Do any of you know much about these? They keep going on and on about it in my CNA class. I guess the state of North Carolina will be listing the position on the NC Board of Nursing next year. The instructors seem to think that a lot of opportunities and job openings will be avaliable to them.
Learn the skills and information you will need to take the state Med Tech Exam.
Our Med Tech class includes instruction on:
Safe medication administration
Proper infection control
Medical Terminology
Physician orders & transcribing
Medication monitoring techniques
Methods to monitor RX effects/side effects/adverse reactions
Proper storage of medications
Proper documentation procedures
Reference/resources in Rx administration.
I'm just wondering is this is something that's being "hyped up". Or if this will be a more common job.
I agree. And if this is enacted nationally, there's no guessing how many nurses will walk and change careers! They think there is a nursing shortage NOW???
I am in (BSN) nursing school - taking Pharm now. After graduation (15 months and counting) and after boards, I think I will be pretty protective of my license. So, if there are any meds to be passed to MY patients whom I am responsible for ..... I will pass them.
Nicole - look at it this way: I am legally responsible for meds given to my patient and if you were to make a mistake -- who do you think would bear more responsibility in a court of law? Me (as a licensed RN) or you (as an aid)? Who is ultimately responsible for the (MY) patient? I don't doubt that nurses make med errors, but at least if I have to own the mistake, I would like to be the one to make it --- I don't want to go down for someone else's error. See my point? We all make mistakes, but I don't think you would stake your license (which took you 1-4 years of hell to get) and your livelihood on someone with lesser education than you. We are told as students to NEVER pass meds that another nurse has prepared, so why would we allow an aid to assume this responsibility?
Also, Nicole, do you do patient teaching when you are passing medications? I think that is part of the nursing responsibility and it is the patient's right. Do you tell the patients about the med, side effects, why it is given, etc, etc, etc?
Also, Nicole, just the fact that you don't think it is a "big deal" is all the justification that is needed in the argument that aids should not pass medications. Go to nursing school, pass boards, and take responsibility for passing meds... I bet your opinion will change.
LifeLONGstudent
Sorry if that was hard to read, but it is my opinion. Flame me if you want, I will not be back to read it for a while b/c I have a pharm test (over ANS) and a dosage test to study for.
I am in (BSN) nursing school - taking Pharm now. After graduation (15 months and counting) and after boards, I think I will be pretty protective of my license. So, if there are any meds to be passed to MY patients whom I am responsible for ..... I will pass them.
Nicole - look at it this way: I am legally responsible for meds given to my patient and if you were to make a mistake -- who do you think would bear more responsibility in a court of law? Me (as a licensed RN) or you (as an aid)? Who is ultimately responsible for the (MY) patient? I don't doubt that nurses make med errors, but at least if I have to own the mistake, I would like to be the one to make it --- I don't want to go down for someone else's error. See my point? We all make mistakes, but I don't think you would stake your license (which took you 1-4 years of hell to get) and your livelihood on someone with lesser education than you. We are told as students to NEVER pass meds that another nurse has prepared, so why would we allow an aid to assume this responsibility?
Also, Nicole, do you do patient teaching when you are passing medications? I think that is part of the nursing responsibility and it is the patient's right. Do you tell the patients about the med, side effects, why it is given, etc, etc, etc?
Also, Nicole, just the fact that you don't think it is a "big deal" is all the justification that is needed in the argument that aids should not pass medications. Go to nursing school, pass boards, and take responsibility for passing meds... I bet your opinion will change.
LifeLONGstudent
Sorry if that was hard to read, but it is my opinion. Flame me if you want, I will not be back to read it for a while b/c I have a pharm test (over ANS) and a dosage test to study for.
I don't think you read the rest of my replies.
I am NOT taking the med tech class. If I'm going to be going to Nursing school anways, then why waste my time on this class when I'll be learning it and MORE when I start the actual Nursing classes? I didn't know much about the class when I first posted, but after reading replies, I now understand and replied to those.
And I'm wasn't saying that passing meds isn't a big deal. I was only reffering to insulin injections. I guess I shouldn't have said they weren't a big deal because ANY med can be a "big deal". I know that insulin injections are a failry easy process (thanks to having a family member with diabetes) and easy to learn. That's all I meant by that. I'm not going to flame you...you pretty much did that to me. Good grief.
***Edited to say that I just realized that you may have been talking to the other Nicole. I forgot that I don't have my whole name "Nicole" even on here. OOPS!!! If you weren't reffering to me, then just ignore what I said. I'm blonde....I have an excuse for getting confused easily. :chuckle ***
Yesterday, the NC Board of Nursing reversed themselves on the issue of medication aides and voted to oppose it.
Not so coincidentally, the Health Care committee of the House voted to table the discussion of H 783. It was taken off the calendar for action in the legislature.
I wonder if I should tell my classmates this since they all signed up and already paid for the CMT class. I bet they will be MAD because there are no refunds given.
i learned more in my medication aide class that i took for 6 months...then I learned in my pharm class at nursing school that was only 3 months long...two days a week for 2 hours a day...
in the medication aide class we learned about the side effects of medications...superinfections, toxicities, take pulses before dig, BP's before blood pressure pills...etc...however we are not "trained" as you say to look for side effects to the meds and thats okay...the nurses do that...and working in LTC its easy to see changes between a patient that you see each day....all of the residents in our nursing home have been on the same medication for months with no adverse reactions..and anybody that is on a new drug, the initial dose has to be given by the nurse and charted on for seen adverse reactions.
we dont give PRN's without the nurse first assessing the patient and seeing if the "pain" is really just pain, or if it is "masking another problem"
Assissted livings get one day of training and then they can pass...oh im sorry Assist giving meds out at a assissted living facility...just one day of training...
for the people that never really had a chance to work with a medication aide, I wish you wouldn't be so quick to judge on it, it's not as bad as it sounds, and if you think thats me sounding naive, then so be it.
I don't know how you can learn more in 6 mos in a med aide class--and 6 mos sounds like a lot longer than most states require. But, how can you really understand effects of medications without having a good foundation in A & P? What about knowing about the ANS and the endocrine system? Do you know the difference (from the medication class) between sympathetic and parasympathetic reactions?
I'm hoping you are NOT telling me that you DIDN'T know to check BP and PR before giving dig, BPs before blood pressure meds--what about knowing what to check for in labs? What are signs of liver toxicity? What would you need to check for someone on coumadin? With what medication might you see Red Man Syndrome?
People CAN have reactions to medications AFTER the first administration. Allergic reactions are not predictable.
I recently had to take cipro and flagyl: one of them you were supposed to give cautiously in patients who are already taking medication that decreases the seizure threshhold (I do); another you are supposed to give cautiously in patients who are taking medication that can prolong QT intervals (I do). I guess one of the points I'm trying to make is practically all medications need to be given cautiously. That's why we drag around Nursing Guidebooks to Drugs.
I think the main thing is that medication administration is dynamic: how a medication affects someone can be affected by what the patient has eaten (what medications are you not supposed to drink grapefruit juice); whether they have eaten; age, physical condition; soooo many things.
Your underlying assumption seems to be that its okay to give people meds because they've already had them. But people are not static, and it is the dynamism of the human organism that makes medication administration challenging, and worrisome when being given by a significantly lesser-trained person.
As a nursing student, I stand in a bit of fear and awe in giving someone medications--there is SO much to know, SO much that can go wrong, and so much that just isn't known about a medication, period. You, as a medication aide, seem to have no fear in doing so. That, right there, is dangerous.
Nicole #2; giving insulin is not, by any means, a slam dunk. That is why nurses in most places are trained to check the insulin we draw up with another licensed personnel. In my nursing classes, we learned "Did I kill him" to remember the 4 drugs that can be particularly dangerous: digoxin, insulin, K+, heparin if given incorrectly (and, especially, without checking labs!!!)
Nicole #2; giving insulin is not, by any means, a slam dunk. That is why nurses in most places are trained to check the insulin we draw up with another licensed personnel. In my nursing classes, we learned "Did I kill him" to remember the 4 drugs that can be particularly dangerous: digoxin, insulin, K+, heparin if given incorrectly (and, especially, without checking labs!!!)
NurseFirst
Remember, I'm still learning. I'm not even IN the Nursing program yet, so I have a LOT to learn yet. I guess by knowing a family member with diabetes (hyperglycemia), it SEEMS easy. Some people don't know a thing about blood sugar, but I know when mine gets too low. I have mild hypoglycemia (what I mean by that is that it's not an everyday problem for me. I only drop low when I haven't eaten and I've learned that by snacking throughout the day, I can control it thanfully).
I just wanted to clarify that I wasn't reffering to ALL medications. I may be clueless at times, but I'm not THAT clueless. :)
well....we've had medication aides in the state of texas for years now, and havent had any problems. If they did, they wouldn't allow it anymore. If anybody wants to show me some research pointing out medication aide errors, then show me. Other wise I'm going to stand my ground saying that I'm a good medication aide.
My unit has 46 people. How is one nurse going to pass all the meds, do treatments, peg tube feedings, assessments, call the doctors, and families and everything else and still look for side effects of the meds given. There just isn't enough time for them to do that. I give my meds, we watch our residents, the nurse reports any changes that anybody catches, and thats that. There has never been a problem. Don't flame me just because I have faith in the medication aide program and none of you agree with it.
Im in nursing school right now...just finished my pharm class and it was terrible...what NurseFirst tried to quiz me on, we didn't learn in school...I would like to hear replies from people working in long term care about having medication aides...not hospitals, because med aides here in texas can not work in a hospital...
well....we've had medication aides in the state of texas for years now, and havent had any problems. If they did, they wouldn't allow it anymore. If anybody wants to show me some research pointing out medication aide errors, then show me. Other wise I'm going to stand my ground saying that I'm a good medication aide.
My unit has 46 people. How is one nurse going to pass all the meds, do treatments, peg tube feedings, assessments, call the doctors, and families and everything else and still look for side effects of the meds given. There just isn't enough time for them to do that. I give my meds, we watch our residents, the nurse reports any changes that anybody catches, and thats that. There has never been a problem. Don't flame me just because I have faith in the medication aide program and none of you agree with it.
Im in nursing school right now...just finished my pharm class and it was terrible...what NurseFirst tried to quiz me on, we didn't learn in school...I would like to hear replies from people working in long term care about having medication aides...not hospitals, because med aides here in texas can not work in a hospital...
Mark my words.. when you have completed nursing school and are working, you will look at this matter with entirely new eyes. No, no, not now... I said when you have FINISHED nursing school and are working as a nurse..so save what you want to say to me NOW for for THEN. I know you don't believe that now... get back with me THEN.
Two issues I have trouble with:
1."How is one nurse going to pass all the meds, do treatments, peg tube feedings, assessments, call the doctors, and families and everything else and still look for side effects of the meds given. There just isn't enough time for them to do that."
One nurse ISN'T able to do all that, and rather than jeopardize the safety of these victim-patients, the answer is for these money hungry institutions and facilities to HIRE MORE NURSES..but no ! "Medication aides will do nicely, thank you ! More $$ in OUR pockets", they say ! :angryfire
2."I would like to hear replies from people working in long term care about having medication aides...not hospitals, because med aides here in texas can not work in a hospital."
This in itself troubles me... if med aides are not good enough for hospitals, are the LTC patients then of a lesser caliber/quality.. less deserving of competent care or med administration? What does this say? LTC patients are somehow not as "important"? Is their quality of life less than that of an in-hospital patient? Would I be concerned if MY mother were in LTC with med aides? You bet !
Sure, LTC is chronic and many of the meds have been given/taken for some time ...but that is not a good enough answer when it comes to somebody's mother/father/sister/brother who is trusting that the person administering the med is competent and knowledgable in ALL aspects of med administration.
The reason it IS a "big deal" is because every LIFE is a big deal.
Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.
ok, im going to address this issue as requested. i am sure you have read my past post on med aides but for those of you that havent... here i go. i am a lvn in texas that works as a med aide on the weekends and fill in as a nurse when needed. my other job is to do clinical rotations with student med aides. this is a minimal 10 hour requirment in texas that must be proctored. well now the good stuff... i spend a great deal of time shaking my head while on med pass with these people. i always quiz the students on what they are giving and ask them side effects , normal dosage blah blah blah.. i want to add here these are very common drugs ,most of them. out of the many i have done clinicals with only one could properly name the drugs. and that was is only half of the meds. lord have mercy, they have routine drugs like atenolol or nitro to give and i get answers like "i dont know what that is" or "is that a antibiotic". if you dont know what it is, you damn sure dont know to take the bp first. i laugh under my breath when they look in the narc box for the colace or in the routine meds for the methadone. so, i will stand by the fact that med aides are no where trained enough to unlock the med cart much less pass pills from it. it is true ,there is no way one nurse can handle all the patients and that is why i have been employed in my facility. i pass the pills and all is well.
well....we've had medication aides in the state of texas for years now, and havent had any problems. if they did, they wouldn't allow it anymore. if anybody wants to show me some research pointing out medication aide errors, then show me. other wise i'm going to stand my ground saying that i'm a good medication aide.
my unit has 46 people. how is one nurse going to pass all the meds, do treatments, peg tube feedings, assessments, call the doctors, and families and everything else and still look for side effects of the meds given. there just isn't enough time for them to do that. i give my meds, we watch our residents, the nurse reports any changes that anybody catches, and thats that. there has never been a problem. don't flame me just because i have faith in the medication aide program and none of you agree with it.
im in nursing school right now...just finished my pharm class and it was terrible...what nursefirst tried to quiz me on, we didn't learn in school...i would like to hear replies from people working in long term care about having medication aides...not hospitals, because med aides here in texas can not work in a hospital...
no need for med techs
I know you don't believe that now... get back with me THEN.
jnette, ASN, EMT-I
4,388 Posts
I agree. And if this is enacted nationally, there's no guessing how many nurses will walk and change careers! They think there is a nursing shortage NOW???