Aides passing meds

[tookewlandy]

I was wondering why they let aides in PA pass meds to people. I work for a company that takes Mentally retarded people and place them into homes throughout the community so they can be out of the centers and institutions they were used to and live normal lives. We take care of all their basic needs baths, clothing, feeding as well as other things. One thing i do find strange is how we can pass them there. And most take alot of pills 3 times a day. I was always under the impression that only Doctors,Rn,LPN, can give medications to people. I am a CNA but here you don't have to be certified. You don't take any kind of classes or anything. Now i do it cause it is part of my job but i was just wondering why and how they let this happen when most people who work here have no kind of training.Does this happen everywhere

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I was an unlicensed direct care staff member at one of these homes for the developmentally disabled. The house was located in southern California and had 6 beds where 6 profoundly retarded clients lived.

I passed medications every shift, charted, completed flowsheets, and reported changes in condition. It was not in my scope of practice to give injections, but I could certainly administer oral medications. The reality is that medication aides are much cheaper labor than nurses. I was earning $8.00 hourly as an aide, and I now earn $18.50 hourly as a new LVN. The bottom line is that facilities can save a great deal of money by getting unlicensed people to do what only nurses once did.

[tookewlandy]

I really didn't feel comfortable at first doing this because i haven't had any training, even though i am pursuing my RN, i still didn't feel as if i was educated and trained enough to pass meds to people. I started researching there meds so i know the side effects and what they are for sign of OD anything i could find. I wonder why they let companies do this because i honestly wouldn't want anyone but a RN,LPN,MD giving me medicine because they are trained to do so. It doesn't seem right to me

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I wonder why they let companies do this because i honestly wouldn't want anyone but a RN,LPN,MD giving me medicine because they are trained to do so. It doesn't seem right to me

It would cost these companies entirely too much money to pay an LPN $15 to $20 hourly to pass meds or an RN $19 to $30 per hour to pass the meds when an unlicensed medication aide can get the job done for a $5 to $9 hourly wage. It is all about saving money.

[LPN1974, LPN]

I work in a facility for mentally/physicially challenged.

We have every person there on a "Self Administration Medication" program.

SAM for short. It may only consist of throwing away their cup, and not actually setting up their meds.

The SAM programs we were doing didn't make a whole lot of difference. Some were discharged to a smaller unit, who had never been on a program.

Makes no sense to me. They make us do the programming, then they discharge the ones who have never actually had intensive instruction on setting up their meds.

So I know the aides have to be giving it.

They had talked at one time that the nurses, me included, at our facility might have to be responsible for it, but it never materialized.

As one poster said above, it's just a cheaper way of getting the job done, and not having to pay a nurse to come in and give the medication.

Ya wanna know what else they do to the aides at these small group homes?

The aide is required to stay on duty 24 hours a day, but AT NIGHT when she/he goes to bed, they have to clock out and are off the clock while they are sleeping!

Required to be there, can't leave, but clocked out while asleep!!!

What a rip off, IMHO.

[firstaiddave907]

I was a CNA but i am going for my CMA and if my state wanted me to pass meds i would feel uncomfortable doing it because i don't know the side effects I think doctors RN and LPNs should Be the only people to pass meads because they have had the training and the clincal experiacne. what happens if u give them a medication and the have a bad reaction who is at fault because your just giving the medication . if you able to give meds are u allowed to see there medical recored to give the patient the best care possible.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I was a CNA but i am going for my CMA and if my state wanted me to pass meds i would feel uncomfortable doing it because i don't know the side effects

Once you become a CMA (certified medical assistant) you will be allowed to give injections and pass medications. Of course, it will all be on the doctor's license since you will not have a license to worry about.

[marieLVN]

As a nursing student pursuing my LVN, I also worked as a direct care staff, who passed meds, charted, assisted with colostomy and urostomys, helped with ADL's and such. Most of the people had been on their medications for quite a while, were medically stable, and we had and RN/NP who would periodically drop in or would be available on call if we had any concerns or questions. In the beginning it was a little stressfull, but as I got used to the people and knew which ones would always take their meds, and which ones I might have trouble with(the occassional tantrum) then I became more confident. Now I work in a convalescent/rehab facility passing meds to 20+ residents and I wonder what I was so worried about then. Funny how life changes, and we are somehow able to adjust.

[BethyC123]

I am a CNA working in an ALF in Washington state. When I first started here I was NOT a CNA, but I was passing meds on my first shift. At first I was very uncomfortable with it, but I read up on all the meds that all the residents were taking and became more familiar with the residents themselves, so that I felt more comfortable with it. I now feel very confident in giving the meds, but I still strongly disagree with the policy that allows me to do so. Before I felt comfortable, I took it upon myself to read up on basic pharmacology, drug info, patient backgrounds, etc. This was no trouble to me because I want to become a nurse so it is knowledge that I want to have anyway. However, there are many people who come to work as caregivers here (where the starting pay is $8.00/hr) just to have a job, and they don't really care very much for the residents or anything else. The turnover is VERY high. Hard work, low pay. I agree completely with The Commuter that it is all about the money. I find that very frustrating, but I guess it is true everywhere.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

In my state there is medication training that everyone working at an assisted living home takes in order to be able to pass medications. Some prerequisites apply as in having to pass a 8th grade english and math test given by the facility. Then there is like 2 week education that has to be taken and tested on before you can pass meds inhome. Is it right i dont know i havent seen the research to be able to qualify an answer but im sure financially it is better than having a nurse do it.

[rpv_rn]

In state of California, when CMAs pass meds, they are working for and under the physician's license. Are these facilities privately owned by physicians?

[dorimar, BSN, RN]

This is shocking to me!