Medication administration is a key component of the Support Staff job. All Support Staff must monitor themselves and others to ensure individuals supported receive medications and medical care as prescribed on their Medication Administration Records.  All staff must be licensed as Level 1 Med Tech through the state of Missouri.  An employee makes or catches an error must follow the Medication Error procedure that is detailed in the CCL Policy and Procedure Manual, and summarized below.

  1. The following is a list of what medication errors classify as Category A:
    • Wrong medication
    • Wrong client
    • Omission-internal
    • Wrong dosage
    • Omission–topical, laxative, eye drops, nasal sprays, liquid medications, shampoo, toothpaste and inhaler
    • Wrong route
    • Sending incorrect medications or instructions out
    • Giving a discontinued medication
    • Wrong time
  2. The following procedure is to be followed in the event a medication error in Category A occurs.
    • Notify the supervisor on-call, who will then notify the nurse. The nurse will assess the situation, and if necessary they will notify the appropriate medical provider.
    • Fill out the medication error form to include the problem, a plan of correction, nurse’s comment, and signatures.
    • Fill out the Med Error EMT to send to Regional Office.
    • Staff will not be able to pass medications or provide any care that requires MAR documentation until they receive re-education on med error by the nurse or their designee.
    • A minimum of at least one medication pass must be supervised by the nurse or Support Coordinator before the person can pass medication again independently.
    • The circumstances of the medication error need to be evaluated by Support Coordinator or Residential Director or nurse to determine if any environmental changes need to occur.
  3. A medication error in category A may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. If after four days the person fails to receive re-education, the employee will receive disciplinary action up to and including termination.
  4. An employee that makes three Category A errors in three months will be required to retake the sixteen-hour medication class again on his/her own time.
  5. The following is a list of what medication errors classify as Category B:
    • Failure to know side effects of medications prescribed or to have access to the information.
    • Failure to document and speak to the doctor about side effect.
    • Failure to document or notify appropriate person about medication errors.
    • Failure to date and initial bubble packs.
    • Not signing the medication sheet only for oral medication that can be verified by bubble pack that they were given. If verification cannot be made than a Class A medication error.
    • Not documenting results of PRN or not documenting times for PRN’s
    • Failure to follow patient care orders.
  6. The following procedure is to be followed in the event a medication error in Category B occurs.
    • Leave a message for the supervisor on-call. The supervisor is to leave a message for the nurse.
    • Fill out the medication error form to include the problem, a plan of correction, nurse’s comment and signatures
  7. An employee that makes six Category B errors in three months will be required to retake on his/her own time the next four-hour medication error course available. Any employee that received more than eight Category B’s in six months will be required to take the next available sixteen-hour medication course on his/her own time or be terminated.
  8. Serious medication errors may result in immediately retaking 16-hour medication course, suspensions and or termination as determined by the Nursing or Residential Directors.