Do you know what your state legislature is up to that could affect your License?

Nurses Activism

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

Today, there was a post about a new law in NY narrowing the scope of practice for LPN's to keep them from hospital work.

Also, today I got an email from a friend about new legislation here in Georgia that is being considered. RN's will train CNA's to give shots and take care of vents in the home health care setting:eek:. (no offence to CNA's). In other words you as RN's will be responsible for minimally trained people at remote locations taking care of fairly high acuity patients - are you willing to do that? Have some un-licensed person work under your license in that capacity.

And why are they doing this, it states right in the artical to save a buck.

RN's ADN vs BSN and LPN's have had a political love hate relationship for decades - it's time to stop and gather together, to have a powerful single voice. They've come after us, the LPN's, now they are starting on RN's, if we as nurses don't come up with something soon, we will ALL be in jepardy. We are already working under stress due to un-safe patient ratios, buried in paperwork, required designer "customer service care" on and on.

What I find most interesting, is I was not aware of this legislation in my state until a non-nursing friend sent me the article.

I'd love to hear suggestions on how we can ALL work together to stop this type of legislation, become a force to be reckonded with nationally. I belive it will continue to get worse as big insurance companies buy politicos to save a buck at our expense.

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So they want RNs to have the power to train CNAs to be like LPNs, but for less pay? Can someone please provide a link. I have got to read this!

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

http://www.ajc.com/business/bill-pla...se-280317.html

this is happening in the state of ga, i've also posted it over there in hopes all will email/call their state senators and representatives to make sure this doesn't happen. as an lpn i find this really scary, and i'm sure the rn's do too, they will be working off your license!!!

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Specializes in Hospice & Palliative Care, Oncology, M/S.

This is so scary!

What happens to the training nurse should something go wrong?

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This is so scary!

What happens to the training nurse should something go wrong?

You will be named in the lawsuit, since you obviously didn't properly train/supervise the CNA.

No way would I accept this repsonsibility w/o also having hiring/firing authority over the CNA. Even then I most likely wouldn't.

As to the insurance companies wanting to save a $, it's Medicaid that costs state governments $$, and that is the more likely driving force here.

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Specializes in ER, L&D, ICU, LTC, HH.

Certified medication technicians - SB 0009/HB 1607 TNA strongly opposed this bill and worked to advance awareness of patient safety pertaining to this issue. The bill establishes certification for medication technicians who can administer certain medications in nursing homes under the supervision of licensed nurses. An amendment was adopted that creates a category of licensure for those individuals. TNA felt that patient safety would be compromised and took a solid stance on the issue. Unfortunately, the bill passed both chambers as amended and will be enacted as Public Chapter 0403, effective July 1, 2009. TNA will work toward improving quality care for patients where there is such cause for concern.:devil:

This Is in TN. If we don't all unionize and fight this mess; things are only going to get worse. At least join ANA on state level so you can individually fight these things.

~WIllow

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Well, in many states they give the CNAs a lick and a split training course and set them to work passing meds, so why shouldn't they add ventilator management and giving injections? There has been more than one post on this site where someone thinks med aides is an excellent idea. You know that story about when they come for me. It won't hit home until they stop bothering with the RN at all, even one, to be responsible for this goat rope.

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Specializes in ER, L&D, ICU, LTC, HH.

It's nuts; where I was working PCT's are trained to do lab sticks, and all kinds of things. You as the RN are responsible for their actions. They get paid $7.50 an hour. LPN's are gone. CNA's can't do lab sticks and such. I miss LPN's to be honest. One of the best I ever worked with taught me more about L&D than anyone did. Pretty soon we will be out the door; oh wait someone has to be able to be sued. So I guess we are safe for now at least in small numbers.

~Willow

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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.

I am so fed up with people who do not understand nursing trying to define what our profession does and who should be responsible for doing certain tasks. Thanks for the link, DogWmn. Interesting that the bottom line is cost without regard for patient safety.

Also no offense to CNAs but I'd be darn uncomfortable with the idea of someone without a license administering injections or monitoring my loved ones on a vent. If I were a CNA, I'd be scared to death of that responsibility without the nursing knowledge and a LICENSE to back me up.

And Willow, heck, yes I am joining the ANA, if only to be just another voice in trying to preserve nursing. As a private citizen I feel quite disenfranchised by the political process but maybe by joining a professional organization, maybe, just maybe I can have a little bit of an impact.

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Why don't these damn legislators work on getting us raises first. Haven't seen a raise in almost 2 years.

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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.
Why don't these damn legislators work on getting us raises first. Haven't seen a raise in almost 2 years.

They're far more concerned with raising their own salaries and keeping the special interest groups that finance their campaigns happy.

Sorry but my cynicism is showing.

(BTW they probably can't do anything about raising RN salaries unless you're employed by the state...)

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Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.

A little history and facts. In 1964(?) the ANA proposed sweeping changes in the entry level for RNs that essentially eliminated the LPN/LVN license. Army medics (91A/91B) give injections and other medications routinely and safely with just a short course of instruction. This has been going on for multiple decades.

Many states are limiting the scope of the LPN/LVN so it is not limited to just the ones mentioned in the posts. Also in some states the LPN course has no hospital based clinical training. In other states many hospitals won't hire LPNs do to their limited scope of practice and cost effectiveness. RNs/CNA staffing mixes have more flexibility and less cost then RN, LPN, CNA mix.

In home care we teach patients families to do many of the things mentioned in the posts with far less training and knowledge then the CNA routinely has.

Professions evolve over time, I can remember working with an RN who when they received their basic education nurses didn't do blood pressures as that was considered an MD only function. Just as when I began my RN program assessing lungs and EKGs was also only a MD function.

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