I've been sick with pneumonia x 12 days and through this illness my left ear has plugged up, loud roaring noise and definately don't hear as well on the left side.
I went to the ENT today and have fluid behind the ear drum and had a hearing test which showed a significant hearing loss due to damage to the auditory nerve which Dr. ENT says was caused by the virus which caused the pneumonia. We don't know what caused the pneumonia, but whatever. I do trust him.
He suggested a shot of depo-medrol. I said "do you have a licensed person who can give me that shot?" His eyes got big and serious and said "Why?". I said "because I prefer a licensed person draw up my meds and give me the injection". He said "well I can give it to you but I haven't given one in years and my best MA gives shots every single day, we give alot of depo-medrol in this office. I said "Ok". He did not like me asking that question and was kinda flippant saying she gives shots every single day.
MA comes in the room and I asked her what her experience was and she said she had been in the Army as a medic x 12 years and had alot of experience and understood my concern. I told her "well you know alot of MA's think they are nurses, say they are nurses and they are not. I went to school for 4 years to be able to say I'm a nurse and I really have a problem with MA's who don't understand their scope of practice". She didn't say too much other than so you are a nurse? and she added I won't let an MA draw my blood so I know how you feel.
She gave a good shot, I didn't even feel it. I felt justified in asking the doctor for a licensed person even though he didn't appreciate it. If for nothing else so he knows that some people do object to unlicensed persons giving them injections.
I have to admit that during nursing school a nice doc took me under his wing and I worked in his clinic learning to give injections and draw blood. I also got DRILLED about differential diagnosis by the PA there. Oh boy, she would complain about NURSE BRAIN all the time.
Looking back, I can now see folks qualms. But, I did learn alot and it was under his license.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
The fact that this person was a medic (especially during a war) certainly can supercede many nurses in my book. I can understand the question of licensure, however, I also want to know experience. This person had more experience than me, and I am an LPN. This may have been why the physician felt comfortable to hire this person in their practice.
Going to school for four years does not mean you have more experience nor skill than a simple MA. A degree does not mean you are necessarily competent. It means you have a piece of paper. I think it was a tad rude of you to say that just because you went to school for four years that you were somehow better versed in what she was employed to do. You know nothing about her.
Going to school for four years does not mean you have more experience nor skill than a simple MA. A degree does not mean you are necessarily competent. It means you have a piece of paper. I think it was a tad rude of you to say that just because you went to school for four years that you were somehow better versed in what she was employed to do. You know nothing about her.
I agree. After all it's not rocket science to give an injection. My niece has been giving herself insulin and growth hormone injections since she was 8 years old. She probably has a lighter touch than a lot of health care professionals. I've heard ED nurses say a junkie can find a vein quicker than the most seasoned phlebotomist any day.
Maybe because you were ill, you were on edge. Does not seem that this M.A. was trying to pass herself off as anything she was not. Have to agree, sounds like this M.A. did handle the situation well.
I'm a nursing student working full time as a phlebotomist for a blood bank. I'm a certified phlebomist who has had extensive on the job training/ assessment. We also have RN's immediately available if the donor has any problems. I can still recall an incident where we had a donor become irate with our supervisor because we didn't have all RN's drawing the blood. Another donor made the comment that she was perfectly comfortable with phlebotomists drawing her blood because that was what we did all day and are very proficient in this skill.
While I understand your reluctance to have an unlicensed personnel drawing up/ administering meds, I encourage you to look at this from a different perspective. From what you said, the MA you encountered sounds as if she did not exceed her scope of practice. Instead she was functioning as part of a healthcare team.
Maybe my perspective is slightly skewed because I am still a nursing student, but I feel very strongly that well trained, compentent (unlicenced) personnel have an important part of the healthcare team. Having said that though, if an MA's behavior had made me uncomfortable (carelessness, rudeness, an attitude of knowing it all, making statements that were outside her scope of practice, disregard for safety, etc), I would have requested another person administer my shot.
Also, being ill can definately alter perspective on things. And we all are entitled to our own views and opinions.
Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.
You have every right to ask for a qualified person to do any procedure on you but when you said this
I told her "well you know alot of MA's think they are nurses, say they are nurses and they are not. I went to school for 4 years to be able to say I'm a nurse and I really have a problem with MA's who don't understand their scope of practice". She didn't say too much other than so you are a nurse?
it was unjustified. She probably didn't have anything to say about it because you hit a nerve but I can guess that she had a lot to say when you left. If they way you wrote it is the way you said it to her it seems that you are better than her professionally because of your four year degree which is nothing but a piece of paper unless you do something with it. She's could be proud of her job and what you said wasn't appropriate. I can pretty much bet that the MD that you wanted to do the injection doesn't have nearly as many injections behind him as she does.
I felt justified in asking the doctor for a licensed person even though he didn't appreciate it. If for nothing else so he knows that some people do object to unlicensed persons giving them injections.
Once again you were justified by asking the question but I doubt very seriously that it's going to make him go out and get a LPN or and RN because of it. If you don't like the MD offices policies you can always find someone else just be sure before you make your appointment that you ask if there are any licensed employees that work there and hope that they never quit or get fired.
Giving an injection is a skill, and not something you shoud need 4 years of school. Many hospitals are using PCTs now to perform skills that nurses used to do - IVs, injections, catheters, etc. They are well trained, and within their scope of practice. When I was a practice manager, I had CMAs in my clinical area, they were extremely reliable, and I would have never given a second thought to getting a shot from one. Home health nurses now train family members to give injections.
Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN
11,305 Posts
I have to admit that during nursing school a nice doc took me under his wing and I worked in his clinic learning to give injections and draw blood. I also got DRILLED about differential diagnosis by the PA there. Oh boy, she would complain about NURSE BRAIN all the time.
Looking back, I can now see folks qualms. But, I did learn alot and it was under his license.
steph