Well, i read all the posts. I'd like to add my comment too :) I have been a cna for 10 yrs and a med aide for 6. I currently work in a hospital that is also an 8 bed nursing home. I do pass meds for the nursing home but NOT the hospital. I work hard, and missed 3 days last yr otherwise never missed a day. I had 72 hrs med training, that includes the effects of meds. The pharmacy gives out discriptions of meds and what side effects they cause. I have to double check incase the person has any other med that would effect the new meds given. When I give out meds, and believe me I know them by heart....i STILL DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING! I look at the name, dose, times, ect EVERYTIME! I am very careful and I take this very seriously. Giving meds is a big responsiblity to me and should be for everyone. I had to have EVERY nurse be it lpn or rn follow me 3 times and fill out a form stating what i did, how i did it etc. I had the don follow me also before I could work their as a med aide. I will be going back to school for my RN degree, I wanted to do this right out of high school but got pregnant and needed to be with my kids...my baby is now 16 and next yr will graduate and then its my turn. I want to learn and experience as much as possible before going back to school and if I can get certified in ANYTHING that has to do with health care, I'm going to do it. Also, if I am uncompy doing something, or giving a med, I go see my charge nurse, if i find an error, i go to my charge nurse ANY QUESTIONS no matter if i think they are stupid or not, i go see my charge nurse.....Just because you are a cna doesnt mean your below a license person.....if it wasnt for the cna's, nurses would be doing one heck of a lot more then paper work.........and yes, I know there is sooooo much paper work for nurses, but do you nurses know how much paper work cna's have? We chart meals, bathing, activities, rom, pt, behaviors, how many times they pee, poo, was it continent or uncontinent, dressing skills, any marks on body, any brusies, how much did they eat, why didnt they eat everything, how much they drank and what did they drink.....and the list goes on.....we cna's work hard.....please give us a little respect......i give my nurses the respect they deserve.....and thank them daily for all the help they do give....some of them are not afraid to get their hands dirty...thanks dogresQer
I realize there are med aides who are 110% dedicated to their job and who do their job to the best of their abilities. Unfortunately, that is not good enough, and if I knew my incapacitated family member was being given medication by someone who had not proven their competency with proper credentials I would be terribly upset. At the assisted living facility/home for the aged where my father-in-law stays they have med aides to help save money on nursing staff. Fortunately, FIL has enough of his marbles to know what kind of medication he takes. He tells us he has been given the wrong medication several times. This is part of the reason this is his last month at this facility (we have found another one where they do not use med aides).
In nursing school our instructor warned us that med aides were a bad idea all the way around. Even if they supposedly have an RN supervisor the supervisor cannot stand over the med aide(s) and watch every patient they interact with (that would defeat the purpose of having a med aid, which we all know is that hiring cheap labor saves money for the facility, and in turn they can better serve their employees...(lol)
I realize there are med aides who are 110% dedicated to their job and who do their job to the best of their abilities. Unfortunately, that is not good enough, and if I knew my incapacitated family member was being given medication by someone who had not proven their competency with proper credentials I would be terribly upset. At the assisted living facility/home for the aged where my father-in-law stays they have med aides to help save money on nursing staff. Fortunately, FIL has enough of his marbles to know what kind of medication he takes. He tells us he has been given the wrong medication several times. This is part of the reason this is his last month at this facility (we have found another one where they do not use med aides).
In nursing school our instructor warned us that med aides were a bad idea all the way around. Even if they supposedly have an RN supervisor the supervisor cannot stand over the med aide(s) and watch every patient they interact with (that would defeat the purpose of having a med aid, which we all know is that hiring cheap labor saves money for the facility, and in turn they can better serve their employees...(lol)
Im not trying to be rude, snotty or mad, upset or anything like that....so please take no offense
I dont make a diagnosis......i dont perscribe medications, i just give what the doctor has already ordered. I check the name, dose, times, make sure everything is in order, tell the person what meds they are and if they ask what they are for.....i dont see how wrong meds can be given really since they are color coded and if you do what your taught to do, you should have no problems. I have never had a med error (i have had to use the spares due to meds falling on the floor tho :) ) Why didnt you ask the med aide questions? Maybe feel a little comphy with the thought that she/he knows what the meds are for and the times he was suposta get them etc? If they didnt know or ummmm and ahhhhhh'ed about it, then i might be concerned...is there anything that would make you feel a little better about med aides? I agree with the money thing.......i didnt get a dime more and I have more responsibility......but the nurses sure like having me around when we are swamped........ Thanks for your reply.....and have a good day
Im not trying to be rude, snotty or mad, upset or anything like that....so please take no offense
I dont make a diagnosis......i dont perscribe medications, i just give what the doctor has already ordered. I check the name, dose, times, make sure everything is in order, tell the person what meds they are and if they ask what they are for.....i dont see how wrong meds can be given really since they are color coded and if you do what your taught to do, you should have no problems. I have never had a med error (i have had to use the spares due to meds falling on the floor tho :) ) Why didnt you ask the med aide questions? Maybe feel a little comphy with the thought that she/he knows what the meds are for and the times he was suposta get them etc? If they didnt know or ummmm and ahhhhhh'ed about it, then i might be concerned...is there anything that would make you feel a little better about med aides? I agree with the money thing.......i didnt get a dime more and I have more responsibility......but the nurses sure like having me around when we are swamped........ Thanks for your reply.....and have a good day
Hi! This wasn't "to" me but I'd like to respond. I am one who believes that meds are a nursing function, period. There is SO much more to safely giving meds than just the 5 rights. You need to know why the patient is getting the med, what the med does, when it is appropriate to give it and when you should NOT give it. It takes (at least) a basic understanding of normal physiology as well as of the disease process to fully grasp this. You also need to know what side effects (and adverse effects) can be expected and how to manage them. And, most importantly, you need to be able to manage adverse effects - up to and including a severe reaction. It is not just giving the right pill to the right person. It is introducing a chemical into someone else's system that will, at least temporarily, alter their body's functioning. That is not something to be taken lightly. I'm not saying that you take it lightly, but rather those who would allow the administration of medications to EVER be a delegated function (read administration) are taking it lightly in order to save money. That, I have a BIG problem with. Patient safety comes before budget - always!
This is a big enough deal that it is illegal in my state and my state's BON has shot down every attempt to get it passed. As nurses, we carry the ultimate responsibility for EVERY SINGLE DELEGATED FUNCTION. If anything happened (wrong med, med reaction, giving a med that should have been held, etc.), in the eyes of the law and of the state board it is the RN's fault - automatically - because the RN should have known better than to delegate that task.
Congrats on your decision to pursue EMS and Nursing. I have a feeling (I could be wrong though) that you may change your mind about UAP's performing nursing tasks when you have completed your nursing program and done all that hard work to get your license and it is yours to protect. You will learn that you have to guard it with your very life because it can all be taken away -- not necessarily over something you personally do - but rather as a result of another person's mistake or the actions of a greedy administration.
hi! this wasn't "to" me but i'd like to respond. i am one who believes that meds are a nursing function, period. there is so much more to safely giving meds than just the 5 rights. you need to know why the patient is getting the med, what the med does, when it is appropriate to give it and when you should not give it. it takes (at least) a basic understanding of normal physiology as well as of the disease process to fully grasp this. you also need to know what side effects (and adverse effects) can be expected and how to manage them. and, most importantly, you need to be able to manage adverse effects - up to and including a severe reaction. it is not just giving the right pill to the right person. it is introducing a chemical into someone else's system that will, at least temporarily, alter their body's functioning. that is not something to be taken lightly. i'm not saying that you take it lightly, but rather those who would allow the administration of medications to ever be a delegated function (read administration) are taking it lightly in order to save money. that, i have a big problem with. patient safety comes before budget - always!
this is a big enough deal that it is illegal in my state and my state's bon has shot down every attempt to get it passed. as nurses, we carry the ultimate responsibility for every single delegated function. if anything happened (wrong med, med reaction, giving a med that should have been held, etc.), in the eyes of the law and of the state board it is the rn's fault - automatically - because the rn should have known better than to delegate that task.
congrats on your decision to pursue ems and nursing. i have a feeling (i could be wrong though) that you may change your mind about uap's performing nursing tasks when you have completed your nursing program and done all that hard work to get your license and it is yours to protect. you will learn that you have to guard it with your very life because it can all be taken away -- not necessarily over something you personally do - but rather as a result of another person's mistake or the actions of a greedy administration.
good luck.
there is so much more to safely giving meds than just the 5 rights. you are so right!
you need to know why the patient is getting the med, what the med does, when it is appropriate to give it and when you should not give it.this info is given when we get report
you also need to know what side effects (and adverse effects) can be expected and how to manage them. this is also given in report
you need to be able to manage adverse effects -there is never an rn to far away, i do not work alone. i work in a hospital that is also an 8 bed nursing home.
it is introducing a chemical into someone else's system that will, at least temporarily, alter their body's functioning. that is not something to be taken lightly. i couldnt agree with you more!
you will learn that you have to guard it with your very life because it can all be taken away -- not necessarily over something you personally do - but rather as a result of another person's mistake or the actions of a greedy administration. this is one thing i dont agree with.....i dont see why the nursing staff's license should be at risk expecially if they dont agree with having a med aide. it should be the one that is pushing for it. i would just die if someone lost something they worked so hard to achieve. it is so unfair. i'm just trying to learn all i can....i know there are good and bad med aides, nursing aides, nurses.....etc........think the nursing staff should have a choice, if they dont want the med aides, sign a contract saying you will not put your license on the line.....thank you for posting......i love to hear what everyone else has to say......and i do understand why some are against med aides.....:) but also, from my point of view, (even tho when i was hired as a nursing assistant, then a later asked if i wanted to be their med aide (already had my cert. for 5 yrs)i dont make a penny more, which i feel i should as i have the added responsibility) this is an experience for me, a chance to learn all i can before going to school. its a responsibility that i take seriously.
you will learn that you have to guard it with your very life because it can all be taken away -- not necessarily over something you personally do - but rather as a result of another person's mistake or the actions of a greedy administration. this is one thing i dont agree with.....i dont see why the nursing staff's license should be at risk expecially if they dont agree with having a med aide. it should be the one that is pushing for it. i would just die if someone lost something they worked so hard to achieve. it is so unfair. i'm just trying to learn all i can....i know there are good and bad med aides, nursing aides, nurses.....etc........think the nursing staff should have a choice, if they dont want the med aides, sign a contract saying you will not put your license on the line.....thank you for posting......i love to hear what everyone else has to say......and i do understand why some are against med aides.....:) but also, from my point of view, (even tho when i was hired as a nursing assistant, then a later asked if i wanted to be their med aide (already had my cert. for 5 yrs)i dont make a penny more, which i feel i should as i have the added responsibility) this is an experience for me, a chance to learn all i can before going to school. its a responsibility that i take seriously.
the more you are around nursing, the more you will come to see that most aspects of the job/career are not fair. your license could be put in jeopardy due to the actions of others in so many ways, i couldn't even start to list them all. i will give a few examples, though.
doc orders wrong med/wrong dose/med on allergy list and nurse (or med aide) gives it and doesn't catch it (shoulda known better - forget that the doc should have known better...nurse's fault)
med aide gives dig to a patient with pulse of 48 (delegated task)
rn is required to float to an area in which s/he has no expertise or experience because one unit was short staffed and another was overstaffed ("a nurse is a nurse, after all" - you will eventually become nauseated upon hearing that phrase and will want to tear the head off anyone that utters it....but, unfortunately, said person's head is usually lodged in said person's hind quarters). if that nurse should break protocol or make a mistake, simply because s/he was out of her/his area of expertise -- too bad so sad. even if that nurse would have been fired for not going...should not have accepted the assignment...bye bye license.
LadyMadonna
120 Posts
I realize there are med aides who are 110% dedicated to their job and who do their job to the best of their abilities. Unfortunately, that is not good enough, and if I knew my incapacitated family member was being given medication by someone who had not proven their competency with proper credentials I would be terribly upset. At the assisted living facility/home for the aged where my father-in-law stays they have med aides to help save money on nursing staff. Fortunately, FIL has enough of his marbles to know what kind of medication he takes. He tells us he has been given the wrong medication several times. This is part of the reason this is his last month at this facility (we have found another one where they do not use med aides).
In nursing school our instructor warned us that med aides were a bad idea all the way around. Even if they supposedly have an RN supervisor the supervisor cannot stand over the med aide(s) and watch every patient they interact with (that would defeat the purpose of having a med aid, which we all know is that hiring cheap labor saves money for the facility, and in turn they can better serve their employees...(lol)