Washington Revised Code Title 18. Businesses and Professions § 18.88A.082. Medication assistant endorsement--Requirements

(a) Ongoing certification as a nursing assistant-certified in good standing under this chapter;

(b) Completion of a minimum number of hours of documented work experience as a nursing assistant-certified in a long-term care setting as defined in rule by the *commission;

(c) Successful completion of an education and training program approved by the *commission by rule, such as the model medication assistant-certified curriculum adopted by the national council of state boards of nursing. The education and training program must include training on the specific tasks listed in subsection (2) of this section as well as training on identifying tasks that a medication assistant may not perform under subsection (4) of this section;

(d) Passage of an examination approved by the *commission by rule, such as the medication aide competency examination available through the national council of state boards of nursing; and

(e) Continuing competency requirements as defined in rule by the *commission.

(a) The administration of medications orally, topically, and through inhalation;

(b) The performance of simple prescriber-ordered treatments, including blood glucose monitoring, noncomplex clean dressing changes, pulse oximetry reading, and oxygen administration, to be defined by the *commission by rule; and

(c) The documentation of the tasks in this subsection (2) on applicable medication or treatment forms.

(a) In a nursing home;

(b) Under the direct supervision of a designated registered nurse who is on-site and immediately accessible during the medication assistant's shift. The registered nurse shall assess the resident prior to the medication assistant administering medications or treatments and determine whether it is safe to administer the medications or treatments. The judgment and decision to administer medications or treatments is retained by the registered nurse; and

(c) If, while functioning as a medication assistant, the primary responsibility of the medication assistant is performing the additional tasks. The *commission may adopt rules regarding the medication assistant's primary responsibilities and limiting the duties, within the scope of practice of a nursing assistant-certified, that a nursing assistant-certified may perform while functioning as a medication assistant.

(a) Accept telephone or verbal orders from a prescriber;

(b) Calculate medication dosages;

(c) Inject any medications;

(d) Perform any sterile task;

(e) Administer medications through a tube;

(f) Administer any Schedule I, II, or III controlled substance; or

(g) Perform any task that requires nursing judgment.