(a)  The facility shall permit residents who are competent and physically able to self-administer to self-administer their medications if the following requirements are met:

(1)           the self-administration is ordered by a physician or other person legally authorized to prescribe medications in North Carolina and documented in the resident’s record; and

(2)           specific instructions for administration of prescription medications are printed on the medication label.

(b)  When there is a change in the resident’s mental or physical ability to self-administer or resident non-compliance with the physician’s orders or the facility’s medication policies and procedures, the facility shall notify the physician.  A resident’s right to refuse medications does not imply the inability of the resident to self-administer medications.