activity with a medication aide); or
(c) Make any false, misleading or deceptive
statements, or submit or cause to be submitted any false, misleading, or
deceptive information or documentation to the board or any representative of
the board; or
(d) Use social media,
texting, emailing, or other forms of communication with, or about, a resident,
for non-health care purposes or for purposes other than fulfilling the aide's
assigned job responsibilities.
Authority: T.C.A. §§
63-7-127,
63-7-207, and
63-10-201.
