Aides being "nurses"

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Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.

Ok... so poor grammy is in the hospital on the tele floor. Thought it was gonna be the icu, thank you Jesus! Anyway, the aides on the floor are doing things that I as an LVN can't do. Pushing buttons on the IV pump mainly. I watched the aide come in and adjust the pump yesterday afternoon. I was shocked! They also call themselves nurses, and speak directly to the doctors about patients. That last one just seems odd to me. I just think its outrageous that they're stepping way outside their scope of practice and are getting away with it! :mad:

Also... what is an "ACA"? I know CNA, and PCA but I've never heard of an ACA... :confused:

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

You're sure they're aides? They might be externs, which means they can act in the role of RN under supervision.

ACA might be Advanced Care Aide. Where I work, we have ACPs - advanced care partners, which are nurse externs.

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Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.
You're sure they're aides? They might be externs, which means they can act in the role of RN under supervision.

ACA might be Advanced Care Aide. Where I work, we have ACPs - advanced care partners, which are nurse externs.

Positive their aides. There is the RN and then 1 aide assigned to my grammy. Trust me, they're aides.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Then why don't you ask them?

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

Is grammy getting good care?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
and speak directly to the doctors about patients. That last one just seems odd to me.

Why do you think that's odd? You don't think aides should be allowed to communicate with the physicians on patient care/status?

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Specializes in pulm/cardiology pcu, surgical onc.

I agree, why dont you ask?

There were occasions when I was an aide that a nurse would ask me to add volume to a bag of IVF to give her time to hang the next bag without it beeping for 5 minutes. Certainly if an MD asks a caregiver a question about a pt like 'how was their night' an aide couldn't answer from their perspective? It sounds like you need more information about this hospitals staff and roles before going off half cocked.

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Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.
Is grammy getting good care?

Its ok care... could be better. One of her aides (the one who actually acted in the role of an aide) was amazing! I was blown away! The nursing care could be better, but the floor is pretty full. I wouldn't complain about the care, it just bothers me to see the aides acting outside of their role. It might be the RN's asking them to do it because they're so busy, but thats still unacceptable.

Why do you think that's odd? You don't think aides should be allowed to communicate with the physicians on patient care/status?

I've just never seen it happen before. The way I've always seen it done is aides talk to the nurse, nurse talks to the doctor. I'm not saying they shouldn't be allowed to, but like I said, I've never seen that happen before.

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Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.
I agree, why dont you ask?

There were occasions when I was an aide that a nurse would ask me to add volume to a bag of IVF to give her time to hang the next bag without it beeping for 5 minutes. Certainly if an MD asks a caregiver a question about a pt like 'how was their night' an aide couldn't answer from their perspective? It sounds like you need more information about this hospitals staff and roles before going off half cocked.

Ask them what exactly? Why they're doing things they shouldn't be? The role of an aide is not to maintain the IV pump and flow. That is a job for the RN. Like I said before, I'm an LVN and I'm not even allowed to do this. I know what the roles of an RN and Aide in my state are.

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Specializes in pulm/cardiology pcu, surgical onc.
Its ok care... could be better. One of her aides (the one who actually acted in the role of an aide) was amazing! I was blown away! The nursing care could be better, but the floor is pretty full. I wouldn't complain about the care, it just bothers me to see the aides acting outside of their role. It might be the RN's asking them to do it because they're so busy, but thats still unacceptable.

I've just never seen it happen before. The way I've always seen it done is aides talk to the nurse, nurse talks to the doctor. I'm not saying they shouldn't be allowed to, but like I said, I've never seen that happen before.

Might not always be right but it's called *teamwork*.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Ask them what exactly? Why they're doing things they shouldn't be?

Ask them what ACA stands for, and what the scope of their role is? When they introduce themselves as "nurses," ask them what type of nurse they are?

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Specializes in pulm/cardiology pcu, surgical onc.
Ask them what exactly? Why they're doing things they shouldn't be? The role of an aide is not to maintain the IV pump and flow. That is a job for the RN. Like I said before, I'm an LVN and I'm not even allowed to do this. I know what the roles of an RN and Aide in my state are.

If you're that bothered by it I would definitely ask exactly what you just posted.

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