65G-7.003. Medication Administration Trainer Requirements

(1) RNs or LPNs must receive Agency approval before providing or offering to provide either of the following two medication administration courses to MAP applicants:

(a) Basic Medication Administration Training; or

(b) Prescribed Enteral Formula Administration Training.

(2) Trainer Eligibility: To be eligible for approval to provide either medication administration course, individuals must:

(a) Be licensed or authorized to practice nursing by the State of Florida pursuant to chapter 464, F.S.;

(b) Apply on a “Medication Administration Trainer Application Form,” APD Form 65G-7.003 A, effective December 2018 adopted and incorporated herein, which may be obtained at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-10589. The application must include the full address, email address, and telephone number of the applicant, and his or her name, nursing license number and license expiration date. Applicants that wish to provide the prescribed enteral formula administration course must clearly indicate so on the Medication Administration Trainer Application Form.

(c) Complete the training required in subsection (5). The application for training is not considered complete until the Medication Administration Trainer Application Form indicates that the training has been successfully completed by the MCM providing the overview course.

(3) If the Agency denies an application to offer training, it will identify the reasons for the denial in writing in a notice to the applicant. This notice shall include a statement of the applicant’s due process rights to a hearing pursuant to section 120.569 and 120.57, F.S.

(4) Approved Trainers shall:

(a) Only provide training for courses which they have been approved to train;

(b) Utilize standard course curriculum provided by the Agency for all medication administration training and prescribed enteral formula administration training, with the exception of providers utilizing previously approved web-based curriculums as of July 1, 2018. Such web-based providers may continue to utilize those web-based courses, so long as the curriculum continues to meet curriculum standards as set forth in rule 65G-7.0033, F.A.C. Otherwise, the Agency-provided curriculums are the only course curriculums that may be utilized for training MAP applicants. Failure to teach the curriculum to the Agency standards and requirements as set forth in rule 65G-7.0033, F.A.C. shall subject the trainer’s approval to disciplinary action, including revocation of approval;

(c) Submit proof of nursing license renewal to their Regional Office MCM within 30 days of renewal in order to maintain approval for training. The proof of nursing license renewal may be submitted via email, by mail or other delivery, or in person;

(d) Inform the Regional Office within 30 days of occurrence when the Trainer’s nursing license is revoked, or the Trainer otherwise loses the authority to practice nursing in the State of Florida.  If the Trainer’s nursing license is revoked or if the Trainer otherwise loses the authority to practice nursing in the State of Florida, the approved Trainer shall immediately be removed from any training he or she may be scheduled to provide; 

(e) Notify the Regional Office within 30 days of any changes to the Trainer’s contact information, including telephone number, email address, or mailing address;

(f) Provide a schedule of training courses to the local Regional Office MCMs and any other Regional Office MCMs in whose areas their course may be provided. This schedule must include all courses, including place, date, and time. If a course is scheduled or changed after the training dates have been provided, an email including the updated place, date, and time of the course to any Agency Office previously notified as soon as the course is scheduled is sufficient. If a Trainer works for an entity that employs Trainers for the purpose of providing this training, the entity may submit the course dates to the Regional Office for the Trainer. The Trainer is responsible for ensuring the course schedule is provided to the Regional Office;

(g) Make provision for Agency employees to observe their training upon request. This requirement includes Trainers providing web-based distance learning courses. The Agency shall randomly attend training to ensure that Trainers are meeting the requirements of the provided Agency curriculum. In addition, the Agency shall attend trainings if specific complaints have been received regarding the training to ensure that Trainers are meeting the requirements of the provided Agency curriculum.

(h) Maintain a copy of a training roster for each course provided, including a list of attendees, and a list of attendees who successfully completed the course, beginning on July 1, 2019. These documents must be maintained for at least two years.

(5) All Trainers must attend:

(a) An Initial Training providing an overview of chapter 65G-7, F.A.C., provided by a Regional Office MCM before the application to provide medication administration training is approved. Locations and information on how to attend this training can be obtained from the Regional Office. Contact information for each Regional Office may be found at www.apdcares.org/locations;

(b) An Annual Update Training course provided by a Regional Office MCM, which is due no later than December 31st of each year. Trainers approved within 6 months prior to December 31st may forego taking the annual update until the year following the year the Trainer is initially approved.

(6) The Agency shall assign a Trainer Number to each Approved Trainer that the Trainer must display on all materials used in connection with the courses taught. The individual who has obtained a Trainer Number is authorized to teach medication administration courses, prescribed enteral formula administration courses, or both throughout the State of Florida.

(7) Any Approved Trainer who has received a Trainer Number prior to January 1, 2019, may continue to provide training using the most current curriculum provided by the Agency. The Trainer shall not be required to attend the initial chapter 65G-7, F.A.C. overview mentioned in paragraph (5)(a). The Trainer shall be required to attend the Annual Update Training described in paragraph (5)(b).

(8) The Agency shall deny a Trainer’s application for failure to comply with the application or eligibility requirements or for any of the following:

(a) Obtaining or attempting to obtain approval through fraud, deceit, false statements, or misrepresentation of material facts, whether such statements are made knowingly or negligently;

(b) Failing to provide complete and accurate information in the initial application for approval or in any request for information from the Agency during the application process;

(c) Failing to notify the Agency within 30 days of a change in the information required for approval, including contact and address information;

(d) Failing to provide information regarding the applicant’s eligibility requirements or providing information indicating that the applicant does not meet eligibility requirements. Nursing licenses or authorizations in current but inactive status must be updated to active status before an approval may be provided.

(9) Failure to comply with chapter 393.506, F.S., or any provision of chapter 65G-7, F.A.C., shall subject the Trainer’s approval to disciplinary action, including use of a corrective action plan, suspension, or revocation of the Trainer’s approval. If revoked, the Trainer shall not subsequently be approved to provide medication administration training or prescribed enteral formula administration training. The Agency may take action against a Trainer’s approval if the Trainer fails to comply with chapter 393.506, F.S., or chapter 65G-7, F.A.C., including any of the following actions or omissions:

(a) Obtaining or attempting to obtain approval through fraud, deceit, false statements, or misrepresentation of material facts, whether such statements are made knowingly or negligently;

(b) Failing to provide complete and accurate information in the initial application for approval or in any notification of change in information, including contact information;

(c) Failing to notify the Agency within 30 days of a change in the information required for approval;

(d) Falsifying any records regarding the course;

(e) Failing to attend the required annual review through a Regional Office;

(f) Failing to maintain any required records regarding the course, including attendance, hours of training, date of course, name of course, and any other persons assisting the Trainer;

(g) Failing to maintain the course curriculum in the format and content provided by the Agency, with the exception that a Trainer may make minor alterations to the format when developing a web-based curriculum;

(h) Permitting Trainers who are not currently actively licensed or authorized to practice nursing by the State of Florida to provide training;

(i) Permitting individuals who have not been approved by the Agency to provide training;

(j) Failing to notify the Agency of individuals who are providing training that the Trainer knows are not approved by the Agency;

(k) Permitting individuals who have had their approval revoked to provide training;

(l) Providing training while not currently licensed or authorized to practice nursing by the State of Florida or providing training after the nursing license or authorization has been revoked or otherwise acted upon by the State of Florida;

(m) Failing to notify the local Regional Office in a region in which their course may be provided of all scheduled medication administration training courses, including place, date, and time;

(n) Sharing the course exam with persons not participating in the course in any form, including on the internet, or to a student prior to the student taking the exam;

(o) Providing training that the Agency determines does not meet the standards set forth pursuant to rule 65G-7.0033, F.A.C.;

(p) Failing to provide simulation of all approved routes of medication administration during a medication administration course, unless the course is web-based and the simulation will be provided by the Validating Trainer under the supervision or direction of the Medication Administration Trainer.

(10) Training Certificates:

(a) Certificate Requirements for Trainer: Upon successful completion of the Initial Training and the Annual Update Training, the Agency shall issue the Trainer a completed Certificate of Completion. The Certification shall include the Trainer Number issued by the Agency. Trainers who have successfully completed the Initial Training or the Annual Update Training must maintain the original Certificate indicating successful completion of training and provide it to the Agency upon request.

(b) Certificate Requirements for MAP Applicants: 

1. Upon successful completion of the Basic Medication Administration examination, the Trainer shall issue the examinee a completed Certificate of Completion for Basic Medication Administration Training, APD Form 65G-7.003 B, effective December 2018, adopted and incorporated herein, which may be obtained at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-10590. The Certificate shall contain the name of the Trainer, the Agency-assigned Trainer Number, date(s) of course administration, name of the examinee, and the signature of the Trainer. Upon successful completion of the validation by simulation and the course exam, the Trainer shall issue the examinee a partially completed Basic Medication Administration Validation Certificate, APD Form 65G-7.003 C, effective April 2019, adopted and incorporated herein, which may be obtained at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-10591. This Validation Certificate Form shall reflect the examinee’s successful completion of the validation by simulation only and may not be issued prior to the successful completion of the exam.

2. Upon successful completion of the Prescribed Enteral Formula Medication Administration examination, the Trainers shall issue the examinee a completed Prescribed Enteral Formula Administration Certificate of Completion, APD Form 65G-7.003 D, effective April 2019, adopted and incorporated herein, which may be obtained at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-10592. 

3. The Certificate(s) shall contain the following:

a. Trainer’s name and Trainer Number;

b. Trainer’s nursing license number and date of expiration;

c. Date(s) of course;

d. Name of the student; and

e. Signature of Trainer.

4. Trainers shall not substitute a different form for the certificate forms listed in paragraph (10)(b).

Rulemaking Authority 393.501, 393.506 FS. Law Implemented 393.506 FS. History–New 3-30-08, Amended 7-1-19.