title: Medication Assistant-Certification Program in Washington State: Barriers to implementation.
abstract: Medication assistants (MAs) are a legal alternative that enables licensed nurses to safely delegate medication administration to stable residents in non-acute settings. The purpose of this study was to query the beliefs and understanding of skilled nursing facility staff regarding the Washington State Medication Assistant Endorsement Program (MAEP). A 15-item survey was developed and administered to a convenience sample of 218 nursing staff from five eastern Washington nursing homes. Most believed that MAs would not change the cost of care, nor would they enhance or reduce the quality of care provided to residents in skilled nursing facilities. The relatively few Licensed Practical Nurses surveyed (n = 19) were the least in favor of MAs, possibly fearing job loss with the addition of MAs to the staffing mix at their facilities. These factors in combination may reflect why MAEP has not yet been embraced by providers in Washington State.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Human Physiology, Gonzaga University, USA.
authors.forename: Alice E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Dupler
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Human Physiology, Gonzaga University, USA. Electronic address: crogan@gonzaga.edu.
authors.forename: Neva L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Crogan
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Human Physiology, Gonzaga University, USA.
authors.forename: Mirjeta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beqiri
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000451:nursing; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence; D009728:Nursing Assistants; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000600:supply & distribution; D032024:Personnel Delegation / Q000458:organization & administration; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014861:Washington
keywords: Medication assistants; Nursing homes; Quality of care