Am I fired? CNA Checking Blood Sugar

[oldie, CNA, LVN]

Well something unfortunate happened...I am both an LVN and CNA at different jobs. I was at my CNA job when an RN asked me to check a B/S, I did it without even thinking twice (because I do it all the time at my other job) Someone saw and reported it. Am I fired ? What are your thoughts? Thanks 

[Sour Lemon]

Just now, oldie said:

Well something unfortunate happened........I am both an LVN and CNA at different jobs. I was at my CNA job when an RN asked me to check a B/S, I did it without even thinking twice (because I do it all the time at my other job) Someone saw and reported it. Am I fired ? What are your thoughts? Thanks 

I know nothing about your workplace policies, or even what state you're in. When I worked in Texas, CNAs did all of the accuchecks.

[oldie, CNA, LVN]

Just now, Sour Lemon said:

I know nothing about your workplace policies, or even what state you're in. When I worked in Texas, CNAs did all of the accuchecks.

Sorry about that im in CA and CNAS are not allowed to do that here

[Sour Lemon]

Just now, oldie said:

Sorry about that im in CA and CNAS are not allowed to do that here

In that case, it will come down to your employer's policies and how punitive-minded they are ...and that's if any rule was broken.

It sounds like an extremely minor thing, to me. I'm not the boss, though.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

An RN directed you to check a blood sugar. You followed direction. You are covered.

The concern is.. who saw and reported it. 

Discuss this with the nurse that asked you to perform the task. 

[SilverBells, BSN]

If you have an active LVN license, then you should be covered as obtaining blood sugars should be within your scope of practice.  Make sure your supervisors at your CNA job are aware of this.  Perhaps the person reporting you was not aware that you are also an LVN.  I would think, though, that they would have better things to do than to fire someone who is acting within their scope of practice.  It's possible they would engage in minor disciplinary action/write up if it is truly against workplace policies and they do not wish for you to complete this task despite your LVN status, but I am hopeful they would have more important issues to worry about.  

[JKL33]

I hope it would be handled with a simple review of expectations and would not become a big issue.

That said,

37 minutes ago, SilverBells said:

Perhaps the person reporting you was not aware that you are also an LVN.  I would think, though, that they would have better things to do than to fire someone who is acting within their scope of practice. 

There are two separate issues, one being the scope of practice associated with the LVN license and the other being whether or not the employer has vetted the employee to work in a certain capacity.

OP I do hope you will not be harshly disciplined for this! It is certainly easy to understand how/why it happened and is very small potatoes overall. Good luck~

[klone, MSN, RN]

Doesn't your glucometer require you to log in with your username/employee badge? If so, how do you have access if you're not allowed to do BG checks? 

[oldie, CNA, LVN]

I never even thought about that but your right, basically I was in a covid room and just handed a glucometer. I didn't sign in or anything.

Well I still haven't heard a word from management if I am in trouble how soon do you think I'll hear back? 

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I feel like that is a very minor thing, especially since most techs and CNAs can do blood sugars. And if not....then just say it was a slip of mind because it was. You probably just got in the habit or routine and just did it on auto pilot.

[Davey Do]

Your mistake is rather trivial, oldie, to a nurse who did not get fired for giving a patient SS insulin for having a room number of 312.

The patient's blood sugar was a lot less than their room number!

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

1 hour ago, oldie said:

I never even thought about that but your right, basically I was in a covid room and just handed a glucometer. I didn't sign in or anything.

Well I still haven't heard a word from management if I am in trouble how soon do you think I'll hear back? 

If credentials are required to perform a glucometer check, whoever handed you the glucometer is responsible for the procedure. Let it go. 

Now you need to check with management as to which duties you can perform. I can see where you are confused with LVN vs CNA duties. But you must learn what role you can perform, in which facility.