I live in Louisiana and i'm in my 3rd quarter of an ADN program. I am hearing rumors that the state is trying to get something approved that would allow CNA's to give meds. From what i hear other states already do this. Is this true? and How do you feel about CNA's giving meds?
I personally am totally against this. CNA's do not have the education to be able to properly administer meds to patients. CNA's in my area get paid about 6 or 7 dollars an hour and have to take a class for a few weeks to a few months at most in order to get certified. How could anyone possibly put something as important and potentially life threatening in the hands of someone that has a few weeks to few months training?
CNAs in Minnesota can go through a short course to pass oral medications excluding coumadin. They may NOT give insulin or any other type of injection, and they may NOT give any medication via feeding tube. They also need a nurse's verification to hold a medication (I think) such digoxin if the heart rate is too low and/or blood pressure med if BP is too low.
They are known as trained medication assistants, or TMA. I'm not a huge fan of them, we have two that I really like at my work, they are very careful and are quick to ask questions if they are having a problem. Overall, they make more work for me and I would prefer not to have to use them.
Hi Guys,
I live in Louisiana and i'm in my 3rd quarter of an ADN program. I am hearing rumors that the state is trying to get something approved that would allow CNA's to give meds. From what i hear other states already do this. Is this true? and How do you feel about CNA's giving meds?
I personally am totally against this. CNA's do not have the education to be able to properly administer meds to patients. CNA's in my area get paid about 6 or 7 dollars an hour and have to take a class for a few weeks to a few months at most in order to get certified. How could anyone possibly put something as important and potentially life threatening in the hands of someone that has a few weeks to few months training?
Since when are Drs right there on the premises of the LTC? I'm confused...
Some how this conversation got mixed up.
We are talking about CNAs. Certified Nursing Assistants that get a further qualification to pass medicines in limited environments. In some states that includes skilled nursing homes, in some, like VA, they can only work in Assisted Living facilities.
Medical assistants work in doctor's offices under the doctor's license. They are a completely different thing.
Specializes in LTC/SNF, Psychiatric, Pharmaceutical.
Keep in mind that CMAs always work under the supervision of a physician who is right there on the premises. Their situation is different from nurses. The doctor is their boss and has the right to use them to replace nurses if they choose. It is a private business matter.
Are you talking about office Medical Assistants or Certified Medication Aides? Two totally different things.
The former work in physician offices and do whatever the physician trains them to do. They practice under the license of the hiring physician(s). There are Medical Assistant training programs, but many states don't even require that, and have no official certification.
Certified Medication Assistants - which is what the acronym CMA usually refers to - are nursing home employees. They are CNAs who have passed state-approved training to handle medications. They work under the license of a nurse, not a physician, so if they make a serious error, the nurse is in trouble because s/he "delegated" the task to the CMA and is considered by the State to be "supervising" the CMA - even though the nursing home hired the CMA and the staffing coordinator, not the charge nurse, makes the CMA's assignments.
Specializes in LTC/SNF, Psychiatric, Pharmaceutical.
Here is WI we have medication aides in LTC facilities. They take a special course and cannot give narcs. They get paid a bit more on the days when they are med aids. I wonder what the LPNs have graduated to that med aides are being utilized.....
In Oklahoma, extremely broad scope of practice is common across the board. The restrictions many states place on UAPs and LPNs are unheard of here.
CMAs can handle any medication in a NH, including narcs, and can even receive training as "advanced CMAs" and give PEG tube feedings/meds. They are also utilized as Central Supply Supervisors and even as hiring/staffing coordinators.
LPNs hold supervisory and administrative positions in nursing homes. An RN only needs be on the premises 8 hours a day to meet Medicare and Medicaid requirements here, and only an RN can review care plans, but that's it. LPNs can essentially hold any position in a nursing home except DON (which meets the requirement for LPNs to practice under the supervision of a RN, as defined by the Oklahoma Nurse Practice Act), including Administrator if they meet the licensing and educational requirements.
Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.
In NC if a CNA takes a medication side test they can pass an established oral and topical medications in the LtC setting only. If course there are certain drugs, even PO's they can't give.
SunnyAndrsn
561 Posts
CNAs in Minnesota can go through a short course to pass oral medications excluding coumadin. They may NOT give insulin or any other type of injection, and they may NOT give any medication via feeding tube. They also need a nurse's verification to hold a medication (I think) such digoxin if the heart rate is too low and/or blood pressure med if BP is too low.
They are known as trained medication assistants, or TMA. I'm not a huge fan of them, we have two that I really like at my work, they are very careful and are quick to ask questions if they are having a problem. Overall, they make more work for me and I would prefer not to have to use them.