Assistance with Medication the Client Self-Administers
Sets the limits of medication help by home care aides under Cal. Health & Safety Code §1796.12(n): aides may assist only with medication the client self-administers and never with medication that needs administration or oversight by a licensed health care professional. Covers deciding whether a client self-administers, what aides may and may not do, recording, refusals and errors, storage, and changes.
About this policy
- Policy number
- CA-HC-SVC-03
- Version
- 1.0
- Main rule
- Cal. Health & Safety Code §1796.12(n)
- Library
- California home care · 50 policies
- Category
- Clinical tasks
- Sections
- 19
In short
- Help with medicine only if the client takes it themselves and the service plan says so.
- You may remind, bring the bottle, open it, read the label and steady the client's hand. Never give the medicine or put it in the client's mouth.
- Never fill pill boxes, crush pills, or give drops, inhalers, patches, creams or injections.
- Write down every reminder and whether the client took or refused the medicine.
- Call the office the same day about refusals, missed doses or side effects. For a wrong dose, call 911 if the client is in danger, otherwise Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
What's inside
19 sections. The full text comes with the One-time Policy Pack.
- Terms of Reference
- 1. Purpose
- 2. Scope
- 3. Definitions
- 4. Policy Statement (Cal. Health & Safety Code §1796.12(n))
- 5. Deciding Whether a Client Self-Administers
- 6. What Aides May Do
- 7. What Aides May Not Do
- 8. Recording Medication Assistance
- 9. Refusals, Missed Doses and Possible Errors
- 10. Storage and Safety
- 11. When the Client Cannot Self-Administer
- 12. Responsibilities
- 13. Records and Compliance Monitoring
- 14. Staff Training
- 15. References
- 16. Related Policies and Forms
- 17. Approval
- 18. Revision History
An inspector may ask
- What do your aides do when a client takes medication during a visit?
- How do you decide whether a client is able to self-administer?
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