WAC 388-76-10440   Medication--Assessment--Identification of amount of assistance needed when taking medications.  (1) The adult family home must:

     (a) Ensure each resident assessment identifies the amount of assistance the resident needs when taking medications; and

     (b) Let the practitioner know when the following may affect the resident's ability to take their medications:

     (i) Resident's physical or mental limitations; and

     (ii) The setting or environment where the resident lives.

     (2) The amount of assistance needed by a resident when taking their medications is as follows:

     (a) Independent self-administration is when the resident does not need help taking medications and is able to directly take medications by eating or drinking, inhaling, by shot, through the skin or other means;

     (b) Self-administration with assistance, as described in chapter 246-888 WAC, is when a resident is assisted in taking their medication by a nonpractitioner; and

     (c) Medication administration is when medications are administered to the resident by a person legally authorized to do so, such as but not limited to a physician, nurse or pharmacist or through nurse delegation.

     (3) The home must contact the resident's practitioner who will decide if a reassessment is necessary when:

     (a) The resident has a change in the health status, medications, physical or mental limitations, or environment that might change the resident's need for medication assistance; or

     (b) There is a need for a resident to have more than one type of medication assistance.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 70.128.040 and chapters 70.128 and 74.34 RCW. 07-21-080, § 388-76-10440, filed 10/16/07, effective 1/1/08.]