4723-13-02. General information

(A) A nursing task may be delegated to an unlicensed person only by a licensed nurse who shall delegate in accordance with this chapter.

(B) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent any person registered, certified, licensed, or otherwise legally authorized in this state under any law from engaging in the practice for which such person is registered, certified, licensed, or authorized.

"Otherwise legally authorized" may include, but is not limited to, authorization for medication administration pursuant to section 3313.713 of the Revised Code, DODD personnel authorized to perform tasks or activities pursuant to sections 5123.41 to 5123.47 of the Revised Code, and individuals authorized to administer medications or perform tasks pursuant to Title 47 of the Revised Code.

(C) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit an unlicensed person from assisting an individual who can safely self direct his or her own care, including , helping the individual with self-administration of medications in a facility where the substantial purpose of the setting is other than the provision of health care. An unlicensed person assisting with self-administration of medications may do only the following:

(1) Remind an individual when to take the medication and observe to ensure that the individual follows the directions on the container;

(2) Assist an individual in the self-administration of medication by taking the medication in its container from the area where it is stored and handing the container with the medication in it to the individual. If the individual is physically unable to open the container, the unlicensed person may open the container for the individual;

(3) Assist upon request by or with the consent of, a physically impaired but mentally alert individual, in removing oral or topical medication from the container and in taking or applying the medication. If an individual is physically unable to place a dose of medicine in the individual's mouth without spilling or dropping it, an unlicensed person may place the dose in another container and place that container to the mouth of the individual; or

(4) Assisting an individual with self-administration does not mean that an unlicensed person can administer medication to an individual, whether orally, by injection, or by any other route.

(D) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit an unlicensed person from administering medication under the following circumstances:

(1) The giving of oral or the applying of topical medication in accordance with sections 5123.41 to 5123.47 of the Revised Code and in accordance with rules 5123:2-6-01 to 5123:2-6-07 of the Administrative Code;

(2) When medication is administered by an individual employed by a board of education, or a school charted by the state board of education, who has been designated according to section 3313.713 of the Revised Code to administer to a student a drug prescribed by an authorized prescriber; or

(3) In accordance with any other law or rule that authorizes an unlicensed person to administer medications.

Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 12/19/2016 and 12/19/2021
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 4723.07
Rule Amplifies: 4723.01, 4723.03
Prior Effective Dates: 12/1/95, 2/1/00, 2/1/02, 2/1/03, 2/1/04, 2/1/07

Prior History: (Effective: 02/01/2012
R.C. 119.032 review dates: 10/13/2011 and 10/15/2016
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 4723.07
Rule Amplifies: 4723.01, 4723.03
Prior Effective Dates: 12/01/1995, 02/01/2000, 02/01/2002, 02/01/2003, 02/01/2004, 02/01/2007 )