Concerned for Our Elderly Citizens - Need Your Help

Nurses General Nursing

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I am very concerned and upset that the state of Ohio is considering this medication aide program. I feel its dangerous to our elderly and mentally ill population. I want to protest this and am wondering how other nurses feel? not to mention it will take lpn jobs!!!

:trout: :monkeydance:

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Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

In our ICU we do not use medication aides and all our nurses are RNs. I don't believe that medication aides are appropriately trained to pass meds in the critical care setting. The patients' conditions are too complex and most medications are IV gtts/vasoactive gtts/IVPB/IVP...which require a license.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

It's only for LTC (for now anyway)...

My state is also doing a pilot program utilizing med aides. Unfortunately, I think the only thing that will stop this practice is a lot of mistakes leading to deaths.

I don't like the idea at all.

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The way to stop it is to start a petition and send it to your legislator. I am trying to figure out how to start an online petition. Any help would be great. You could do it in your state. A lot of nurses did'nt know about it.

I realize its only in long term care. This is going to be one more less place for lpns to work..

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I am an rn in the icu. I am saddned to know that the state of Ohio has now implimented a pilot program for medication aides. I fear for our elderly population who already have limited medical care. I beg you to write emails to your state legislator and ohio as well to stop this terrible pratice. I have had a person with liver dx. that has returned to the hospital because they refuse to give him his lactulose. Thanks, in advance.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Cardiothoracics, VADs.

Your post makes it sound like the medication aides will be in ICU. from my understanding it's only in LTC...?? Why don't you start an online petition?

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Medication certified staff have been used for over 20 years in Connecticut. They are employed by state and private facilities that give care to the mentally retarded. They go through a short (20 hour) course given by an RN. The meds for this population are complex. They include antiepileptics and antipyschotics. The population is many times uncooperative. The staff is supposed to be under the direction of an RN, but that only means the kardex is reviewed once in a while.

I know because that is how I started 20 years ago. Now I work as an RN in a large community hospital. I have seen a lot, and it is not pretty. When the state fought for deinstitutionalization in the 70s they didn't foresee the healthcare crisis we have today. It is a chaotic situation, getting worse by the day.

I am now aware that the state is starting to certify day care providers and child care centers. The employees will take a similar short class and then be able to administer meds to the children in their care. Medication aides in LTC is the obvious next step.

Note that the above people who will receive their meds from an unlicensed person are the weakest segments of our population. I have no answers, only wanted to let you know it is not a "new" idea. It has been going on for some time now. If you feel a patient is being mistreated please report this on an individual basis to the protective hotline of your state. It will get looked into.

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I love the feed back. The previous posts clarified the fact that the medication aides are for mainly long term care. I know its been in other states a while. If we don't take a stand and try what are we doing for our aging elderly population? Write a letter to your state department their the people who make these laws. The large companies that gain money from the less licensed personal are the only people speaking out. If you know how to start an online petition let me know how to do it. Thanks

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