Two new bills aimed at expanding the permissions of certified nursing assistants (CNAs), including the ability to administer routine medications, have advanced in Florida’s House and Senate.
Senate Bill 558 and House Bill 351 would free up time for nurses for more advanced patient care by permitting CNAs to become trained as “qualified medication aides,” allowing them to administer routine medications and perform tasks such as checking residents’ blood glucose levels.
Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) chief executive officer Emmett Reed told The Capitolist that the legislation would help address the historic nursing workforce shortage by enhancing job satisfaction for nurses and offering CNAs opportunities to earn higher wages and broaden their career paths in nursing.
“When nurses can concentrate on higher-level care, they can better detect medical conditions early, leading to more successful treatment outcomes and fewer costly trips to the hospital for residents,” Reed said.
The bills could also help skilled nursing operators develop career paths for CNAs, since CNAs with at least one year of experience would be eligible for additional training to become a qualified medication aide.
According to The Capitolist, FHCA is also advocating for litigation reform in the long-term care sector to address the “sue-to-settle” climate, which operators say diverts resources necessary for investing in quality care and damages staff morale.
Reed expressed the need for continued support from lawmakers to address the long-term care sector’s ongoing economic and staffing challenges.
“The investments we make now will help us forge ahead toward our goals of improving quality, strengthening our workforce, and ensuring that our state’s seniors and people with disabilities have access to the high-quality care they need, today and into the future,” he said.