[nursebiz5]

Ohio has launched the Certified Medication Aid program, I can't believe they are actually doing this. I visited the Board of Nsg. website to view the curriculum, do you know that they are receiving 70 hours of training before throwing them out to pass meds. HMMMMM.... what's wrong with this picture. Why not train the janitor.

[RobCPhT]

Less than 3 days of training is not enough. Currently I am certified as a pharmacy technician and a nursing student. I still don't think I would be comfortable with med pass. My program was 8 months I know a lot, but they still need a more structured program. Also allowing other staff to do this takes away from the nursing monopoly of it. I am not sure if it is a good idea at all.

[suzy253]

scarey

[luvmy2angels]

I don't agree with this either. PA also has med aides and I just don't feel comfortable with that, sure they can pass meds, but do they have all the training and assessment skills needed to observe for adverse effects etc???

[MeghanRN]

I agree with everyone else who responded. 70 hours is wayyy to little, and I would not let a med tech pass my medications for me. Sorry to them, but nope. I'll do my own meds thank you, even if I am swamped with work.

you know what we do need though?? More nurses and CNA's! I think that would solve the problem better then hiring med techs!


Just my 2 cents

-Meghan

[sanctuary]

Oregon has Certified Med Aides, who have to be CNAs for 9 months, and yes, they get as little as 70 hours of classroom, and then supervised hours (40?) then they test. They are then free to pass all meds except narcotics. Many state boards are caving in to polital/corporate pressure to allow "cheaper" staff to do more and more. Bad trend. Once that gets started, it never reverts.

[weirdRN]

I am going to work in a facility that has med-techs or aids.

In the Long Term Care setting, I think these folks are a valuable asset.

I think that with STABLE patients who have been on meds for a while that I will be comfortable with them doing the med passes.

I was concerned with the short duration of their training, so I looked at the curriculum for their training and asked an instructor if I could observe a class. I then looked at the model for training beginning nurses how to give meds, and the med-tech program mirrors it exactly. I am having fewer qualms about med-techs as the day goes on because they take a lot of time consuming work out of my day and allow me to get on with the business of assessing residents and taking care of other things. That said, the med-techs where I will be working are mostly pre- and first year nursing students.

Now as far as monitoring for adverse SE, that is MY responsibility. I am the one with the education and liscensure. Medtechs pass meds for nearly sixty residents every shift. Allowing me to assess and treat those same residents. PLus deal with the mountain of paperwork and anything else that comes along. I get alot more done with them than without them.

I think that this delegation is a smart answer to a shortage of nurses in the LTC setting. How much would you pay an RN JUST to pass meds?

[Marie_LPN]

I'd find it a little hard for me to chart that someone received their meds unless i actually saw them get them. Therefore, i won't work in a place that uses med techs, sorry.

[weirdRN]

The Medtechs sign off that the med was given, along with any BP or hr or lab value needed and I countersign. I am responsible for checking lab values before the med pass.

It is all in what you are comfortable with. I have not been on a shift with them yet. I will let you know after I start on Tuesday.

[Melina]

As a volunteer with a community support agency within the mental health system, I will be certified to pass out meds. It's the same training my sister had to have to give out meds at her day care center. At my job, patients come in each day to get their meds. There is a nurse on site, but we pour them ourselves. There are maybe 3 hours of one-to-one before we are able to work independently. Most volunteers can't pour meds, but with the budget cuts within the system, the center needs the help, and I have been volunteering there for two years. No one thinks it is perfect, but as a social program in a Republican state, we do the best we can.
Personally, I feel okay that I can observe changes in status (I know the patients quite well, and I am familiar with most of the meds), but I have wondered about others. Even simply supervising the mileu gives me the chance to observe.