What are other states doing about medication aides?  Currently, 28 states have medication aide programs in elder care settings. Four states and Washington D.C. have pilot programs in place and seven are considering or have introduced legislation.  Click here to view the map revealing this information in graphic format.

LSN also has prepared a spreadsheet describing our best information regarding a state-by-state breakdown of what is happening on this issue in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 

LSN has been in contact with many of our AAHSA state affiliates on this issue as well as some of our own member nurses who have worked in states that have medication aides.  These laws typically start out controversially, but end up being expanded as in Indiana, where some restrictions on what medications aides could give were changed as well as routes of administration being added.  As examples from the Indiana rules governing their Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) program, (but not being a complete list), “The following tasks are within the scope of practice for the QMA unless prohibited by facility practice:

• apply physician-ordered oral, ophthalmic, otic, nasal, vaginal and rectal medication;
• crush and administer medications if appropriate;
• count, administer and document controlled substances;
• administer medications per G-tube or J-tube.”

Click on the following to view other states regulations on medication aides: