Help CNA passing meds

For God's sake if you are not sure about the medications that you are passing, DON'T pass them! Check with management, and make sure that you have an LPN or RN to assist you if that's what required. NO one should be ordering meds except MD's or qualified nursing staff. I wouldn't be a patient in that facility for a million bucks!!

Your using the word "assist" with meds. and that's rather vague. In what capacity are you as a CNA allowed to assist with passing meds? I know here in RI if you have been a CNA for a certain amount of time and done some kind of training then you can become a med. tech. in a LTC facility and they pass most oral meds. (that are not narcotics) but not every CNA can do it unless they have been trained. If I were you I would look at my states nurse practice act and see what the scope of practice is for a CNA and find out exactly what you can do to "assist" passing meds. before you try to help next time. Its a CMA kinda thing.

!Chris

I found this to be pretty shocking, and wondered if things could possibly be so different in Arkansas? Then I found this thread on allnurses forum that discusses medication administration by non licensed persons (from 2006, so don't know if it's the most current info):
http://allnurses.com/radiology-nursi...ed-163746.html

No nurse on duty???

Even WITH med techs I imagine there would still have to be a nurse on the unit.

I wouldn't pass meds without at least a nurse supervisor around. What if there is a problem or discrepancy?

I work in Vermont, where med techs can pass anything, including narcotics.

When you say they're ordering meds, are they ordering them from the pharmacy, or giving prescription drugs without a prescription?

This is illegal and can put the patient at harm. What if you are giving an anti-hypertensive that requires a blood pressure before reading ? For i.e. Calcium channel blockers are held ( in my state) if BP is less than 90/60.

Or what if there are some other type of parameters for certain medications, which there is plenty !

This whole situation seems unsafe and dangerous ! I'm currently a CNA while in nursing school is there is no way I would pass meds if I wasn't trained and received certification from the board of nursing.

Please take our advice and do some research, consult with the board of nursing, and refuse that delegation... you as a CNA have a right to refuse any delegation that you feel is unsafe to do.
Good luck and please keep us posted.

Why do you do it? Obviously you know it's wrong and you can have very no-so--nice potential implications..........why?