Do hospitals use medication aides?

elkpark · Feb 19, 2008

I have not encountered, or even heard of, medication aides being used in an acute care/hospital setting. As far as I know, they are only used in less acute settings like group homes, assisted living facilities, and maybe some SNFs. However, I am happy to be corrected if I'm wrong ... :)

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Feb 19, 2008

no we don't use medication aides at our hospital.. the medications i give are complicated and usually need a RN or LPN to asses the patient before giving the medication. i usually hang complicated drips and give alot of complicated blood pressure meds.. i don't think a medication aid has the expirence or knowledge to give these medications. i wouldn't recommend them to work at a acute care hospital.

mommyto6cna · Feb 19, 2008

I know where I live they have RN/LPN in the hospitals for meds and LTC facilities use CMA's. I don't think it's really worth it if your aren't working in a LTC/SNF. Unless a hospital would pay you more jsut becasue you have the certification.

HTH :wink2:

pagandeva2000, LPN · Feb 22, 2008

I don't know any hospitals that hire medication aides. But, if you know of somewhere that offers a course, and you can afford it, take it. Knowledge is always helpful. Most medication aides are used in long term care settings.

JaredCNA, CNA · Feb 22, 2008

Actually, I've heard of a hospital in Dallas and another in Houston that hires med aides. I don't know how it is set up since I don't think a med aide can give a PRN pain med and I know they can't push...

rn2bnwi, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2008

I was a medication Aide in Nebraska , I gave medication at a group home setting. The training that I received to be a med aide was VERY minimal im thinking 8 hours?? but its been a long time so that could have changed.

CNAinNeb · Feb 25, 2008

I was a medication Aide in Nebraska , I gave medication at a group home setting. The training that I received to be a med aide was VERY minimal im thinking 8 hours?? but its been a long time so that could have changed.

Its up to 40 hours now, apparently they cover over 200 meds in that period. It still doesn't seem like much time though. I feel more prepared though, because I have already taken med-pharm.

aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN · Feb 27, 2008

It's a good idea in theory but terrible in practice. In my area medication aides are used only in nursing homes.

If you are working in a hospital now and are done with your prereq's for nursing school and are still interested in medications first off I would ask the nurses you work with TONS of questions about the meds they pass. I did this when I first started working and thanks to the kind a patient nurses I work with, I have learned A LOT just from asking. Next, if you work in a hospital and have a question about a med for a condition or just about a med in general, ask your pharmacist!!!!!!! The pharmacist on my unit has been an invaluable resource.

Last but not least, go to your local book store (or amazon.com) and buy a book on pharmacology. There are quite a few out there that will give you the information that will be useful and will help you out as an RN or LPN.

Irene joy · Feb 29, 2008

I currently work at an assited living facility as a med tech. I started as a cna and then they trained me for the cart. The pay is a little better and I look at it as a valuble way to get familiar with medications. I start nursing school in march and I hope it will give me a leg up on pharmachology. It is definetly worth it to have a med book, I use mine all the time and refer to it often on my cart. I can see why they don't use med techs in hospitals though. Those patients are sick and may need there meds adjusted regularly due to changing conditions. In order for a resident to be on my cart, they need to understand what they are getting, why they are getting it and have no problem swallowing them. The nurses give out meds to dementia pts and patients with disphasia that need to have them crushed and so on. Hope that helps!