Youngstown Daily Legal News

Bill would allow nurses to distribute routine meds more efficiently

TIFFANY L. PARKS
Special to the Legal News
Published: October 30, 2013

A pair of state lawmakers are looking to get a bill signed into law that would allow certain advanced practice registered nurses the ability to delegate the administration of medications to other qualified medical assistants.

“House Bill 301 would streamline the administration of medicine so that routine medications could be provided significantly faster, but just as safely, to patients in need,” said Rep. Heather Bishoff.

Bishoff, D-Blacklick, is jointly sponsoring the measure with Rep. Dorothy Pelanda, R-Marysville.

The pair introduced the bill into the legislature earlier this month and its first hearing before the House Health and Aging committee was Wednesday.

According to a bill summary, current law gives physicians the authority to administer drugs.

Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses are permitted to do so in limited circumstances such as some residential care settings.

HB 301 would permit an advanced practice registered nurse, or APRN, to delegate to a person not otherwise authorized to administer drugs the authority to administer a drug to a specified patient if certain conditions are met.

The APRN would have to be a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife or certified nurse practitioner and hold a certificate to prescribe issued by the Ohio Board of Nursing.

“Allowing APRNs to advise professionally-trained medical staff to administer immunizations, flu shots and other routine medications will quicken visit times for families and better utilize our doctors’ offices potential for productivity and efficiency,” Bishoff said.

“This bill is a win-win for our patients and our doctors’ offices.”

If the bill is enacted, the bill summary states that prior to delegating the authority to administer a drug, an APRN would have to assess a patient and determine that the drug is appropriate for that individual.

“The APRN must also determine that the person to whom the authority will be delegated has met the condition of having successfully completed education based on a recognized body of knowledge concerning drug administration and demonstrated to the person’s employer the knowledge, skills and ability to administer the drug safely,” the summary states.

“The delegation must be in accordance with standards and procedures established in rules adopted by the board.”

Pelanda said HB 301 is not “new territory” as the nurse practice act already permits medication administration in nursing homes and certain facilities for the developmentally disabled by individuals who are not nurses.

“Those sections of law were enacted to ensure medications were timely administered in those facilities where there were not always enough nurses available,” she said.

“HB 301 is not intended to replace those sections of existing law but will address settings where registered nurses are not on hand to administer the medication and the antacids, insulin shots and allergens for patch testing.”

Bishoff said HB 301 includes a number of safeguards designed to deflect any potential wrongdoing.

“Safeguards include, specifying that no controlled substances or drugs administered intravenously could be delegated (and) the bill is only applicable to APRNs who have the ability to prescribe,” she said.

Bishoff also said employers of the medical assistant or individual administering the medication must ensure that the individual has successfully completed education on drug administration and demonstrates the knowledge, skills and ability to administer the drug safely.

“The APRN must also determine that the individual is competent to administer the medication before delegating, as APRN’s and the employer’s licenses are ultimately liable,” she said.

The proposal has been endorsed by the Ohio Nurses Association, the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses and the Ohio Emergency Nurses Association.

Pelanda said the measure is designed to move Ohio “toward a more efficient health care system that seeks to remove unnecessary barriers yet sets forth safeguards to ensure Ohioans receive the best health care possible.”

HB 301 has gained bipartisan support from Reps. Ron Hood, Louis Blessing III, Andrew Brenner, Nickie Antonio, Alicia Reece and Teresa Fedor.

The bill has not been scheduled for additional hearings.

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