NDBON Seal Logo

Definitions Pertaining to Unlicensed Assistive Persons,
Technicians, and Medication Assistant III

 

Assisting with self-administration of routine, regularly scheduled medications:

Helping the client with one or more steps in the process of taking medications. Examples of "assisting" include opening the medication container or reminding the client of the proper time to take the medication. Assisting with the administration of medication may be a delegated intervention.

Certification:

A process of voluntary recognition by a national nursing organization or other entity of the person's specialty knowledge, skills, and abilities in a defined area of nursing practice. The certification process measures the theoretical and clinical content denoted in the specialty areas or scope of practice and is developed in accordance with generally accepted standards of validity and reliability.

Delegation:

The authorization for the performance of selected nursing interventions from a licensed nurse to an unlicensed assistive person.

Interdisciplinary team:

A group of health care professionals currently licensed under North Dakota Century Code title 43.

Medication administration:

The delivery of medication by a licensed nurse or an individual delegated to and supervised by a licensed nurse, to a client whose use of that medication must be monitored and evaluated applying specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities possessed by a licensed nurse.

Medication assistant III:

An individual who has a current registration as an unlicensed assistive person, has had additional training in administration of medication, and possesses a current registration from the board.

Medical assistant student:

An individual who is currently enrolled in an approved medical assistant program.

Registrant:

An unlicensed assistive person as defined in North Dakota Century Code section 43-12.1-02.

Scope of practice:

The delineation of the nature and extent of practice.

Technician:

An unlicensed assistive person who may perform limited nursing functions within the ordinary, customary, and usual roles in the person's field. Examples may include surgical and dialysis technicians and medical assistants.

Unlicensed assistive person:

An assistant to the nurse, who regardless of title is authorized to perform nursing interventions delegated and supervised by a nurse.

Licensed nurse interventions that may not be delegated to a UAP:

Interventions that require nursing knowledge, skill, and judgment may not be delegated by the licensed nurse to an unlicensed assistive person. These interventions include, but are not limited to:

  1. Physical, psychological, and social assessment which requires professional nursing judgment, intervention, referral, or follow-up.
  2. Development of nursing diagnosis and care goals.
  3. Formulation of the plan of nursing care.
  4. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the nursing care provided.
  5. Teaching except for that related to promoting independence in activities of daily living.
  6. Counseling, except that the unlicensed assistive person may be instructed to recognize and report basic deviations from healthy behavior and communication patterns, and may provide listening, empathy, and support.
  7. Coordination and management of care, including collaborating, consulting, and referring.
  8. Triage
  9. Medication administration may not be delegated unless the unlicensed assistive person has met the requirements of chapters 54-07-02 and 54-07-05 or has met the requirements of section 54-07-01-03. The exception is when a licensed nurse specifically delegates to a specific unlicensed assistive person the administration of a specific medication for a specific client according to chapter 54-07-08.
  10. Receiving or transmitting verbal or telephone orders.

 

03/19