An all-too-common problem in senior living facilities is errors related to medication administration. When there is a med error such as giving expired meds, giving too much/too little meds or incorrectly distributing the medication it creates many different problems for both the consumer and the provider. Typically, a facility will have to launch an investigation into why the med error happened and create a plan to ensure it does not happen again. Depending on the severity of the med error an employee may be suspended or even terminated for their lapse in judgment. Due to the significance of proper medication administration only qualified individuals can play a role in the process. For information as to who can administer medications check out the following regulation provided by Virginia DOSS:
22VAC40-73-670. Qualifications and supervision of staff administering medications.
When staff administers medications to residents, the following standards shall apply:
- Each staff person who administers medication shall be authorized by § 54.1-3408 of the Virginia Drug Control Act. All staff responsible for medication administration shall:
- Be licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to administer medications; or
- Be registered with the Virginia Board of Nursing as a medication aide, except as specified in subdivision 2 of this section.
- Any applicant for registration as a medication aide who has provided to the Virginia Board of Nursing evidence of successful completion of the education or training course required for registration may act as a medication aide on a provisional basis for no more than 120 days before successfully completing any required competency evaluation. However, upon notification of failure to successfully complete the written examination after three attempts, an applicant shall immediately cease acting as a medication aide.
- Medication aides shall be supervised by one of the following:
- An individual employed full time at the facility who is licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to administer medications;
- The administrator who is licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to administer medications or who has successfully completed a training program approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing for the registration of medication aides. The training program for administrators who supervise medication aides, but are not registered medication aides themselves, must include a minimum of 68 hours of student instruction and training but need not include the prerequisite for the program or the written examination for registration. The administrator must also meet the requirements of 22VAC40-73-160 E; or
- For a facility licensed for residential living care only, the designated assistant administrator, as specified in 22VAC40-73-150 E, who is licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to administer medications or who has successfully completed a training program approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing for the registration of medication aides. The training program for designated assistant administrators who supervise medication aides, but are not registered medication aides themselves, must include a minimum of 68 hours of student instruction and training but need not include the prerequisite for the program or the written examination for registration. The designated assistant administrator must also meet the requirements of 22VAC40-73-160 E.
Top Takeaway:
- Each staff person who administers medication shall be authorized by § 54.1-3408 of the Virginia Drug Control Act. All staff responsible for medication administration shall:
- Be licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to administer medications; or
- Be registered with the Virginia Board of Nursing as a medication aide, except as specified in subdivision 2 of this section.
Any person signing off on medication being passed must meet these stipulations. Do not get caught in a situation where you have an unqualified person passing medications because you are short-staffed. Ensure the administrator or nursing director is registered as a medication aide to assist if you are in a pinch.