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Information about Division of Quality Assurance (DQA)

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Provider Types Regulated by DQA

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DQA Facility Directories

DQA Provider Training

DQA Numbered Memos

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WI Nurse Aide Training and Registry Info

Caregiver Program/ Background Checks

WI Adult Programs Caregiver Misconduct Registry

Instructor Questions & Answers

1. Where should the DQA required medication aide forms be sent?

• Doug Englebert
  Room 950
  1 West Wilson
  Madison, WI 53701

The Pearson VUE Registry Form (PDF, 180 KB) shall be sent to the address on the form.

2. I have a potential student who does not have 2,000 hours as a nurse aide, can they take the course?

• In some cases potential students may have extensive experience or had other extenuating circumstances.

  If you believe a potential student would be a good candidate but does not have the 2000 hours please contact Doug Englebert to have the student evaluated for eligibility on a case by case basis.

3. A nursing home wants to have someone take the medication aide course, but because of past violations, the nursing home has a prohibition on nurse aide training. Can they have nurse aides take the medication aide course?

• The nursing home cannot have the clinical rotation completed at their site. If the individual nurse aides are attempting to take the course on their own they should arrange to complete their clinical at another eligible facility.

  They then must meet the 40 hour working requirement.

  A waiver can be requested.  See DQA memo 08-012 

4. What types of training and who can train the 4 hours of annual in-service required to maintain medication aide status?

• The four hour in-service requirement shall be specific to medications. That training can be about new or old administration techniques.

  The training can also be about new medications or areas where improvement in medication administration is needed. Teacher and documentation requirements are the same as those for the twelve nurse aide in-service hours.

5. If a student or sponsor does not pay but has passed the course are we required to submit them to the registry?

• You do not need to submit them to the registry.

6. During clinical does a medication aide student need to complete all skills listed on the skill evaluation list?

• No. In some facilities, some routes of administration may not be available at the time of the rotation. Medication aide students should complete all routes available or those routes the facility will expect them to complete when working as a medication aide.

  Those skills that are tested shall be left blank on the skill checklist.

  If, at a later date, a medication aide will complete routes of administration not completed on the check list, the registered nurse, as part of delegation, shall assure the medication aide is competent in performing.

7. Can nursing students test out of the medication aide program?

• There is a procedure for individuals who have had medication administration training in the past to apply to test out of the medication aide program.

  Individuals who wish to test out may use the Challenge Exam Form and send the required materials to Doug Englebert.

  Doug Englebert will review the application and, if the person is eligible to test out, a letter will be sent to the student and to the approved medication aide program who will be administering the challenge exam test.

  The letter the medication aide training program receives will indicate what the individual applicant needs to complete. In all cases, the applicant will need to complete a written final exam.

  In some cases, the student may need to complete a lab practicum and/or a clinical rotation. Doug Englebert will contact programs prior to sending letters to assure the program is willing to work with an applicant.

8. What does a medication aide need to do to maintain status?

• Medication Aide must complete four hours of in service and one hundred hours of work each calendar year.  See BQA memo 01-055

Last Revised:  March 18, 2011