CNAs give medications

[Beaue]

Where should the line be drawn with CNA distributing medication with six month or less of training. When I worked as CNA at assistant living, the CNA with a month of training distributed medication to residents. Even with some training, still dangerous for CNA to give medicine. We charted the medicine on the resident's chart after giving the medicine. Every CNA is not responsible enough to give out medicines, which is another big problem. Believe assistant living homes are one of the worst things that could have happened in America. This rule need changing to only LPN and RN or higher can distribute medications. i saw so many times where someone gave a person the wrong medicine. Even know a girl fired from three places for making this mistake. What do you think of this?

[Asystole RN]

Meh.

If a CNA takes a medication administration class and is restricted to certain low risk PO medications that do not require patient assessment in low risk patient populations I am OK with it. If a layperson can be trusted to administer their own medications I do not see why CNAs cannot.

[niccikatie]

I totally agree...

I was a 19-year-old unlicensed direct care worker at a personal care group home for developmentally disabled adults back in 2000. After receiving a whopping eight hours of training, I administered their medications every morning for the very handsome wage of $8 hourly.

Looking back at the situation, I was passing Haldol, Zyprexa, Premarin and other medications without knowing what they were for.

I pushed meds through a central line in a similar position long before any nursing school training. They had a nurse come and teach me and that was it! Night shift on my own - though I did make more than $8/hr.

Seriously scary after I learned later what I was doing.

[needlesmcgeeRN, ASN, RN]

Exactly what I was saying. I mean, when I was a direct support staff, I was aware of the medications I was passing and knew things to watch for. But, a fair majority of my co-workers...well, I wouldn't want them giving themselves medications, much less a consumer.

I totally agree...

I was a 19-year-old unlicensed direct care worker at a personal care group home for developmentally disabled adults back in 2000. After receiving a whopping eight hours of training, I administered their medications every morning for the very handsome wage of $8 hourly.

Looking back at the situation, I was passing Haldol, Zyprexa, Premarin and other medications without knowing what they were for.

[ilovnursing]

It depends on your state's regulation really. I work in a private home with people who have dementia & Alzheimer's Disease. They have medications. These medications I give are already in the daily container. I make sure that they take these meds. That's my responsibility and duty. Or a regular visit in the ER.

[Lovekaylanicole]

I used to do this before I became an RN. I was a CNA at an Assisted Living and I took a few hour course to become a "med tech". I always made sure I covered myself because I felt unsafe doing it. I couldn't tell any of them what their medications were for, I was just tasked with giving it to them. We frequently had missing narcotics.

[Orion81RN]

In the nursing field, I think only LPNs and above have any business administering medications. Always thought so. Will never change.

[Orion81RN]

They are CNA with 3 months of training. A CNA can farther their education with another 3 to 6 months in school to become a PCT, Patient Care Technician. PCT's can do vitals, bladder scans, draw blood, remove catheters, do EKGs and any other type duties.

I didn't have to do any extra schooling after becoming a CNA to then become a PCT in a hospital. It works differently everywhere. I was trained to do those extra things by my hospital.

[Orion81RN]

Meh.

If a CNA takes a medication administration class and is restricted to certain low risk PO medications that do not require patient assessment in low risk patient populations I am OK with it. If a layperson can be trusted to administer their own medications I do not see why CNAs cannot.

The lay person only has to learn his meds. Not dozens of other people's meds as well. And just because the lay person takes his own meds, does NOT mean he knows the action, onset, peak, duration, nursing indications and implications, contraindications and precautions, adverse reactions, possible side effects and to monitor for aforementioned rxns and SE's, interactions..... No matter how much as NURSES we teach them. Let alone know all that for every med fir every patient.