Do we "just give meds"?

[theviolinist]

I've been at my job in a LTC facility for 2 months now and on more than one occasion a cna has mentioned something about the nurse "just passing meds". It certainly seems that way sometimes but I never thought nursing was med passes only. It is just frustrating when I here it said. Even some residents have called me a "pill pusher". Does anyone else feel this way? Does it get better?

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

I've been at my job in a LTC facility for 2 months now and on more than one occasion a cna has mentioned something about the nurse "just passing meds". It certainly seems that way sometimes but I never thought nursing was med passes only. It is just frustrating when I here it said. Even some residents have called me a "pill pusher". Does anyone else feel this way? Does it get better?

First of all, have a sense of humor about it. To them, that's how it does appear. Realistically, you should be assessing each resident as you go. "Is Ms. Jones less talkative than usual? Mr. Smith looks pale and diaphoretic. " you get the gist. No, we are not just pill pushers! Never let yourself believe that. Ask the cna if she's just a butt wiper. It may help with her perspective :)

[LPNtoRNin2016OH, LPN]

I have been in LTC on and off for awhile now and yes essentially that is your main objective in long term care because you have 25+ patients. I am PRN in LTC right now as I am in school and my main goal each shift is to pass all the meds ordered, observe for any change of condition, do treatments, anything like G-tube feeds etc etc, chart, go home. I don't have time for anything else, most days I am there 2 hours after my shift ends. I could never do LTC full or part time again and will not be staying once I graduate with my RN. I love my patients but I have no desire to keep doing this my whole career.

[amoLucia]

I don't know that I'd ask that question! You'd just be adding fuel to her fire. I do understand what you're

saying, though. But I need the CNAs on my side so I wouldn't want to alienate anyone.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

I don't know that I'd ask that question! You'd just be adding fuel to her fire. I do understand what you're

saying, though. But I need the CNAs on my side so I wouldn't want to alienate anyone.

That was sarcasm...

[heron, ASN, RN]

No, you're not "just a pill pusher". You need to be an expert at all those "independent" functions you learned about in school. Things like coordination, delegation, supervision and advocacy. Pushing pills isn't all that trivial, either, when you consider the professional responsibilities that entails.

Don't let uninformed people define your professional identity.

[amoLucia]

Sorry! Wasn't meant to be sarcastic. Just could be a better way to make the point with the CNA.

Like I said, I do understand the sentiment of wanting to respond to set the record straight.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

No. I was being sarcastic

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Some days it feels that way or may seem that way to some of the CNAs. Most know that we do more, but sometimes they don't see other nurses doing more.

example: I walk in and see a resident with pitting edema. The CNAs may have reported it before but the nurse didn't do anything and just moved on with passing pills.

I come upon the resident, actually check the edema, listen to thier lungs and check O2 sats and look at output. I mention this out loud to the CNA so they see what we actually do. Often times they don't see the process.

[ambr46]

Unless you are one of those rare nurses who just loves long term care then finding something else might save you a few years on your life. For me, I felt that if I spent more than two minutes with a patient I was going to fall behind. I enjoy having some time do do a thorough assesment and not be on such an impossible time crunch. LTC is not for everyone.

[quiltynurse56, LPN, LVN]

My med passes allow me to see each resident at least once during my shift. This gives me time to visually assess each resident. I can see over time if the resident is going downhill or improving. I can hear changes in their conditions too. So while it seems that is all you are doing, you are really doing much more. I have been in LTC for 6 months now and at first, it did seem like passing meds was all I did. Then I started realizing that I was noticing subtle changes in residents which allowed me to realize just how much assessing was going on with each contact.

So, yeah, to the aids, it does look like that is all you do, but in reality you are doing much more than that.