1. A. The purpose of this section is to establish standards for the supervision/direction of medication aides; to identify basic authorized functions for the medication aide and; to identify prohibited functions for the medication aide.
2. B. Authorized functions of the medication aide - medication aides who have been certified by the New Mexico board of nursing may under the supervision/direction of a registered nurse administer routine medications.
3. (1) The medications must have been ordered by a person authorized in the state to prescribe medications.

4. (2) The medication must be prepared by the person who will administer it.

   1. (3) Medication administration errors must immediately be reported to the licensed nurse by the medication aide.
   2. (4) Adverse reactions must immediately be reported to the licensed nurse by the medication aide.
   3. (5) Administer PRN medications only after contacting and receiving authorization from licensed nurse to administer the PRN medication. Authorization is required for each individual instance of PRN administration of a medication.

5. C. Prohibited functions of the medication aide:

   1. (1) shall not administer medication by intramuscular, intravenous, subcutaneous or nasogastric routes; exception: certified medication aides may administer insulin with a prefilled insulin pen if they have successfully completed a current CMA II board approved certification program;
   2. (2) shall not take medication orders;
   3. (3) shall not alter medication dosage as ordered by the prescriber;
   4. (4) shall not perform any function or service for consumers for which a nursing license is required under the Nurse Practice Act;
   5. (5) shall not administer medication without the supervision/direction of a licensed nurse;
   6. (6) shall not administer medications in any agency other than a board approved agency.
   7. (7) shall not administer medications when medication administration requires an assessment of the patient’s need for medication, a calculation of the dosage of the medication;
   8. (8) shall not administer medication when the patient requires continued nursing assessment;
   9. (9) shall not administer medication dispensed from an automated medication dispensing system without a properly labeled container and without the direct supervision of a licensed nurse.

6. D. Supervision/direction:

   1. (1) A nurse educator shall periodically provide supervision/direction to the certified medication aide administering medication(s):
   2. (a) a licensed nurse shall be available 24 hours a day (on call) to supervise medication aides as determined by the agency work hours;
   3. (b) develop and institute an annual performance evaluation of each CMA; the performance evaluation shall be based upon the standards listed in these rules; the performance evaluation shall also include a review of the number of medication errors committed by the CMA.
   4. (2) A nurse educator shall monitor an agency’s medication aides as directed by the board to include the following:
   5. (a) review all medication administration errors and incident reports filed since the nurse educator’s last review;

   6. (b) meet with each medication aide to review and discuss problems, difficulties, or irregularities in administering medications and to provide appropriate instruction;

      1. (c) ensure biannual medication pass observation are conducted which may be delegated to a licensed nurse;
   7. (d) prepare and submit to the board a written, signed report medication administration of findings, observations, problems, irregularities, medication errors, safety violations and recommendations in medication administration.
   8. (3) The registered nurse may delegate to the licensed practical nurse the supervision/direction of the medication aide.

7. E. Certified medication aide II - expanded scope of function:

   1. (1) The expanded role is a privilege and not a requirement for all CMA’s to meet.
   2. (2) The nurse educator shall approve the CMA assuring the CMA meets specific criteria.
   3. (3) CMA must be employed full-time for one year in a board approved facility.
   4. (4) Must have been a CMA for one year and have fulfilled all CMA requirements and have a current NM certificate.
   5. (5) Authorized functions shall include subcutaneous injection of insulin by prefilled insulin pens only.
   6. (6) Must complete board approved curriculum and pass the board examination with eighty percent or better.

[16.12.5.10 NMAC - Rp, 16.12.5.10 NMAC, 12/13/2022]