10/24/2024

ICYMI: Senate Bill 144 Transforms Medication Aide Certification and Nursing Titles in Ohio

The passage of Senate Bill 144, which goes into effect today, brings significant changes to the Medication Aide Certification requirements and an update for nurse aide titles.

In an effort to make Medication Aide Certification (MA-C) more accessible, the Ohio General Assembly passed several key revisions to program requirements, including: 

• Reduction in training hours from 70 to 30, with 14 of the required 30 spent in practicum
• Allowance for Certified Medication Aides to administer insulin in pre-filled pens and Schedule II narcotics
• Removal of prior authorization from a supervising RN to administer PRN medications, allowing Medication Aides to administer independently

LeadingAge Ohio urges members who work with a MA-C training provider to reach out and inquire how these changes will affect classes moving forward. Many approved training providers are still in process of finalizing how changes will go into effect, which could impact cost, class size, and scheduling moving forward. 

In addition, Senate Bill 144 establishes that State-Tested Nurse Aides (STNAs) will now be formally recognized as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), with no additional changes to their description or requirements. Now is the time to update any regulations, policies, or procedures that reference STNA with the updated CNA title. 

For additional information on changes with the Medication Aide Certification, check out August’s All Member call recording in the LAO Learning Center. Questions can be directed to Randi Hamill, Director of Workforce Development and Initiatives, at rhamill@leadingageohio.org.