ANY RN, LPN, NP, PA, CRNA, MSN, CNS, PhD, DNSc, etc......PLEASE read

caliotter3 · Feb 15, 2009

My quick reply: I hope you take the opposing stance and that this proposal is not implemented. I worked for an employer that attempted to decrease my pay by several dollars an hour. How much easier for them to accomplish their task if they can get employees who didn't obtain a nursing license to do my job for even less per hour. Of course, I'm concerned with my own job security, but I also see where the patients do not benefit from people lacking the proper education to be dispensing medications. Good luck with your project.

Alicia0514 · Feb 15, 2009

I am opposed to the Medication Technician bill, I do not feel the amount of education (a certain amount of hours to achieve certification) is enough to allow someone to administer medications. I feel the person responsible for administering medication should understand the pathophysiology of the disease processes that patient's are diagnosed with along with how the medication effect's the body. There are so many other aspects one must know also, such as side effects, adverse effects, monitoring lab values etc... Medication administration comes with multiple responsibilities, that is why many years of education and state licensure is required for nurses to practice. Even with well trained experienced nurses we have to many medication errors that occur which sometimes are detrimental or even fatal for the patient. Therefore, if anything we should be spending more time on education rather than shortening the length and allowing for certifications in this area.

Equinox_93 · Feb 15, 2009

... wouldn't it save time if a licensed nurse were able to put together the meds and the med assistant just hand them out? *confused as to what the problem is here* On the one hand I hear alot of nurses complaining about being overworked- and to me this comes across as a possible time-saver for them... ? What am I missing here? What do med techs do in this situation that is a threat to job security? Are they proposing to *replace* nurses with techs or are they just adding some hands to the process to help with the load? *confused*

BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Feb 16, 2009

... wouldn't it save time if a licensed nurse were able to put together the meds and the med assistant just hand them out? *confused as to what the problem is here* On the one hand I hear a lot of nurses complaining about being overworked- and to me this comes across as a possible time-saver for them... ? What am I missing here? What do med techs do in this situation that is a threat to job security? Are they proposing to *replace* nurses with techs or are they just adding some hands to the process to help with the load? *confused*

Would you as licensed nurse be comfortable "handing out meds" to pts when someone else "put them together" and just said "here take these to the lady in rm 7 bed 2"? Would you feel comfortable giving any meds to a pt if you didn't know her hx, what the meds were, how they worked, etc? Would you feel comfortable charting that Ms Jones had her 3 of Coumadin if you didn't give it?

I honestly can't understand how anyone thinks this is safe for patients. This might be a bit more understandable in a home health setting or even a group home where people are on chronic meds they've been taking for years,..but again if someone ends up over sedated or takes too much insulin or a BP med,..who is going to be held responsible?

Equinox_93 · Feb 16, 2009

Would you as licensed nurse be comfortable "handing out meds" to pts when someone else "put them together" and just said "here take these to the lady in rm 7 bed 2"? Would you feel comfortable giving any meds to a pt if you didn't know her hx, what the meds were, how they worked, etc? Would you feel comfortable charting that Ms Jones had her 3 of Coumadin if you didn't give it?
I honestly can't understand how anyone thinks this is safe for patients. This might be a bit more understandable in a home health setting or even a group home where people are on chronic meds they've been taking for years,..but again if someone ends up over sedated or takes too much insulin or a BP med,..who is going to be held responsible?

I am not a licensed nurse- so I'm not sure HOW I'd feel about it- which is why I asked in the first place.

lindarn · Feb 16, 2009

The solution to overworked nurses in nursing homes and/or Assisted Living Facilities, is not to employ incompetant medication aides, and put the liability for "overseeing their practice", on the overworked RNs.

If they are so shortstaffed, the nursing homes and assisted living facilities need to hire more REGISTERED NURSES OR LPN/LVNS, not de skill the practice of medication administration!!!

If we continue to allow the deskilling of our professional practice, these places WILL continue to whittle away at our professional practice until there is no reaon to hire licensed staff. Just punt the professional skills to any HS dropout!! It is bad enough, and it was not that long ago, that nursing homes pressured our elected officials to change the wording of the nurse practice acts, to read, "any licensed nurses", from "Registered Nurse", to be the senior medical person always available in nursing homes. Now an LPN/LVN, can be in charge in a nursing home, and there is NO RN on the premises.

I am adamant about this. We need to stand together and fight anymore deskilling of the nursing profession. You don't see doctors, Physical Therapist, etc, handing over their professional practice to incompetant HS dropouts, do you? Then why should nurses put up with this? I can think of no good reason, but to make it easier for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, to continue to give away our professional practice to the highest bidder. No thank you. JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

Straydandelion · Feb 16, 2009

I guess this is another way for facillities to cut expenses .... I can imagine the law suits now. "I drew up the proper medication"....." I only gave what was drawn and gave it to the right patient" *sighs*.

I would only trust this practice if I had a waver from the facillity, in other words...written in the policy that I would draw up the medication yet NOT be responsible for how/who/when it was given. This doesn't even address the fact of patient advocacy however... I can see no advantage to the patient in this policy.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Feb 16, 2009

It is my understanding that at least in this state (Massachusetts) this applies to group home situations where residents/consumers take their own medication, staff just makes sure they do. I have not heard of certified medication techs pouring and giving medications themselves. Usually, an RN (Not an LPN) oversees a prepour medication box, and adult consumers are responsible for taking their meds, and the medication tech is an observation thing only. I would assume that in assisted living this would be similar. I think it is important to note in what forum is this being proposed? I can't imagine that it would be in a hospital or nursing home/skilled care faucility where the residents/patients are unable to care for themselves. In my expereince, it is applicable to mental health group homes, or assisted living where residents/consumers get little nursing care.

With that being said, it is a huge concern if we have medication techs who pour and give medications for an RN/LPN when ultimately, the RN/LPN is responsible for patient care, and potential outcomes.

workingmomRN · Feb 16, 2009

Med techs that I know say they have to take a 1-day class to become a qualified med technician. There is no way that someone with no medical knowledge can possibly learn & understand what meds can do to a patient if given incorrectly. They do this job but the ultimate responsibility lies with the RN on duty, so our licenses are on the line. I do not agree with this at all. This position was created in order to be able to hire employees at a much lower wage to do what the nurses should be doing. It's the same thing as the doctors offices hire certified medical assistants to do what nurses used to do, but at a much lower wage. Now it is almost impossible to get a job in a doctors office if you are a licensed nurse.

tangiblerose · Feb 16, 2009

They have CNA's that take classes to be able to give medication out. In Maryland, the PCA/PCT employees draw blood, insert Foley's, D/C foley's stool cultures, urine cultures and even IV'S...........................and only get paid approximately 10.00 an hour. At least Massachusetts pays clinical techs very well, but they aren't allowed to do what Maryland hospitals (some) PCA/PCT'S are allowed to do............seems like alot of weight off the overworked nurses to me, and I am sure it really helps due to the nurses having to do everything else and then some.

1stloveistobeanurse · Feb 16, 2009

Get this, I am a nursing student and a certified Med Tech for the State of Florida. I also oppose this bill as a matter of fact I stop using my certification as a Med Tech. Here is the reason why, I took this course to gain experience in the medical field. Now I was subject to a 4 hour course for 25.00 from a local pharmacy, then I went to work at a assisted living facility. In Florida Med Tech only work ALF, the trainning I receive was not appropiate to administer medication, and I did not want the responsibility of possible hurting a patient, to save the facility money.

As the law states you are suppose to assist in helping a resident take the medication, however, this often is not the case, Med Techs are actually giving insulin shots because they are afraid of loosing there 8.00 per hour job if the resident refuses to take the medication. I have seen Med Techs, give medication with no clue as to what they are giving and why. Here in GA it is even worst, the Med Techs are not even certified, when I first got hear, the director asked me do I know how to give out a piece of candy, or a asprin, when I said yes he said well it is the same thing. I dont want to be a nurse with a piece of paper giving out medication and hurting people, I want to be educated and sucessful in the care that I administer, so I have made the sacrifice to continue on with my education and when I am at a place that I have proper training I will move forward. This is my personal choice, but what about the countless others that are out here in different states giving out meds and have no clue as to what they are doing. It puts the public at risk and all for them to make 8.00 per hour and a facility to save money by paying them 8.00 per hour.

TN would be making a huge mistake, and I will be more than happy to write them and tell them this as well.