The Florida Senate

393.506  Administration of medication.--

(1)  A direct service provider who is not currently licensed to administer medication may supervise the self-administration of medication or may administer oral, transdermal, ophthalmic, otic, rectal, inhaled, or topical prescription medications to a client as provided in this section.

(2)  In order to supervise the self-administration of medication or to administer medications as provided in subsection (1), a direct service provider must satisfactorily complete a training course of not less than 4 hours in medication administration and be found competent to supervise the self-administration of medication by a client or to administer medication to a client in a safe and sanitary manner. Competency must be assessed and validated at least annually in an onsite setting and must include personally observing the direct service provider satisfactorily:

(a)  Supervising the self-administration of medication by a client; and

(b)  Administering medication to a client.

(3)  A direct service provider may supervise the self-administration of medication by a client or may administer medication to a client only if the client, or the client's guardian or legal representative, has given his or her informed consent to self-administering medication under the supervision of an unlicensed direct service provider or to receiving medication administered by an unlicensed direct service provider. Such informed consent must be based on a description of the medication routes and procedures that the direct service provider is authorized to supervise or administer. Only a provider who has received appropriate training and has been validated as competent may supervise the self-administration of medication by a client or may administer medication to a client.

(4)  The determination of competency and annual validation required in this section shall be conducted by a registered nurse licensed pursuant to chapter 464 or a physician licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter 459.

(5)  The agency shall establish by rule standards and procedures that a direct service provider must follow when supervising the self-administration of medication by a client and when administering medication to a client. Such rules must, at a minimum, address requirements for labeling medication, documentation and recordkeeping, the storage and disposal of medication, instructions concerning the safe administration of medication or supervision of self-administered medication, informed-consent requirements and records, and the training curriculum and validation procedures.

History.--s. 1, ch. 2003-57; s. 113, ch. 2004-267; s. 1, ch. 2006-37; s. 16, ch. 2006-197.