Medication Aide
Effective 05/06/08 application, renewal, and testing fees will be $18.00.
A Medication Aide (MA) may assist (1) competent individuals, (2) caretakers who are parents, foster parents, family, friends or legal guardians, and (3) licensed health care professionals to administer medications. A medication aide must be on the Medication Aide Registry kept by the Licensing & Regulatory Affairs Division. (continued description)
Medication Aide continued...
A medication aide must have demonstrated basic competency in the provision of medication according to the "five rights" to qualify for placement on the registry. Medication aides who provide medications in a nursing home, ICF-MR, or an assisted living facility must also have completed a course and passed a state administered examination.The administration of medication is a regulated activity. Medication aides may only provide medications under circumstances when a competent individual, a caretaker, or licensed health care professional provides direction and monitoring. The medication aide is responsible to get the right drug to the right recipient in the right dosage by the right route at the right time (five rights). The individual providing direction and monitoring is responsible to observe and take appropriate action regarding any desired effects, side effects, interactions, and contraindications associated with the medication.
Exceptions to the Regulation of Medication Administration
Individuals who provide medications in child care settings and schools must have demonstrated competence in the provision of medication but are not required to be on the medication aide registry. The
Medication Aide Act does not apply to medications administered in the home unless provided by a licensed home health agency or through certified home and community-based providers. The Act also does not apply to the administration of medication in foster family homes, group homes, child-caring agencies and child placing agencies.
To qualify for placement on registry as a Medication Aide, an applicant must:
- Have demonstrated the minimum competencies for placement on the registry;
- Be at least 18 years of age; and
- Be of good moral character.
To qualify for placement on the registry as a Medication Aide 40 Hour an applicant must:
- Have demonstrated the minimum competencies for placement on the registry;
- Be at least 18 years of age;
- Be of good moral character;
- Have completed a 40 hour course; and
- Have passed an examination administered by the department.
Procedures to Apply for Registration
To apply for registration as a Medication Aide, you must:
- Submit an
- Pay an application fee of $18 (this fee is non-refundable)
- Provide an official record documenting demonstration of minimum competency in medication provision. (Documentation of
To apply for registration as a Medication Aide 40 Hour, you must:
- Submit an
- Pay an application fee of $18 (this fee is non-refundable)
- Provide an official record documenting demonstration of minimum competency in medication provision.(Documentation of
- Provide an official record showing successful completion of a 40-hour medication course. (Documentation of
- Pay the $18 examination fee and successfully complete the state administered examination for Medication Aides - 40 Hour. Application for testing, registration and schedule of 2008 exam dates and locations. You do not need to take any action to demonstrate successful completion of the examination as the records are maintained in the department.
Medication aides, child care providers, and staff members of schools must demonstrate competency in the provision of medication. Prior to placement of a medication aide on the registry, documentation of
The competencies include recognition of:
- Recipient’s right to privacy and confidentiality;
- Recipient’s right to refuse;
- Hygiene and infection control standards;
- Appropriate policies/procedures for medication storage and handling;
- General unsafe conditions;
- Accurate documentation standards;
- The five rights of medication administration;
- Specialty needs of recipients;
- Adverse reactions;
- Safe medication provision for the oral, topical, inhalation and instillation routes;
- The legal limits of the medication aide role;
- Reporting responsibility for suspected adult abuse;
- Reporting responsibility for suspected child neglect or abuse; and
- The recipient’s property rights and physical boundaries.
Medication aides who provide medications in a nursing home, an ICF-MR, or an assisted living facility must pass a state-administered examination testing minimum competency for medication provision. The examination is administered at various locations across the state on a monthly basis. (See schedule of 2008 written exam dates and locations) There is a $18 examination fee. Passing score is 72% or greater. Individuals will not be notified of exam scores unless they fail the exam. Once all the requirements have been met, an individual will be placed on the Medication Aide Registry and will be issued a medication aide card.
To apply to take the examination, you must:
- Submit an
- Pay the testing fee of $18.
Effective 05/06/08 application and renewal fees will be $18.00
These forms may be completed online, however, they cannot be submitted via e-mail due to the fact that all applications and forms require original signatures. If you complete the form online, you must print the form and mail it to the address listed.
Licensing & Regulatory Affairs
Medication Aides
PO Box 94986
Lincoln, NE 68509-4986
(2008 schedule of written exam dates and locations)
**PLEASE NOTE APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE TEST DATE
All medication aide registrations shall expire two years after the date of registration. Renewal notices will be mailed to individuals at least 90 days prior to their expiration date. To renew, a medication aide must complete the information required on the renewal application and or
Provision of Medications by a Medication Aide
The administration of medication is a regulated activity. Administration of medication includes three components:
- The physical act of taking/providing/applying a medication;
- Documentation of the physical act (in some circumstances); and
- Monitoring the therapeutic effects of the medication and taking appropriate action.
All of the components of administration may be performed by a recipient with the capability and capacity to make informed decision about medications, a caretaker (parents, foster parents, family, friends or legal guardians), or by a licensed health care professional. There are circumstances under which it is appropriate and desirable for recipients, caretakers, and licensed health care professionals to receive help with the administration of medication. Medication Aides provide this help by performing the first two components of administration.
Medication aides may provide medications according to the five rights and document the provision only when a recipient with capability and capacity, a caretaker, or a licensed health care professional has authorized such provision and agrees to provide monitoring of the therapeutic effects of the medication and direction to the medication aide.
When direction and monitoring is provided, medication aides may provide routine medications by the oral, inhalation, topical and instillation routes. Routine medications are those for which the frequency of administration of medication, and the amount, strength, and method of administration is specifically fixed. Under certain conditions medication aides may be authorized to provide PRN medications, medications by additional routes, and to participate in monitoring.
Please note that individuals must have an active registration in order to provide medications. Individuals who provide medications without an active registration are subject to a penalty fee.
Medication Aide 40 Hour Course
Medication Aides working in Assisted Living Facilities, ICF-MR Facilities or Nursing Homes are required to complete a 40 hour course on the competencies required for the provision of medication. The courses are typically offered by facilities and the community colleges. The State of Nebraska does not have a listing of available courses. Interested persons should contact a prospective employer or community college for further information.
Nursing students can meet the course requirements by having an instructor in an approved program verify that the student has completed coursework related to the competencies. Applicants from other states can meet the course requirements by providing a record of course completion in the other state as long as their course consisted of at least 40 hours. Nursing students and out-of-state applicants who meet the course requirement are still required to demonstrate competency and take and pass the state-administered examination.
Medication Aide 40 Hour from another state
The following is needed to become a Medication Aide 40-hour from another State:
**PLEASE NOTE APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO TEST DATE- Total Fees of $36.00:
Explanation of the above forms:
- Fees: $18.00 for the testing and $18.00 for registration and you can make out one check for both.
All of the above forms are enclosed or you can go to our web site at: www.dhhs.ne.gov/crl/nursing/ma/ma.htm
Medication Aide 40 Hour - Nursing Students
Nursing Student who wants to become a Medication Aide 40-hour:
**PLEASE NOTE APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO TEST DATE- Total Fees of $36.00:
Explanation of the above forms:
- Fees: $18.00 for the testing and $18.00 for registration and you can make out one check for both.
All of the above forms are enclosed or you can go to our web site at: www.dhhs.ne.gov/crl/nursing/ma/ma.htm
Rules and Regulations/Statutes
To request an address change, you can contact Kathy Eberly at (402) 471-4364 or E-Mail at kathy.eberly@dhhs.ne.gov. If you wish to change your name on your Licensing & Regulatory Affairs record, you must mail a
Licensing & Regulatory Affairs
Nursing Support
PO Box 94986
Lincoln, NE 68509-4986
| Mailing Address | Physical Address |
| Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services - Regulation and
Licensure Licensing & Regulatory Affairs PO Box 94986 Lincoln, NE 68509-4986 |
Nebraska State Office Building 301 Centennial Mall South 14th and M Streets 3rd Floor Lincoln, Nebraska |
Phone: (402) 471-4364
Fax: (402) 471-1066Office Hours:
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (central time)
Monday through FridayApplication/Testing/Medication Aide Registry
Kathy Eberly, Health Licensing Specialist
Phone: (402) 471-4364
E-Mail: kathy.eberly@dhhs.ne.govTeresa Luse, Health Licensing Specialist
Phone: (402) 471-4910
E-Mail: teresa.luse@dhhs.ne.govMedication Aide Role/Practice Standards
Marletta Stark, Program Manager
Phone: (402) 471-4969
E-Mail: marletta.stark@dhhs.ne.gov
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