Med Techs work under your license?

[changeofpaceRN]

Is this true? I just started a new job at an assisted living facility and they have about 6 med techs passing meds during my shift. I'm basically in the nurses station taking care of orders, charts and phone calls from family. I'm rarely on the floor of this facility that has about 244 residents.

If a med tech makes an error, does that fall back on me? These med techs have been there for YEARS and I've been there 2 days so far. Anyone know what would happen in a situation where a med tech made an error? How do I protect myself?

[queenjean]

Medication aides pass all the meds in the facilities around here. Each pt has his/her ownbubble pack of pills, and they are organized in drawers according to which time the the meds are due. All the a.m. meds for all the patients are in one drawer. Certain meds (like dig, that requires an AP, or narcs or prns) must be given by the nurse.

I worked agency in a nursing home, and I felt much better about the med aides passing meds than me! Most of them had worked there for years and years, and knew the patients better than the patient's family members. Nursing homes are supposed to be a home-like setting, remember? Do we require an LPN or RN to dispense meds of the 90 year old we send home with her granddaughter?

I have no problem with med aides. I think they are very helpful and I am glad to have them. I think the use of a medication aide is inappropriate in an acute care setting, but in a residential care setting with non-complex patients, I see no problem. They are just as capable of checking a MAR as I am. Do they know the meds inside and out as much as I do? Meh, probably not as much, but I couldn't say that for sure, some of them really know their stuff. Do they know enough to give a routine med to a nursing home resident who is at their baseline health? Sure, I think so.

Check your state BON. Ours states that the med aide works under the RN license. Interesting, since you are an LPN. Probably they work under the charge RNs license or the DON's license.

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

If you are an RN then anyone doing direct patient care who is not an RN is working under your license. At least, that is my interpretation. Of course, the LVP/LPN has a license, but even then there are areas restricted by your state for which the RN is solely responsible. Better check this out with your BON.

[RJ---RN]

Better get out of there. I walked into a situation like that.....the med tech told me ..."he gets 2 pink pills in the am, a blue one at 10..yada yada.

Also, that very same med tech("certified" - whatever that means) started to give an oral penicillan and the patient said she broke out in hives. She said...well, must have been something you ate! I overheard that conversation, walked in and stopped the med pass.

I left that facility PRONTO.

BETTER GET OUT!:uhoh21:

[RNOTODAY, BSN, RN]

Just for the record, I'm a Med Tech and we DO NOT dispense meds. We are not trained, or licensed. We cannot instruct nurses on how to use a blood warmer because blood is considered a drug.

What? :uhoh21:

Do you mean you are a "medical technician"? We are talking about "medcation technicians"... whose *purpose* is to give meds.... they are usually a cross trained CNA, but not always.....And what do you mean about the blood warmer??? Why would you be teaching a nurse anything anyways? (medication-wise)