Analysis of Employed Medication Aides in All Health Care Settings

As nursing practice changes, the activities performed by those who assist nurses may change. Periodic job analyses provide a means of identifying the activities delegated to and performed by medication aides/assistants (MAs) and should address the competencies needed to practice safely and effectively to protect the public. This article provides the results of a nonexperimental, descriptive study conducted to explore the frequency and importance of activities performed by certified, entry-level MAs. More than 1,800 MAs provided valid responses. In general, importance ratings were comparable across work settings, years of experience, and geographic locations. Results of this study can be used to determine MA practice across a variety of work settings and to identify core MA activities necessary for safe and effective practice.