Letting CNA pass your meds, bad idea?

Published

I fill the cups and check for all interactions and whatnot, but anyone have any negative experiences or can think of any possible neg exp with this?

Thanks

wow responses making me feel a wee bit incompent, just ta let ya know my thoughts I have decided to share my very rough draft, (just wrote between post) of my essay, tell me what ya think,

The decision to delegate the task of passing meds to any unlicensed personal is in most cases an irresponsible action. The first and foremost problem is the liability issues of the patients' meds, as a nurse we are held accountable for any negative events from that medication regardless of our involvement. Examples of this are the obvious risk of theft whether it be the CTA directly or someone else that may have taken the meds off the patients table. Obvious harm could come to the person taking this medication whether it be a allergic reaction, complication due to health condition, or interaction with other drugs the individual may have also taken. There is also the patient to be considered, the meds taken by another may have been vital to the patients treatment causing severe repressions.

The training a CTA receives is not at the level to make decisions to keep the medications safe. And as professionals we are given the responsibility to protect the patent and safeguard others from controlled substance, it is in fact our complete fault if another does harm with these substances.

The patient may be curious about the side effects or maybe even the reason they are taking their prescribed drugs, the CTA's level of knowledge and experience with patients would not be able to at the very least answer these questions. Even more so the patient to health provider trust would be greatly dimished, patients correctly expect professional staff in professional situations, any less is..../

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Ed, Ob/GYN, AD, LTC, Rehab.

Its not illegal depending on the state and where you work. I worked as a CNA in a alzheimers unit were the CNAs were the only ones to pass meds (we poured our own meds and gave them, no injections or anything fancing, only oral). I will say some of us had NO business even going near the med cart, but it is perfectly legal. Being in nursing school now i would never work in a place where i had to delegate this to a CNA personally, but our nurses did. Honestly becoming a CNA does not demand the time nor commitment to the education required to this and in my opinion doesnt command the responsibility of such an important task being that i did it and know better now, not to say that im sure there are many nurses in this position with the eduaction. Needless to say as a CNA you dont have the schooling or critical skills to do this, yet i did for over a year. I guess im mixed on the situtation but let me assure it is legal. Also it wasnt fair as a CNA doing med passes and vitals and all the patient care and documentation and ordering meds and calling the MD's so what did our nurses do, you guessed it, collected their pay checks and sit in their office. It was like pulling teeth to get them to even look at the residents. What a screwy place to work!:uhoh3:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Illegal as heck ----check with the Boards Of Nursing regarding the subject. It's not legal to delegate med passes to unlicensed personnel, UNLESS they are certified medical aides, hired specifically for this task.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
Its not illegal depending on the state and where you work. I worked as a CNA in a alzheimers unit were the CNAs were the only ones to pass meds (we poured our own meds and gave them, no injections or anything fancing, only oral). I will say some of us had NO business even going near the med cart, but it is perfectly legal. Being in nursing school now i would never work in a place where i had to delegate this to a CNA personally, but our nurses did. Honestly becoming a CNA does not demand the time nor commitment to the education required to this and in my opinion doesnt command the responsibility of such an important task being that i did it and know better now, not to say that im sure there are many nurses in this position with the eduaction. Needless to say as a CNA you dont have the schooling or critical skills to do this, yet i did for over a year. I guess im mixed on the situtation but let me assure it is legal. Also it wasnt fair as a CNA doing med passes and vitals and all the patient care and documentation and ordering meds and calling the MD's so what did our nurses do, you guessed it, collected their pay checks and sit in their office. It was like pulling teeth to get them to even look at the residents. What a screwy place to work!:uhoh3:

I really don't think it's perfectly legal. I would like to know what state's nursing board allows CNAs to not only provide medication to patients, but to also be the ones to measure it out. No nurse involved at all?? If there were nurses working in this facility, medications were definitely their responsibility. Just because they delegated it to CNAs does not make it legal. Very scary situation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Ed, Ob/GYN, AD, LTC, Rehab.
Illegal as heck ----check with the Boards Of Nursing regarding the subject. It's not legal to delegate med passes to unlicensed personnel, UNLESS they are certified medical aides, hired specifically for this task.

Its not illegal. When i was hired i thought the same thing so i had them show me the law and sure enough its legal. Also in nursing school imentioned it and they didnt believe me, and investigated, and yes its legal. the state even came into our facitlity like they always do and were aware of the CNA doing it

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

It IS illegal many places. Like I said, one need look no further than the Nurse Practice Act of his/her own state.

And nope, no CNA would be passing meds under MY license.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

First what kind of facility are we talking about here. Assisted living maybe LTC facilities NO!!!

Its not illegal. When i was hired i thought the same thing so i had them show me the law and sure enough its legal. Also in nursing school imentioned it and they didnt believe me, and investigated, and yes its legal. the state even came into our facitlity like they always do and were aware of the CNA doing it
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Its not illegal depending on the state and where you work. I worked as a CNA in a alzheimers unit were the CNAs were the only ones to pass meds (we poured our own meds and gave them, no injections or anything fancing, only oral). I will say some of us had NO business even going near the med cart, but it is perfectly legal. Being in nursing school now i would never work in a place where i had to delegate this to a CNA personally, but our nurses did. Honestly becoming a CNA does not demand the time nor commitment to the education required to this and in my opinion doesnt command the responsibility of such an important task being that i did it and know better now, not to say that im sure there are many nurses in this position with the eduaction. Needless to say as a CNA you dont have the schooling or critical skills to do this, yet i did for over a year. I guess im mixed on the situtation but let me assure it is legal. Also it wasnt fair as a CNA doing med passes and vitals and all the patient care and documentation and ordering meds and calling the MD's so what did our nurses do, you guessed it, collected their pay checks and sit in their office. It was like pulling teeth to get them to even look at the residents. What a screwy place to work!:uhoh3:

I can't believe that there's any facility that would actually be having their CNA's doing med passes, ordering meds and calling the docs! That would be HIGHLY illegal! CNA's take what, a 6wk, 12wk certification course, if that? Unlicensed personnel can NOT pass meds. I sure wouldn't put my license on the line by delegating a CNA to do that part of my job!! :nono: I can see it now, a suit like that going to court. :uhoh21: Can you say, BIG payout?!?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.

Also, the CNA has no idea what she/he's giving. What if someone's BP is 90/52 and the aide gives the pt Lopressor? If people are allowing this practice to happen, they taking the value of a nurse's education and flushing it down the toilet. It's like a surgeon getting the OR set up and letting the janitor do surgery. Extreme example, I know, but you get the picture.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in community health, LTC, SNF, Tele-Health.

Just in response to your essay. When you say the first and foremost is liability...I think the most important issue is the welfare of the patient, then liability. There are enough unavoidable liabilities out there, why would you deliberately put yourself at risk? In Mass. we have people that are MAP certified and they can give meds. CNA's cannot. If it is an assisted living "responsible persons" can give meds. I worked my behind off for my nursing license, and I intend to keep it. Letting CNA's give meds is pure laziness as far as I'm concerned. Giving meds can be tedious of course, and certainly monotonous in LTC but part of the job description. Just my opinion...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Utilization Management.

Walla, I can't think of any negative experiences for this offhand. I once worked in a nursing home in which certain CNAs were taught to pass medications. They had to look up each medication before it was given, and they were very knowledgeable and cautious with the residents. They did BP checks and apical pulses, whatever was needed before or after the appropriate medications.

My beef with that system is that a nurse is fully cognizant and capable to intervene if something goes wrong; the Med Tech is not. It was really too much responsibility with too little learning for an unlicensed person.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MR Peds, geris, psych, DON,ADON,SSD.
I really don't think it's perfectly legal. I would like to know what state's nursing board allows CNAs to not only provide medication to patients, but to also be the ones to measure it out. No nurse involved at all?? If there were nurses working in this facility, medications were definitely their responsibility. Just because they delegated it to CNAs does not make it legal. Very scary situation.

If the unit is not licensed by the State for Medicare or Medicaid (all private pay) you don't even have to have a licensed nurse on the unit EVER. BAAAAAADDDDDDD IDEA YES but legal

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion