Assisted Living Nursing Practice: Medication Management: Part 2 Supervision and Monitoring of Medication Administration by Unlicensed Assistive Personnel

More than half the states permit assistance with or administration of medications by unlicensed assistive personnel or med techs. Authorization of this nursing activity (or task) is more likely because of state assisted living regulation than by support and approval of the state Board of Nursing. In many states, the definition of “assistance with” reads exactly like “administration of” thereby raising concern with regard to delegation, accountability, and liability for practice. It is, as well, a hazardous path for the assisted living nurse who must monitor and evaluate the performance of the individual performing this nursing task. This article, the second in a series on medication management, addresses delegation, standards of practice of medication administration, types of medication errors, the components of a performance evaluation tool, and a culture of safety. Maintaining professional standards of assisted living nursing practice courses throughout the suggested recommendations.