This text of Indiana § 16-27.5-4-10 (Scope of practice; prohibitions; exceptions) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.
Effective 9-1-2025.
Sec. 10.
(a)The following tasks are within the
scope of practice of a qualified medication aide certified under this
chapter unless prohibited by health care facility policy:
(1)Observing and reporting to the health care facility's licensed
nurse a patient's exhibited reactions or side effects to medications.
(2)Measuring and documenting vital signs before the
administration of medications that could impact vital signs, and
reporting to the health care facility's licensed nurse a patient's
abnormalities that may prohibit medication administration.
(3)Administering and documenting regularly prescribed
medications for which the qualified medication aide has received
training to administer after personally preparing and
administering the medication.
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Effective 9-1-2025.
Sec. 10. (a) The following tasks are within the
scope of practice of a qualified medication aide certified under this
chapter unless prohibited by health care facility policy:
(1) Observing and reporting to the health care facility's licensed
nurse a patient's exhibited reactions or side effects to medications.
(2) Measuring and documenting vital signs before the
administration of medications that could impact vital signs, and
reporting to the health care facility's licensed nurse a patient's
abnormalities that may prohibit medication administration.
(3) Administering and documenting regularly prescribed
medications for which the qualified medication aide has received
training to administer after personally preparing and
administering the medication.
(4) Initiating oxygen per nasal cannula or nonsealing mask only
if the following are met:
(A) The situation is an emergency.
(B) The qualified medication aide notifies the health care
facility's licensed nurse.
(C) The qualified medication aide documents the action and
notification.
(5) Obtaining oxygen saturation using an oximeter that has been
calibrated by another health care provider within that provider's
scope of practice and reporting the result to the health care
facility's licensed nurse.
(6) Applying physician or other authorized health care provider
ordered oral, ophthalmic, otic, nasal, vaginal, and rectal
medications.
(7) Crushing and administering medications in accordance with
the drug manufacturer's instructions, physician's orders, or other
authorized health care provider's orders.
(8) Altering capsules if a physician or other authorized health care
provider has prescribed the medication to be altered in that
manner.
(9) Counting, administering, and documenting controlled
substances.
(10) Administering medications through a gastrostomy tube
(G-tube) and a jejunostomy tube (J-tube).
(11) Administering previously ordered pro re nata medication
when authorization is obtained from the health care facility's
licensed nurse.
(12) Applying topical medication to minor skin conditions.
(13) Administering medication through a metered dose inhaler.
(14) Conducting hemoccult testing and reporting results to the
health care facility's licensed nurse.
(15) Conducting finger stick blood glucose testing and reporting
the result to the health care facility's licensed nurse.
(16) Applying a dressing to a minor skin tear that has been
assessed by the health care facility's licensed nurse.
(17) Providing ordered site care and applying a dressing to a
healed gastrostomy tube (G-tube) and a jejunostomy tube (J-tube)
site.
(18) Emptying and changing a colostomy bag.
(19) Instilling a commercially prepared disposable enema after
the patient has been assessed by the health care facility's licensed
nurse and the licensed nurse has instructed the qualified
medication aide to instill the enema.
(20) Applying a cold, dry compress as directed by a physician,
other authorized health care provider, or the health care facility's
licensed nurse in an emergency situation that requires first aid
treatment.
(21) Collecting fecal or urine specimens, as ordered by a
physician or other authorized health care provider.
(22) Documenting observations and issues in the medical record
that are reported to the qualified medication aide by the patient.
(b) Except as provided in section 11 of this chapter, a qualified
medication aide may not perform the following tasks which are outside
of the qualified medication aide's scope of practice:
(1) Administering medications by the injection route, including
the following routes:
(A) Intramuscular.
(B) Intravenous.
(C) Subcutaneous.
(D) Intradermal.
(2) Administering medications used for intermittent positive
pressure breathing treatments or any form of medication
inhalation treatments. This subdivision does not include a
prohibition on metered dose inhalers.
(3) Administering medications through a nasogastric tube.
(4) Except as provided in subsection (a)(19), instilling irrigation
fluids of any type.
(5) Assuming responsibility for receiving in writing or receiving
a verbal telephone order.
(6) Administering a treatment that involves advanced skin
conditions, including stages II through IV decubitus ulcers.
(c) A qualified medication aide may not document any medication
that was administered by another person or not administered at all in
a patient's medical record.
(d) If a qualified medication aide obtains authorization to administer
a previously ordered pro re nata medication as described in subsection
(a)(11), the qualified medication aide shall do the following:
(1) Document any symptoms indicating the need for the
medication and the time the symptoms occurred in the patient's
medical record.
(2) Document that protocol was followed by notifying the health
care facility's licensed nurse describing the symptoms and that
authorization was obtained to administer the medication and the
time of contact.
(3) Obtain permission to administer the medication each time the
symptoms occur in the patient.
(4) Ensure that the patient's medical record is cosigned by the
health care facility's licensed nurse who granted authorization by
the end of the shift or if the licensed nurse was on call, by the end
of the licensed nurse's next tour of duty.