One Simple Form That Keeps Your ALF in Compliance – Don’t Skip It!
Running an assisted living facility (ALF) in Florida means following a lot of rules, but some are easier to handle than others. One of the simplest – yet often overlooked – is making sure residents (or their representatives) sign the Informed Consent to Assistance with Medication by Unlicensed Personnel form.
It’s a quick and easy step, but skipping it could put your facility out of compliance. Let’s break down why it matters and how to make sure your ALF is covered.
Why Is This Form Important?
Florida’s 59A-36.006 regulation states that if a resident needs assistance with self-administering their medication, the facility must:
Inform them of who will be assisting (licensed or unlicensed staff)
Obtain written consent if unlicensed staff will be helping
This isn’t just a best practice—it’s a legal requirement. Having this form signed and stored in a resident’s file ensures your facility stays in compliance and avoids issues during inspections.
What Does “Assistance” Actually Mean?
Unlicensed staff can:
Bring medications to the resident
Read prescription labels
Open medication containers
Hand the medication to the resident
Apply topical creams
Unlicensed staff cannot:
Give injections
Put medication directly in the resident’s mouth
Calculate or adjust dosages
Administer medications through a feeding tube
If unlicensed staff are assisting, the form must be signed before they provide any help.
Where Can You Get the Form?
Most facilities already have a copy, but if you need one, here’s the official sample form used in Florida:
INFORMED CONSENT TO ASSISTANCE WITH MEDICATION BY UNLICENSED PERSONNEL
Assisted living facility (ALF) law permits an ALF to administer medications to residents if the facility has a licensed nurse on staff, or to assist residents with self-administered medication (‘ 400.4256, F.S.).
Under ALF law, “assistance with self-administered medication” means that trained, unlicensed staff can help a resident by:
- Bringing the medication to the resident
- Reading a prescription label
- Removing a prescribed amount of medication from the container
- Placing the medication in the resident’s hand or another container
- Helping the resident lift it to their mouth
- Applying topical medications
- Returning the medication to storage
- Keeping a record of medications that the resident has self-administered
“Assistance with self-administration” does not include:
- Calculating dosages
- Administering injections
- Putting medications directly into a resident’s mouth
- Performing any task requiring judgment or discretion
The unlicensed individual assisting must have completed a 4-hour training course and demonstrated their competency.
In our facility, staff assisting residents with self-administration:
☐ Will be overseen by a licensed nurse
☐ Will not be overseen by a licensed nurse
I, [Resident Name], have been informed of this policy and agree to have trained, unlicensed facility staff assist me in self-administering my medications.
Resident or Representative Signature: ___________________________
Date: ________________
Stay Compliant – Get Every Resident’s Signature!
This one simple form can prevent compliance issues and keep your facility operating smoothly. Make sure it’s part of your admission process and that a signed copy is kept in each resident’s file.
Need help keeping track of compliance requirements? Let’s make sure your ALF stays on top of all the rules—without the stress!
