A measure that allows certified nursing assistants to administer routine medications was signed into law in Florida on Friday.
The CNAs will need training to become qualified medication aides (QMAs), a position that is intended to free up registered nurses to provide other needed care.
The measure states that the aides would be limited to administering oral, transdermal, ophthalmic, otic, inhaled or topical prescription medication, under nurse supervision.
In March, 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 passed 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 Health News Florida, certified nursing assistants seeking to qualify would need to get specified training and must have worked as a CNA for at least a year, but nursing homes won’t be able to count qualified medical aide hours toward required staffing ratios.
Companies featured in this article:
