Medication Administration Lab (CACC 210)

This is intended for Health Care Assistants (HCAs) in British Columbia. This course will allow students to demonstrate their mastery of Medication Administration skills, and will prepare them to assist with and administer medications in assisted living residences.

This course is the second half of the Certificate in Medication Administration for Health Care Assistants program. Applicants to this course must have successfully completed CACC 200 – Medication Administration Theory for HCAs – with a minimum grade of 80% in order to be eligible to register in this course.

By the end of this course, students will:

• have practiced medication administration skills in a lab setting; and
• be able to demonstrate their ability to safely administer medications in the Assisted Living setting under the supervision of a nurse.

Successful completion of CACC 200, Medication Administration Theory for HCAs with a minimum grade of 80%.

Completion of English 12 with a minimum grade of “C” or proof of equivalent as outlined in detail here: https://www.douglascollege.ca/programs-courses/general-information/admissions. 

Specific medication delivery methods include:

• blister packs;
• automated drug dispensing systems;
• transdermal patches;
• metered dose inhalers with and without spacer;
• Turbuhalers;
• HandiHalers
• Diskus inhalers;
• eye drops/eye ointments;
• ear drops; and
• medicated creams and lotions.

The lab consists of a period of supervised practice of the skills, and skill testing. It is expected that students will have reviewed all of the skills in the Skills Guide prior to the lab, and bring the Skill Guide to the lab session with them.

Instructors will not be demonstrating the skills, but are available to guide practice in the initial part of the day, and to answer questions throughout the day.

To pass the lab course, students must successfully demonstrate mastery of the skills, and will have the opportunity to repeat a maximum of 3 skills once each.