An Assisted Living Residence shall meet the following requirements to obtain and maintain Certification:
If requested by the Resident, the individual performing SAMM may open prepackaged medication or open containers, read the name of the medication and the directions on the label to the Resident, and respond to any questions the Resident may have regarding those directions.
The Residence may assist a Resident with SAMM from a medication container that has been removed from its original pharmacy-labeled packaging or container by another person (e.g., by the Resident's family). Such assistance is not required of the Residence. If this service is to be provided, the Residence and Resident shall have a full written disclosure of the risks involved and consent by the Resident.
SAMM shall only be performed by an individual who has completed Personal Care Service Training as set forth in 651 CMR 12.07(4) or (8); a practitioner, as defined in M.G.L. c. 94C; or a nurse registered or licensed under the provisions of M.G.L. c. 112, § 74 or 74A to the extent allowed by laws, regulations and standards governing nursing practice in Massachusetts. Central storage of Residents' medications in an area outside of a Resident's Unit is prohibited. Residences shall provide a refrigerator to store medication in the Resident's Unit if refrigeration is required, and may employ a locked location in which to safely store medications within a Unit.
In addition to the requirements and limitations set forth in 651 CMR 12.04(3), a nurse with a valid Massachusetts nursing license employed by the Assisted Living Residence may administer non-injectable medications, prescribed or ordered by an authorized prescriber, by oral or other methods (e.g. topical, inhalers, eye and ear drops, medicated patches, as necessary oxygen, suppositories). LMA performed by a nurse must be completed in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and standards governing the medication administration process by a nurse, including documentation requirements.
In accordance with the standards of nursing practice, a nurse may only administer medication from an original, pharmacy-filled and pharmacy-labeled container. All medication must be kept in the Resident's Unit and stored in such a manner that the nurse can adequately verify the integrity of the medication.
The service plan shall include an evaluation, conducted within the past three months by the Resident's physician or authorized practitioner, of the prospective Resident's physical, cognitive, functional, and psychosocial condition. It is the responsibility of the Resident or his or her representative to have the physician's or authorized practitioner's evaluation completed. In addition:
The service plan shall be confidential except to the extent necessary to provide services and manage the operations of the Assisted Living Residence; provided that EOEA may review the service plan at any time with the consent of the Resident or his or her Legal Representative.
651 CMR 12.04