Act 1423 of the 2005 Arkansas legislative session authorized the use of trained and certified medication assistants in nursing homes in Arkansas. Medication Assistants are required to successfully complete an education program and pass a certification exam before being allowed to function in the role of Medication Assistant Certified (MA-C) in a nursing home.

Medication Assistants are utilized in over 30 states in the United States and have proven to effectively reduce the number of medication errors in nursing homes. The use of medication assistants in Arkansas nursing homes will allow the nurse to spend more time focusing on the residents and supervising the care given by the CNA’s, resulting in quality care for our most vulnerable population.