63M-2.031. Youth Self-Administration of Oral Medication Assissted by Trained Non-Licensed Staff

(1) Pursuant to Chapter 64B9-14, F.A.C. (Delegation to Unlicensed Assistive Personnel), a Registered Nurse may delegate non-licensed trained staff (the Unlicensed Assistive Personnel) to serve as assistant to the Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse with the youth’s self-administration of medication(s).

(2) Non-licensed staff shall provide medications to youth for self-administration only when there is no licensed health care professional staff on-site.

(3) Each facility shall implement training of non-licensed staff members and validation of his or her ability to assist with the delivery, supervision, and oversight of the youth’s self-administration of medication.

(4) Training of non-licensed staff to assist youth with self-administration of oral medications shall only be conducted by a Registered Nurse or higher licensure level. A Registered Nurse or higher licensure level shall determine the trained non-licensed staff member’s competency.

(5) The Registered Nurse must supervise the trained staff member by periodically performing direct observation of skills, inspecting the Medication Administration Record(s) and the required documentation assigned to the staff member.

(6) The non-licensed staff member assisting youth with self-administration of medications shall not perform any additional facility duties during medication delivery.

(7) The non-licensed staff member shall assist youth with self-administration of medication within one hour of the scheduled time of the ordered medication.

(8) Self-administration of medications by non-licensed staff shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(a) Assist no more than one youth at a time with medication;

(b) Wash his or her hands prior to medication delivery;

(c) Remove the prescription container from the storage area, holding the container;

(d) Maintain control of the medication container at all times;

(e) Direct the individual youth to approach the area for medication administration when called;

(f) Compare the youth with the photograph attached to the MAR and confirm the youth’s identity verbally;

(g) The youth and staff member together identify and verify the medication the youth is to take by checking the label and comparing the label to the Medication Administration Record. The staff member shall not permit youth to take any medication that has a discrepancy between the medication prescription label and the MAR.

(h) Confirm the allergy status of the youth and question the youth about any possible side effects or adverse reactions to the medication.

(i) Remove the medication from the container while the youth observes and hand the youth the exact amount of ordered medication. When the medication is a liquid, the staff member shall pour the exact volume of liquid ordered into a measured container and hand it to the youth.

(j) Shall directly observe that the youth actually swallows the medication.

(k) Both the youth and the staff member shall initial that the dosage was given.

Rulemaking Authority 985.64(2) FS. Law Implemented 985.64(2), 985.145, 985.18 FS. History–New 3-16-14.