Use of Unlicensed Assistive Personnel

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  1. Should Hospitals be utilizing unlicensed assistive personnel to "beef" up their staff

    • 4
      Does your institution utilize UAP to up staffing numbers?
    • 0
      Are they being presented as nurses?
    • 0
      Is the wage of the UAP in your institution comparable to that of your LPN's or even RN's?
    • 2
      Do you feel safe with an UAP working under your license?
    • 0
      Do you feel this is defrauding the public?
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      What kind of orientation are the UAP's in your institution given?
    • 1
      Do you find that your institution will work around UAP's school schedules, etc. but not yours?
    • 0
      Would you feel comfortable with a UAP pulling your hemovacs, JP's, foleys, etc. and charting on the same?
    • 3
      Are you aware that legally you are covering the UAP under your license?
    • 3
      Does your institution have a policy in effect regarding job description for UAP's?

13 members have participated

I am interested in obtaining information on how many of my fellow nurses work in institutions where unlicensed assistive personnel are employed. My institution refers to them as Clinical Technicians. there was no clearly defined policy when they began and many floors were giving these nursing students patient assignments and they were told to function as an LPN but not to give medications. These personnel have narcotic med select cards and make just 3 cents LESS than our LPN's. They are second level nursing students but they are employed by the hospital not in the role as a student but as an employee. We did contact our State Board of Nursing who promptly informed the institution they were utilizing these personnel in an inappropriate manner. I would like to hear feedback on what other institutions are doing. We feel this is defrauding the public. They wear the same uniform as a nurse, they were assessing, changing dressings, etc.:confused:

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WOW!!!

I am at a loss for words. I cannot imagine using UAP's in such a dangerous manner. Over load of fluids, incorrect data on a strict I & O client, JP maintinance... all too important not to be done by a trained professional. Since they are a nursing student, I can see them working in a CNA type position, but in an LPN type role, NO WAY. I bet JACHO would be very intrested in that information.

I am an LPN (x 8 yrs) and am in the bridge program, about to graduate in May '02 and still do not feel comfortable myself in doing fluid maintinace on certain patients (ascites, nephritis, CF, TBI's. ABI's. etc) without double/triple checking EVERYTHING I do. Holy cow -- Batman, you could kill somebody!

My biggest fear is the inexperienced may not feel the true weight of the seriousness of certain conditions and/or the warning signs for trouble. Hence kidney, liver, heart, etc. damage is done.

Frightening stuff!! I am glad you had enough gumption to call this practice to the attention of those in charge and had this dangerous behavior stopped :D

I, also, agree...it may look good to the patients having all these uniformed personal running around that all appear to be nurses -- but at what cost is the 'looking good' part going to end up in the end? And YES it is 'false advertising' so-to-speak!

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