[Princess74]

You know, it is easy enough for a experienced, well trained nurse to make a mistake with meds. These Med techs are going to end up killing people, and who do you think will get the blame? Yep, the nurse.
I think its just plain scary, no med tech is working under my license (once I get one).

[weirdRN]

I forgot to add that med aides in MD are licensed through the BON.

[weirdRN]

Originally Posted by Princess74

You know, it is easy enough for a experienced, well trained nurse to make a mistake with meds. These Med techs are going to end up killing people, and who do you think will get the blame? Yep, the nurse.
I think its just plain scary, no med tech is working under my license (once I get one).

You may change your mind one day if the nursing shortage gets as bad as predicted.

[Marie_LPN, RN]

Originally Posted by WhimsieRN

You may change your mind one day if the nursing shortage gets as bad as predicted.

Before that happens, i'd change professions first.

[lindarn]

Originally Posted by WhimsieRN

You may change your mind one day if the nursing shortage gets as bad as predicted.

What nursing shortage? There are 500, 000 nurse not working in nursing. Show me the money, safe staffing, and I will come back. Just as a side note, California, whose nurses are represented by the California Nurses Association, has not caved in to med aides, like the worthless state nursing associations, who remain affiliated with the ANA, have. Maybe more nurses need to boot out their state nursing associations, and organize with the NNOC. And be rid of the problem of state nursing associations who care more about the AHA, that the nurses who pay them dues. JMHO, and $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington

[burn out]

How is responsible when the MA makes a mistake? My sister(an LPN) works in a facility that uses MA's and when the MA gave the wrong meds to the wrong patient and required that patient to go to the hospital my sister was the one reprimaned. Just dosen't seem right. If I am responsible then I will do the work. Why do we then have to keep narcotics locked up, if everyone is going to be having hands on of the meds just leave the doors unlocked.

What is NNOC?

[lindarn]

Originally Posted by burn out

How is responsible when the MA makes a mistake? My sister(an LPN) works in a facility that uses MA's and when the MA gave the wrong meds to the wrong patient and required that patient to go to the hospital my sister was the one reprimaned. Just dosen't seem right. If I am responsible then I will do the work. Why do we then have to keep narcotics locked up, if everyone is going to be having hands on of the meds just leave the doors unlocked.

What is NNOC?

The NNOC is the National Nurses Organizing Committee. It was started by the California Nurses Association in Califoria. There goal is to organize nurses under one organization in order to have a national voice to represent us the way the ANA SHOULD BE DOING AND DOESN'T. Physicians have the American Medical Association that represents them nationally, and nurses desperatley need a unified national voice. CNA is the ONLY NURSES organization that has put its money where its mouth is, and accomplished anything constructive for the nursing profession. Ratios,salary, benefits, & political power. CNA took down Arnold Swartzenegger. They also withdraw from the ANA about ten years ago over the "care redesign" mess that they went along with. They are the only ones who stepped up to the plate. That is, in itself, an accomplishment. They have also organized the Illinois Nurses Association and just negotiated a contract with them.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington

[Daytonite]

I can remember back to the 1980's when Ohio passed the law that allowed LPNs to give medications. I still can recall all the pros and cons I heard then from both sides. Many of the LPNs we worked with in the hospital were dead set against doing it. You should have heard them. Now, 20, 30 years later just try and take this duty away from any LPN! Life moves on. Our practices evolve and change with the issues and needs of our times. I guarantee, having been born, raised and worked in Ohio that this state isn't going to let anyone do anything to a patient without making sure that there are rules and regulations in place. No one is going to lose their license for something a medication aid does unless they themselves have failed somewhere in their duty. We went through this when LPNs were given the OK to do IV therapy too. Doctors went through this when RNs were given the OK to give IM injections and start IVs. This trend is not going to go away. As my baby boomer generation hits the health care system I am sure that there are going to be lots more solutions created to solve health care worker shortages. These are opportunities that are opening the doors for people who might have not had any other way to get into the health care field. Just look at what nursing school tuition is running these days.

Opportunities are never lost. Someone will take the ones you miss.

[chadash]

NOOOOOOOO!

[smilin_gp]

I think there are some misconceptions about what med aides are allowed to do, and that the scope tends to vary btwn states and facilities. I was one before nursing school (ok, flame away . . ) after a few years of CNA experience. I had to completely go over any new (to me) med with the nurse and was well supplied with side effect sheets and checklist. Any new med for the patient was given by the nurse until she made the decision to delegate to me. I was not allowed to administer prn medications, narcotics or a few other categories. If I had any questions or doubts at all, I had to report to the nurse before giving the med.

No, I don't think that med aides are anywhere near as safe or as qualified as nurses; however, I live in an area where there really isn't as much of a nursing shortage as there is in other areas. LTC facilities and MR/DD/mental health care facilities are still very short on qualified healthcare professionals and begging for help, and in a lot of cases, nurses just aren't biting.