1. (a) Unless an individual is certified under this section:

   1. (1) the individual may not practice as a qualified medication aide or a certified nurse aide; and
   2. (2) a facility may not employ the individual as a qualified medication aide or a certified nurse aide.

2. (b) The state department shall do the following:

   1. (1) Establish a program for the certification of qualified medication aides and certified nurse aides who work in facilities licensed under this article.
   2. (2) Prescribe education and training programs for qualified medication aides and certified nurse aides, including course and inservice requirements. The training program must include a competency test that the individual must pass before being granted an initial certification.
   3. (3) Determine the standards concerning the functions that may be performed by a qualified medication aide and a certified nurse aide.
   4. (4) Establish annual certification fees for qualified medication aides.
   5. (5) Adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 necessary to implement and enforce this section.

3. (c) The state department shall maintain a registry of each individual who is:

   1. (1) certified as a:

      1. (A) qualified medication aide; or
      2. (B) certified nurse aide; or
   2. (2) registered as a home health aide under rules adopted under IC 16-27-1-7 .

4. (d) The department may conduct hearings for violations of this section under IC 4-21.5 .

   [Pre-1993 Recodification Citation: 16-10-4-5.5.]

As added by P.L.2-1993, SEC.11. Amended by P.L.24-2002, SEC.1; P.L.156-2011, SEC.23; P.L.226-2011, SEC.5.