Have you worked with a CMA?

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 26, 2002

Clarification:

I'm reffering to certified medication aides, not certified medical assts.

=0)

911fltrn · Nov 26, 2002

God bless you! I would never be responsible for 45 patients at a time.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2002

I've been the only nurse to do all meds and tx for 1oo pts in the past. It was a horrible experience. Totally impossible. I only lasted six weeks. I think it took me another six weeks to recover from that job

I've been the only nurse to do all meds, tx, charting, calling docs, monthly summaries, 24 hr chart checks, and new monthly MARs and TX books, CNA assignments, etc. for 65 pts in a LTC facility. this included 9 tube feeders and two MRSA trachs.

It was doable with major butt busting, and no lunch break for two years.

However, I am no longer able to tolerate such employment situations.

Thanks for asking God to bless me. I need it!

Do you think working with a Certified Med Aide will be a blessing or a burdon?

NannaNurse · Nov 27, 2002

Hellllllo Nurse.......You've got guts!!!! I question your sanity;) tho'.....

I've had several years experience working with awesome CMT's. I was blessed with competent, hard working, dedicated people (both male and female), who were my 'right arm' so-to-speak'. They knew their patients and the medications they were on, what to watch for and reported to me with everything. They never gave a med w/o consulting with and getting my ok.

That left me with the extra time 'I' needed to spend with the patients, rounds, reports, MD calls, etc.....

I wish you the best....Good Luck!!

ChainedChaosRN · Jan 14, 2003

Hellllo Nurse. I've worked with CMA's before, even participated in their clinical portion of the course. Most states have requirements to get into the program: excellent reading and writing skills, employed at the facility for at least a year, math skills, and letters of recommendation. The cirriculum for the course is at a nurse level, actually more extensive then I've seen at some LPN programs.

CMA's can give routine medications, need permission from a nurse to give a PRN (counter signature usually required), and can not give injections. They can do wound treatments.

Any time I have worked with a CMA the first few times I observe some med pass for technique, ask pertinent questions, and always review and ask for a report toward the end of the shift. I've never had a bad experience with a CMA. I wish we used them in Michigan.

Dawn

Brownms46 · Mar 3, 2003

I have worked with one, and she was excellent, and very knowledgable about the meds she was allowed to give...which were oral only.

nurse2002 · Apr 21, 2003

Originally posted by Brownms46
I have worked with one, and she was excellent, and very knowledgable about the meds she was allowed to give...which were oral only.

I have also worked with a CMA. She was excellent. Knew her meds inside and out. She worked at a LTC I worked for doing Agency. They had a cma on every unit. That way the nurse could concentrate on treatments, skin assesments, g-tubes and the like.

They were all wonderflul. I think ALL LTC facilities would benefit from cmas. With cmas the nurse can do her job MUCH better, she/he'll have much more time to spend with the residents and making sure their needs are getting met. When the nurse spends her whole shift giving meds this just doesnt happen.

Disablednurse · Apr 21, 2003

Who will be responsible for the other 45 residents? Will the CMA give the meds for all 90 residents or will there be 2 CMAs? Just curious as to how many staff there will be there at night.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2003

Well, an update:

It was a horrible facility. Terrible "care". I ended up having to be charge and pass meds/ do all tx without any orientation whatsoever. I was injured on-the-job. (Fire-door slammed on my fingers, splitting my nails down the middle, crushing injury to one finger-tip). The company has never paid the ER bill or follow-up. I paid it, to protect my credit rating.

The CNAs (almost all) were just this side of criminal.

After many years of trying, I have given up on LTC. Will never work LTC again.

:sniff:

amk1964 · Apr 28, 2003

I'm originally from Buffalo, NY where I worked in numerous ltcf's through an agency while I was an LPN attending college for my RN. I did everything; meds, tx's, charting, monthly summaries, etc...NOw I live in TEXAs where they would train a cow to do nursing tasks if they could get away with it. I currently am doing a short-term run at a 60 bed nursing home for a friend {the DON] while the regular nurse is out having surgery. I have an excellent med aide on both the day and night shifts and find working in a nh now rather pleasurable. I like working with cna's better thansome LVN's I've known here; They are focused on the med pass and understand their limitations. I'm impressed.

amk1964 · Apr 28, 2003

I'm originally from Buffalo, NY where I worked in numerous ltcf's through an agency while I was an LPN attending college for my RN. I did everything; meds, tx's, charting, monthly summaries, etc...NOw I live in TEXAs where they would train a cow to do nursing tasks if they could get away with it. I currently am doing a short-term run at a 60 bed nursing home for a friend {the DON] while the regular nurse is out having surgery. I have an excellent med aide on both the day and night shifts and find working in a nh now rather pleasurable. I like working with cna's better thansome LVN's I've known here; They are focused on the med pass and understand their limitations. I'm impressed.