Med Error

[limey]

While on shift a couple of eve ago, I noticed a med error in narc book made by another nurse from the eve before. I did not report it to my superior as it was 2100 hours and he was gone. The narc was not scheduled to give until that time or I would have noticed it before. I am not scheduled on this hall everyday. I was on another unit the next eve and off today. Back to work tomorrow but scheduled on a different hall. My question is: Is it too late to mention this to my superior if it has not been taken care of yet or do I first approach the nurse who signed the med out incorrectly? It was a narc that where only one was scheduled to be given at that time but two were signed out at the same time.

[Grovelpnstudent]

You pass meds as a CNA??????? :eek::eek:

Yes I am med certified, and i have been doing this for a while, so I know what I am doing, certain meds you have to have extra training on like insulin (our facility lets you work with the LPN with this one) as this helps free up the LPNs and RNs for more critical skills, also our facility doesn't allow the MedTechs to do Narc, as they had issues before, and now have the Rn and a LPn doe those. Also since I am in a LPN program I am 'held' to 'higher standard' to quote my manager. I can't do anything on my own but I work with the RN and LPN for most of the 'non-allowed' meds. I would also defend the CNAs who have been doing this for 20 odd years and say their critical thinking skills are just as if not better than some of the newer nurse coming into the facility. As they KNOW the pts really well.

[limey]

A couple nights ago and no one has approached you or involved you...I would just go on working. You could invite trouble since you didn't report it right away supervisor there or not you can still make an incident report. Questions will arise as to why you didn't do what you were suppose to do. See what I mean; hardly worth the trouble unless you've gone around telling everyone and then that's another story..

It was another nurse who made the med error. I just happened to notice it when time came for the scheduled narc. Ony one tablet (hydocodone/acetamenaphine 5/325) was scheduled to be given. I noticed in the narc book that 2 of these tablets were signed out by the same nurse at the same scheduled time. Not noted anywhere where 1 tablet was wasted. Maybe the nurse gave the resident both tablets, because when I worked that hall the next day, the resident had slept most of the day shift and part of my shift(eve). When I saw her, she looked as though she had some kind of hangover. I also noticed in the narc book that 4 hours before that she did have 1 of those tablets for pain, which there is an order for 1 tablet PRN.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

Med Techs are CNAs with additional certification. Med Techs actually have lower rates of med errors because passing medicine is the primary focus during the shift; they are less likely to be interrupted during the pass than nurses, who also handle emergencies, calls to the Dr., families, documentation, etc. They can be a good addition to the healthcare team if properly trained, certified, and managed. Med techs are certified through the BON.

Link please; links can inform and teach all of us.

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

Med Techs are CNAs with additional certification. Med Techs actually have lower rates of med errors because passing medicine is the primary focus during the shift; they are less likely to be interrupted during the pass than nurses, who also handle emergencies, calls to the Dr., families, documentation, etc. They can be a good addition to the healthcare team if properly trained, certified, and managed. Med techs are certified through the BON.

I agree. One facility I used to work at used medtechs but then they decided to have the nurses pass the meds. Guess who had the most med errors ??? The nurses ! Some of the med errors were pretty dangerous too. I appreciate med techs.

[Sparrowhawk]

If there was no error in count, I would let it go...cause really there's no way to prove she did or didn't...now if it happened again, I would do something. We all make mistakes...we can't be jumping on each other all the time..why don't YOU ask HER what happend first.

[Grovelpnstudent]

Link please; links can inform and teach all of us.

Here is some info from the Maryland BON

http://www.mbon.org/main.php?v=norm&p=0&c=medtech/medaide_vs_medtech.html

Each state has different requirements some 16 some 20-75 hours of training, plus probationary period,

here is some information on eHow.com

http://www.ehow.com/about_5379735_medication-technician-requirements.html

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

Here is some info from the Maryland BON

http://www.mbon.org/main.php?v=norm&p=0&c=medtech/medaide_vs_medtech.html

Each state has different requirements some 16 some 20-75 hours of training, plus probationary period,

here is some information on eHow.com

http://www.ehow.com/about_5379735_medication-technician-requirements.html

I am aware of the requirements that med techs must face; thank you for the link. When I say link please I am referring to the statement made previoulsy by a med tech that confirmed "med techs actually have lower rates of med errors..." This is a powerful statement and I can't find any studies to back it up. In fact as an RN I would disagree with the statement but if I can see studies done that do in fact "prove" med techs actually have lower rates of med errors I would accept that as true.

Anyone can print anything and in the profession of nursing we must back up our logic with scientific proof in order for the our profession to improve and survive. I don't want to turn this into a big deal but as med techs working along side LPNs and RNs the med techs need to take on the professionalism that is licensed nursing's protocal.

I

[DedHedRN]

I was wondering how someone with just a couple weeks of training could have less med errors then someone with years and years of training...

Honestly this would scare the Doo Doo outa me.

[Five&Two Will Do]

I was a CNA and a good one at that. I do believe that intellectually I could have been trained for the "act" of passing meds with no trouble. As we all know and acknowledge, there is a lot more to medication administration than the simple act of selecting meds, putting them in applesauce, and feeding them to a patient. Here is a hypothetical situation. Dialysis patient had 4 litres drawn off this morning. PM med pass involves metoprolol and hydralazine with specific parameters for BP in the MAR. The other CNA on the floor takes the BP while the patient is moving around a bit which we know might produce a false high blood pressure. Meds are given without a second thought. Patient becomes profoundly hypotensive? Could something like this ever happen? You bet your bottom it could. Having an in depth understanding of disease process, treatment modalities, and the effects of medications is the job of the RN. I will assume that the RN is still responsible for what happens to the patient. These are not the kind of situations I am willing to trust to anyone else. I guess that is why I am in the ICU.