Is this okay/legal?

[CRNBSN18]

Hi! i've only posted here a few times, i mostly lurk. i have to say i truely love this site. well, back to my question. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me if this is legal or right to do..

I know someone who works in an assisted living facility and this person told me she passes out meds. She is not a nurse at all. Not even really an assistant. She calls herself a residents assistant. I was just wondering if it's legal or not. I really dont know how any of this works i just know this person hasnt had any training. There is a RN there at all times..

Thank you for answering my question. Have a blessed day!

[OttawaRPN]

This was in Alberta. I worked for a small homecare outfit and a big one in the city after that. Both of them followed the same procedure. So long as you could read the label and say the 5 rights, and stayed awake through the 2-day course, you were "qualified" to pass meds.

Oh, I forgot to add... in a retirement home, when I said any Joe Blow off the street can pass meds... I wasn't kidding. No course, no testing, no 5 rights, no nothing. The idea being that because these people are mostly independent and cognitive, they're able to speak up if the meds are wrong....

[coolpeach]

I am a new grad (about a year), and work in an hospital. One of my classmates was having difficulty finding work and got a job at a LTC. She went to her orientation which was two days long. During this orientation they has unlicensed people passing meds. She said they would take the meds in the package, and have the resident open it and put it themselves and take it. If the resident was too confused, ill, or had hand issues where they could not open it by themselves the employee was to manipulate the package and open it using the patients hand. ......She never went back after that.

[shlay51]

I have a friend that worked at a home that allowed her to pass meds. She didn't have any nursing training,etc but I believe she was certified to pass meds or something along those lines.