On January 20, Guardian Pharmacy of Atlanta held its first proxy caregiver medication class, which marked the beginning of our new education initiative. We are now offering several classes designed to provide communities with consistent, solid training, and to ensure facility teammates are well-versed in medication administration, regulations and other responsibilities.
Along with the eight hour proxy caregiver course, we are also currently offering a two-day certified medication aide training class. These sessions are held on-site at various communities and include a continental breakfast or lunch, as well as an opportunity for participants at different facilities to network and interact with one another. Host facilities also receive a discount on training costs.
Throughout the courses, we work with attendees to instill a basic understanding of community licensure requirements and where staff fit in the process. We’ve improved upon our section on side and adverse effects to teach teammates how this can be impacted when the resident is on multiple medications. At the end of each course, we provide a written test that checks for basic knowledge of medication abbreviations, dosage forms and drug allergy information. Our RN and certified geriatric pharmacists also perform skill check-offs.
We believe that quality resident care begins with an educated staff. Through these training courses, we will continue to look for new ways to assist professionals in providing residents the best possible care.
We are excited about our new education program and will continually evaluate our content to ensure we are meeting the needs of our communities. For information on the training classes or to tailor a program for your specific needs, please call Lori Newcomb at 404-309-4958.
