32-1650.01. Medication assistant training programs; requirements

A. The board shall approve medication assistant training programs pursuant to this section and rules adopted by the board. An entity that applies for approval of a medication assistant training program must be either:

1. A postsecondary education institution in this state that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States department of education.

2. A postsecondary school that is licensed by the state board for private postsecondary education.

3. A long-term care facility that is licensed by the department of health services.

B. An applicant for a medication assistant training program must:

1. Submit an application on a form and in a manner prescribed by the board that shows compliance with this chapter and board rules and that is accompanied by a fee prescribed by the board by rule.

2. Implement a minimum one hundred hour curriculum that is consistent with the curriculum requirements of a board pilot program that allows licensed nursing assistants to administer medication or that is specified by the board by rule.

3. Schedule classroom instruction so that there are not more than four hours of classroom instruction in any one day.

4. Implement admission criteria that are consistent with the requirements of section 32-1650.02.

5. Screen potential students for mathematics and reading comprehension skills that are necessary to understand written material and to safely administer medications.

6. Administer at least three separate unit examinations and a comprehensive final examination that students must pass to progress in the program.

7. Provide course policies regarding attendance, clinical supervision, course completion requirements, passing examination scores and makeup examinations.

8. Ensure that each course instructor has an unrestricted registered nursing license or multistate privilege and at least forty hours of experience administering medications in a licensed long-term care facility.

9. Meet other requirements as specified by the board by rule.

C. The board or its authorized agent shall review the application and provide a written analysis of the applicant's compliance with the requirements in this section and board rules. The board shall notify the applicant of any deficiencies in the application. If the board determines that the program meets the requirements prescribed in this chapter and board rules and that approval is in the best interest of the public, the board shall approve the program for a period of not more than four years.

D. The board's authorized employees or representatives periodically may review and conduct a site visit of all approved medication assistant training programs in this state and file written reports of these reviews or site visits with the board. If the board determines that an approved medication assistant training program is not maintaining the required standards, it shall immediately give written notice to the program specifying the defects. If the defects are not corrected within a reasonable time as determined by the board, the board may take either of the following actions:

1. Restrict the program's ability to admit new students until the program complies with board standards.

2. Revoke the approval of the program for a period of two years.

E. An approved medication assistant training program must maintain accurate and current records for at least five years, including the full theoretical and practical curriculum provided to each student.

F. The training program must furnish a copy of a student's certificate of completion to the board within ten days after each student successfully completes a medication assistant training program.