Medication Aides

Nurses General Nursing

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:confused:

I am asking this question of you because I have looked for days for my answer and am still empty handed. I need to know where I might find information on medication aides and their state practice limitations for Massachusetts. I know this is an odd forum to ask this question but I am at my wits end. I am doing this for a friend who Manages a Community Health Center. Thank you!

I see there is still debating going on whether a CNA or CMA is a nurse or not. Why are y'all beating a dead horse that topic was about Medication aides passing medicine nothing to do if that person is a nurse or not we all know they are not, they know they are not. So why the constant reminder they are still going to be passing medications, with the same scurbs nurses wear and the patient is still going to be mistaking them for nurses........so why bother???

Talk about the legality of the medicine aide passing meds because that is what you all are saying is a nursing duty. But CMA are being employed to do this duty. So something has to be legal about it.

If you are worried about your license while at work make sure the CMA is doing the job right or tell them not to pass meds to your patients. I'm sure they won't mind a lesser load.

Or better yet find out if your state is violating a law with this practice and do something about it.

Rn2be204 :balloons: :balloons:

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I see there is still debating going on whether a CNA or CMA is a nurse or not. Why are y'all beating a dead horse that topic was about Medication aides passing medicine nothing to do if that person is a nurse or not we all know they are not, they know they are not. So why the constant reminder they are still going to be passing medications, with the same scurbs nurses wear and the patient is still going to be mistaking them for nurses........so why bother???

Talk about the legality of the medicine aide passing meds because that is what you all are saying is a nursing duty. But CMA are being employed to do this duty. So something has to be legal about it.

If you are worried about your license while at work make sure the CMA is doing the job right or tell them not to pass meds to your patients. I'm sure they won't mind a lesser load.

Or better yet find out if your state is violating a law with this practice and do something about it.

Rn2be204 :balloons: :balloons:

Legal doesn't necessarily equal safe - people who come up with legislation are so out of touch with the reality nurses deal with, they have no idea the consequences of their decisions.

Do you think a nurse that asked the med aide not to pass meds for his/her patients would get a lighter patient load? I would think not. Talk about no good deed going unpunished - the nurse would get increased workload for being concerned about the safety of the patients.

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NOw, where I work we have a QMA that is worth her weight in gold. She is more knowledgeable than a book when it comes to drugs, actions and interactions and everything. She passes meds on 3 halls, to 56 patients on 2nd shift and everyone gets all the meds, eye drops, ear drops and everything they are supposed to.

Now, on the other hand,we also had a lady who missed meds, gave patients the wrong meds, gave wrong doses....heck, this gal even put meds in a patients mouth who had passed away! Ummm, yea.....she isn't passing meds anymore. :uhoh3:

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Ah, here it is. I didn't know what you were talking about in your PM to me, because I posted this about two years ago.

I guess the GED thing sounded bad now that I see it in print. I was thinking of my own cousin in particular, not trying to make a generalization. The general gist being that someone without a college degree in nursing should not be passing meds.

Excuse me...what does graduating from high school have to do with being a nurse?? I did not graduate high school, I got a GED, went to LPN school, am now an LPN, and am currently in an LPN to RN program. Just because I didn't graduate high school does not make me any less worthy of being a nurse, as you seem to insinuate! :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire
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This message is for ayndim..... I'm being deffensive because of some of the threads that I read from nurses that really know how to run down a med aide. I'm sorry that everyone feels like they do, and beleive me, if you had med aides working with you, you would see that we are valuable people. I don't read lab values or call the doctors. The nurse I work under has to do that. Here in the state Of Kansas, med aides arent allowed to do things like that and I'm always catching a mistake that the nurse makes when writing the orders in the MAR.If I have concerns regarding a patient or resident, I take it to the nurse and then we get together and figure out what the problem is. Teamwork....is essential to every job.I am in LPN school right now, and being a med aid has helped me out alot like I said. I've always known about side effects and whatnot concerning medications and I have a few drug books to look up meds that I've never heard about and if I have any doubt in my mind about giving a certain medication, I contact my nurse. I dont just give the medication. I dont do IV meds, blood products, insulin and things like that because that is a nurses job to do that. Those areas I'm not trained in. Even when I graduate from LPN school, I still wont be able to administer Blood products, certain Cardiac meds or even start an IV. I'm sorry if I do seem so deffensive, but I value my job as a med aid and I enjoy it very much and like I said, It gives me more knowledge about what I'm doing. I'm not just some flunky med aid that doesnt know anything.

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I know in Oregon, you can get a Med Aide certification after you have worked as a full time CNA for 6 months. Then you go back to school and take 40 hours of class time and 40 hours of clinicals. Not sure if you have to pass a board exam like with the CNA certificate.

You might try your CNA schools to see if they know any information.

Jill

Here in Indiana you have to pass a state test before you become a qualified medication aides. And yes they are everywhere in the nursing homes and they are a big help to the nurses. They are not, howeve, allowed to give any kind of injections or do any invasive procedures.
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I have never heard of CNAs beind allowed to do foleys or any kind of catheters. What state is that in?

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I am w/rusty on this. I believe STRONGLY no one but a licensed nurse should pass meds. These aides simply do NOT have all the pharmacology, pathophys, etc to truly understand the implications of what they are "passing"; jeez it is SO MUCH more than just sticking pills in a cup and handing em over!!!!! Yet, I WOULD BE HELD LIABLE for ADR's and other untoward effects? How bout med errors? How can an AIDE be held to this standard when they lack the education and training? And don't tell me a 2 week crash course would meet the standard. I do not buy it.

Would I want my loved one medicated by an AIDE? NO way! In that same thread, how bout we train SCRUB NURSES to perform surgeries? Hey, why not in the cost-cutting environment we are in. COME ON!!!! This is wrong!

I am NOT putting down aides, but to me, this is just dangerous practice and should be ILLEGAL! Therefore, ......I disagree w/.t totally. Just Another way for greedy suits and companies to save money in my opinion.:(

Then you need to take this up with the State Department of your state because they're the ones who approved the program.
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It is so amazing to me how nurses talk down on other professions like the one you are talking about in this thread CNA, CMA, and MA. I happen to be a CNA and have been for 12 yrs. I have also trained in the military as a EMT-B, and I have also got my Phlebotomy training as well. I have never passed meds, but I have started IV's , draw blood, did straight caths, foley caths, sterile and non-sterile wound care. I have also assisted in a codes and the physician when needed.In military we are allowed to give injections too.

We are not trying to take your job some of us are happy with the jobs we have and just because we are not RNs doen't make us any less of a person. And if we are being refered to as a nurse just because we wear the same scrubs why is that so threatning to you??? I think the patient/ client see us as all PROFESSIONALS and may ask us a question that only a RN or LPN can answer that is fine. I wouldn't dare give advice on something that I don't know anything about and I would tell the person that I am not a nurse and have no problem referring them to one and I'm sure none of us do.

I think if you feel as thought your license is on the line because the facility you work at staffs CNA, MA etc. then don't work there. But first some of you need to find out exactly what type of training we have instead of assuming and thinking just because we didn't go to school for 2+ years we don't know anything and we can't be taught. I know I was trained by RN's, Medical lab technologist, and Dr's.

Most CNA's are using that as a stepping stone to becoming RN's one day and I think that is good for them and the nursing shortage.

And to that person that made that coment on some CNAs not having a HS diploma but a GED....there are nurses that didn't graduate from high school and went on to get their GED and on to college. Yes, nursing schools except GED applicants. And what about a Nurse practitioner/ physician assistant she/he doesn't go through schooling nor training a doctor has should she be able to perform like a doctor and should the doctor take on that burden by having them work under them??? I don't think they complain as much as nurses do. And if they do I'm sure it's about something of importance.

And some of us need to not be so cruel when talking about CNA, MA, etc. because there are some that all they want to do is be just that CNA or CMA.They don't need to hear nurses putting down the profession harping on how much school they had or didn't have and they are not competent because it wasn't as long as a nurse. It wasn't meant to be. You are missing the whole point.

Nursing is so divided right now it's pitiful. Y'all complain about ADN, Diploma degrees, BSN on up to PH.D level.(who's the best, who's the greatest) The higher up one goes the more they seem to look down on each other when in fact you all sat for the same NCLEX to become REGISTERED NURSEs 1ST......or was it different??? NOPE!

Just through that out there to say you all are never satisfied with other professions nor your own. STOP COMPLAINING AND HELP MAKE SOME CHANGES for the better. Don't just try to eliminate someones job because you feel your job is in jeopardy because of ones SCRUB OUTFIT AT WORK/ mistaken identity or because they have been certified to pass meds

Some of y'all just sound miserable..... :o

Rn2b204, :balloons: :balloons:

I hope I will be an inspiration and not an irritation when I become and RN.

sorry for this being so long and all the errors I get long winded at times. :) :)

Well said. We are called "waitress!" by certain residents when we are passing food trays. We just laugh. Our egoes are not that fragile!
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I didn't realize until I started reading some of these statements just how secure and down to earth our nurses are where I work, at least 99% of them. They appreciate all the help they can get and don't feel threatened by anybody. They are very patient and willing to guide and train students.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
Ah, here it is. I didn't know what you were talking about in your PM to me, because I posted this about two years ago.

I guess the GED thing sounded bad now that I see it in print. I was thinking of my own cousin in particular, not trying to make a generalization. The general gist being that someone without a college degree in nursing should not be passing meds.

Sorry too ER nurse...I guess I kind of blew my stack but in case you can't tell, I am pretty darn sensitive about the topic. I am 25 now and anytime someone finds out I didn't graduate high school, they act amazed that I could still go to college and be a nurse with "just a GED." I guess I should be more proud about it than ashamed, huh?

:rolleyes: Kacy

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Sorry too ER nurse...I guess I kind of blew my stack but in case you can't tell, I am pretty darn sensitive about the topic. I am 25 now and anytime someone finds out I didn't graduate high school, they act amazed that I could still go to college and be a nurse with "just a GED." I guess I should be more proud about it than ashamed, huh?

:rolleyes: Kacy

Kacy~ I already am a LPN and in school for my BSN. Guess what? I have "just a GED" too..... ;)

Stand tall and be proud...there are many reasons one cannot finish high school, but go back and finish! :)

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