                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION BY COMPETENCY EVALUATION (§ 54.1-3042)

A. Every applicant for registration as a medication aide by competency
evaluation shall pay the required application fee and shall submit written
evidence that the applicant:

   1. Has not committed any act that would be grounds for discipline or denial of
   registration under this article;

   2. Has successfully completed a staff training program in direct care approved
   by the Department of Social Services or an approved nurse aide education
   program;

   3. Has successfully completed an education or training program approved by the
   Board that shall include one of the following:
   				a. A medication aide education or training program approved by the Board
   that shall be 68 hours combined classroom instruction and clinical skills
   practice curriculum, and for an advanced registered medication aide the number
   of additional hours as determined by the Board; or
   				b. A nursing education program preparing for registered nurse or practical
   nurse licensure;

   4. Has successfully completed a competency evaluation consisting of both a
   clinical evaluation of minimal competency and a written examination as
   specified by the Board; and

   5. In the case of medication aides who will administer drugs as determined
   permissible by the Board for administration to residents in a nursing home
   licensed by the Department of Health, has successfully completed all
   educational requirements established by the Board for administering drugs in a
   nursing home licensed by the Department of Health, which shall reflect the
   medically complex patient population found in nursing homes licensed by the
   Department of Health and the resulting medication regime for that population.

B. The Board shall (i) make the written examination available in both electronic
and non-electronic format, (ii) provide sufficient locations for the
administration of any written examination required for registration under this
section, to ensure adequate access to the written examination for all
applicants, (iii) establish a procedure pursuant to which an examination shall
be offered at or near the location of an education or training course, upon the
request of five or more applicants, provided that the security of the
examination and the integrity of the administration of the examination are
ensured and that any additional costs are born by the requesting applicants, and
(iv) provide written notice to applicants of the results of any competency
examination completed by the applicants within seven days of completion of the
examination.

C. Any applicant under this section who has provided to the Board evidence of
successful completion of the education or training course required for
registration may act as a medication aide on a provisional basis for no more
than 120 days before successfully completing any required competency evaluation.
However, upon notification of failure to successfully complete the written
examination after three attempts, an applicant shall immediately cease acting as
a medication aide.

D. Any applicant under this section who shall apply by endorsement from any
state or the District of Columbia that requires registration of medication aides
who has met the requirements of registration in such jurisdiction may be deemed
eligible to sit for the competency evaluation required pursuant to this section,
subject to approval of the Board.

HISTORY: 2005, cc. 610, 924; 2009, cc. 133, 837; 2024, c. 284; 2025, c. 277.