Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 111, § 72W 1/2

(a) For the purposes of this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:

“Certified medication aide”, an employee of a long-term care facility that satisfies eligibility criteria established by the department and that has successfully completed the required training and competency testing developed by the department to administer medications to residents of long-term care facilities.

“Medication”, any non-narcotic, prescription or non-prescription drug that may be administered via oral, sublingual, buccal, inhalation, spray on oral mucosa, topical, nasal, ocular, or otic route.

(b) The department shall create a program for the certification, training and oversight of certified medication aides who shall be authorized to administer medications to residents of long-term care facilities. Certified medication aides shall be supervised by a licensed practical nurse, a licensed registered nurse, a licensed advanced practice registered nurse or a licensed physician, and shall be evaluated by their supervisor regularly, not less than once every 6 months.

(c) The department, in consultation with the board of registration in nursing, shall develop and approve training curricula, competency evaluation procedures and standards for qualifications of applicants for certification; provided, that such standards shall include the completion of not less than 60 hours of training on the proper administration of medication.

(d) The department shall establish regulations that include: (i) provisions for continuing education requirements; (ii) requirements for re-certification on a biennial basis; and (iii) fees for the issuance of certifications.

(e) The department shall allow for the creation of apprenticeship programs for resident care assistants and certified nurses' aides to become certified medication aides.

(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize certified medication aides to engage in prescriptive practice.

(g) The department shall promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this section.