Role and Permitted Duties Flashcards

A resident's care plan requires the administration of a prescribed medicated eye drop. Which of the following actions is a permitted duty of a certified Medication Aide?

Answer: Instilling the correct number of eye drops into the conjunctival sac.

A certified Medication Aide's primary role is to administer medications via approved routes as prescribed. This includes safely and correctly instilling eye drops. Assessing, making clinical judgments (like determining the need for a PRN dose), and taking verbal orders from a physician are duties of a licensed nurse and are outside the Medication Aide's scope of practice.

A Medication Aide is preparing to administer morning medications. A resident, who is normally alert and cooperative, suddenly becomes confused and refuses their blood pressure medication. What is the Medication Aide's MOST appropriate action?

Answer: Document the refusal and report the change in the resident's condition to the supervising nurse immediately.

The Medication Aide's role includes observing for changes in a resident's condition and reporting them promptly to the supervising nurse. A sudden change in mental status is a significant finding that must be reported. Administering medication without consent or by hiding it is improper and unsafe. The nurse must assess the resident's change in condition before the medication is administered.

Which of the following tasks is considered outside the scope of practice for a certified Medication Aide?

Answer: Calculating the dosage for a liquid antibiotic based on the resident's weight.

Medication Aides are prohibited from performing tasks that require nursing judgment, such as dosage calculations. Their role is to administer pre-measured doses. While some states may allow insulin administration with specific training, dosage calculation is consistently outside their scope. Applying topical creams and documenting administration are permitted duties.

The 'Five Rights' of medication administration are a fundamental principle of safety. Which of the following is NOT one of the standard 'Five Rights'?

Answer: Right Diagnosis

The standard 'Five Rights' of medication administration are: Right Patient, Right Drug, Right Dose, Right Route, and Right Time. While understanding the reason for the medication (related to the diagnosis) is important, 'Right Diagnosis' is not one of the core five safety checks performed immediately before administration.

A supervising nurse has delegated the task of administering a routine oral medication to a resident. As a Medication Aide, you must legally work under the supervision of a licensed nurse. This is an example of which legal and ethical principle?

Answer: Delegation

Delegation is the process by which a licensed nurse authorizes a competent individual, such as a Medication Aide, to perform a specific nursing task in a specific situation, while retaining accountability for the outcome. The Medication Aide's authority to administer medication stems from this delegated authority.

After administering a medication, what is the Medication Aide's primary responsibility regarding documentation?

Answer: Immediately and accurately record the administration in the resident's Medication Administration Record (MAR).

Proper documentation is a critical and required duty. The Medication Aide must accurately document the medication administration immediately after it is given. This ensures the resident's record is current, prevents medication errors (like double-dosing), and provides a legal record of care. Waiting to chart, having someone else chart, or incomplete charting are all unsafe practices.