Is the registered nurse (RN) required to delegate tasks that involve delivering medications to a patient acting as a courier to the nursing assistant-registered/nursing assistant-certified (NA-R/NA-C) or home care aide-certified (HCA-C) in a community-based* or in-home care setting?
No. RN delegation is not required for the NA-R/NA-C or HCA-C to deliver medications acting as a courier for a patient that are properly dispensed by a pharmacist, or an authorized health care practitioner with prescriptive authority, to a patient in a community-based* or in-home care setting. A system for safe handling, storage and tracking should be in place. While RN delegation is not required, the Washington State Board of Nursing recommends this activity be included in the nursing care plan.
*Community-based settings include adult family homes, assisted living facilities, and residential homes for individuals with developmental disabilities (RCW 18.79.260).