February 15, 2023
Did you know that in Illinois, certified nursing assistants (CNAs) can now administer medications to their home nursing clients? Previously, CNAs who come into the home were only allowed to provide medication reminders to their clients.
This change makes it easier for patients who live alone to continue receiving in-home care. Family caregivers can also benefit and be relieved of this important task.
At Wellspring Personal Care, the care of our in-home nursing clients has always been overseen by our Director of Nursing (DON). Now, Illinois law permits our DON, through our home nursing license, to delegate the task of administering medicine to our CNAs.
What Wellspring CNAs can do under this change
With this change in the Illinois Nurse Practice Act, Wellspring is now offering our CNAs a medication training program developed and administered by our Medical Director and Director of Nursing. Once they’re trained, the certified medication aides (CMAs) can deliver medications while they’re providing caregiving services. The law authorizes these aides to deliver oral, subcutaneous, and topical or transdermal medications. This includes administering injections such as insulin.
It’s important to note that our caregivers will provide medication administration only as part of the duties they are providing for their patient. In other words, we cannot send someone to only administer medication.
In addition to home nursing agencies like Wellspring, this rule also applies to numerous community-based settings including assisted living facilities, clinics, and schools. However, “community-based settings” do not include agencies that provide only home services. That means that workers from agencies that provide only non-healthcare-related services (e.g., errands, cooking, cleaning) may not administer medications.
Wellspring provides nurse-managed care in the home through its home nursing license from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Please call us to learn more about our home nursing services.