The Medication Assistant Chapter 1

Basics Nursing Assistive Personnel Individuals employed to give direct hands-on care & perform delegated nursing care tasks under the supervision of a licensed nurse. Medication Assistants-Certified (MA-C) Nursing Assistive personnel who are allowed by state law to distribute & administer medications (within limits defined by state law) Requirements: Additional education & training Passed required certification tests Must be supervised by a licensed nurse

State Laws Nurse Practice Act State law regulates nursing practice Protects the public’s welfare & safety Defines RN and LPN Describes the scope of practice for RNs and LPNs Describes education & licensing requirements for RNs & LPNs Protects the public from person practicing nursing without a license Allows for denying, revoking and suspending licenses & certifications Ex. Criminal background, practicing medicine outside your given scope of practice, negligence, etc.

Regulatory Agencies State Board of Nursing Given powers by the State’s Nurse Practice Act Protects the public’s health, safety and welfare Regulates nursing education and nursing practice Ensures the standards of care are met Standards of care refer to the skills, care and judgement required by nursing assistive personnel under similar conditions Takes disciplinary action if a NAC or MA-C has violated a law Maintains a state registry for nursing assistive personnel

Professional Boundaries Separate helpful from not helpful behaviors Boundary Crossing: Brief act or behavior outside of the helpful zone May be thoughtless or something that you did not intend to do Boundary Violation: Act or behavior that meets your needs, not the person’s, i.e. unethical behavior Ex. Abuse, disclosing personal information, keeping secrets

Professional Boundaries (continued) Sexual Misconduct: Act, behavior or comment that is sexual in nature and occurs within the scope pf employment. These types of action may also be criminal Boundary Signs: Acts, behaviors or thoughts that warn of a boundary crossing or violation What would you do if a client offered you a gift? Is accepting a gift crossing any boundary?

Becoming an MA-C Eligibility Requirements: Certification Renewal: High School Diploma/GED WA State Nursing Assistant Certification 1000 hours work experience as an NAC in a skilled nursing facility 7 hours HIV/AIDS BBP Certification CPR/AED and First Aid Certification Current TB Test Background Check Certification Renewal: Must renew both NAC and MA-C annually

Role and Range of Functions Scope of Practice/Range of Functions: Role as a MA-C is to administer medications While fulfilling these job duties you should not be simultaneously performing patient care duties Ex. Personal hygiene, elimination, transporting, etc. Avoid getting distracted while distributing and administer medications….distractions equate to mistakes.

Questions…