CNAs Passing meds

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2004

This has already been going on for years in many states. Texas is a state where I have worked, in which there are facilities who use "Certified Med Aides".

These CMAs are CNAs who have taken a two week class on med administration, and passed a test.

This is also common practice in Kansas.

This is how facilities use med aides to increase nurses' work loads-

Say you are a nurse at a LTC on 3-11. You have 30 pts to pass meds to, do tx, and 4 CNAs to supervise.

Now the facility hires a CMA to pass your po meds. The nurse will still do the tube feed meds, shots, nebulizers, IVs and all the tx, as well as all paperwork and charting.

Congratulations!

Your pt load has just been increased to 60 pts per nurse on 3-11, because you now have the help of a med aide!

I worked noc at a LTC in AZ, where I had 65 residents. The place was a 120 bed facility. Had there been med aides in Az at the time, I bet I would have been the only nurse in the building, and the only nurse for all 120 pts.

Insane, huh?

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2004

.....Conditions in LTC are bad enough now with out adding this burden to the population of our state's LTC facilities. They will cry shortage but they have intentionally created the nursing shortage by making conditions so bad that many have left the profession........

Truer words were never spoken.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Feb 25, 2004

As if i didn't have enough **** to do lol.

joyflnoyz, LPN · Feb 25, 2004

have you ever taken the med aide course? I assure you it is MUCH longer than "2 weeks" .. I did, just for a refresher after being home for 15 years, and there is a LOT of information, tests and a state given exam at the end of the course. It is NOT an "easy" couse, and many flunk out.

Have y'all ever worked with a med aide? The ones I have worked with are so very concientious, and hard workers. They do NOT take lightly the responsibility They are not allowed to give anything injectable, a 1st dose, neb treatments, inhalers; they must check with the nurse before giving a prn.

They do not work in acute care settings, but in LTC, prisons etc. Permits are renewed yearly, with a required 6-8 hour class each year.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2004

have you ever taken the med aide course? I assure you it is MUCH longer than "2 weeks" .. I did, just for a refresher after being home for 15 years, and there is a LOT of information, tests and a state given exam at the end of the course. It is NOT an "easy" couse, and many flunk out.
Have y'all ever worked with a med aide? The ones I have worked with are so very concientious, and hard workers. They do NOT take lightly the responsibility They are not allowed to give anything injectable, a 1st dose, neb treatments, inhalers; they must check with the nurse before giving a prn.
They do not work in acute care settings, but in LTC, prisons etc. Permits are renewed yearly, with a required 6-8 hour class each year.

That does not alter the fact that the licensed nurse will be taking major heat if there is a problem.

Now when the state places the fault for errors on the CNA passing meds, and does not touch the nurse (that has no time to "supervise" due to an increased patient load), then CNAs can pass meds with me.

angel337, MSN, RN · Feb 25, 2004

The latest Issue of the BON newsletter has an article about a program to pass a law that would allow a study to be made regarding CNAs being trained to pass some meds (supposedly under the supervision of a Nurse). The title of this bill is HB2256. Supposedly there will be limits and safeguards to protect the patients but you all know how that works. If this is allowed to pass we will have UAPs passing meds with our being responsible for the outcomes.
This is just another attempt by the healthcare industry to increase their profits at the expense of our patients and at the risk of licensed Nurses. Conditions in LTC are bad enough now with out adding this burden to the population of our state's LTC facilities. They will cry shortage but they have intentionally created the nursing shortage by making conditions so bad that many have left the profession. This gives them the excuse to pass laws like this which will dramaticaly lower their labor costs even if it endangers our patients. I urge you to contact your state representative as well as friends and family and let them know how dangerous this bill is. In case anyone dosen't know the AZ BON is run, lock, stock, and barrel, by the healthcare interests.

this is not a surprise to me. nurses need to be aware that slowly but surely this country is going to try their best to eliminate as many nurse jobs as possible. i was a medical assistant before i became a nurse and the education (18mths for an associates degree) does not even COMPARE to that of an RN's. unfortunately the education of an RN is not as respected as it should be and it is an insult that the healthcare industry think that they can develop programs that basically teach people how to be a wannabe nurse. these programs are designed to teach tasks, but don't teach the why, how and outcomes of their interventions. so sad, but true.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Feb 25, 2004

That does not alter the fact that the licensed nurse will be taking major heat if there is a problem.
Now when the state places the fault for errors on the CNA passing meds, and does not touch the nurse (that has no time to "supervise" due to an increased patient load), then CNAs can pass meds with me.

I totally agree.

redwinggirlie · Mar 8, 2004

No no no no no......

lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN · Oct 15, 2004

i'm a CNA, and I'm totally against CNAs passing meds. We don't know beans about medication. I've had nurses ask me to "go give this Tylenol to Mr. Jones" and I absolutely flat refuse. It's the nurses license that is at stake if the aide screws up. Nurses should do meds, period.