Medication Nurse Assistants

[K205]

Hi everyone. I just found out that an MNA will be working on our 50 bed LTC unit:eek: ! Has anyone worked with an MNA? I'm a new LPN, just got used to passing meds to 25 pts, and am really on the fence about this. On one hand, I'm disgusted that I spent 13 G's obtaining my LPN, and struggled through a tough Pharmacology course :angryfire . On the other, maybe this will be a help. I really like working alone on my side. I keep people(LNAs, residents, visitors) around my cart at a mininum, cause I find it distracting. Am I going to be constantly bumping into the MNA? How does it work? BTW, there has been NO mention of an orientation for the nurses in regards to this. Oh, and the MNA will be earning 3 dollars an hour more than I do. Hmmm. any feedback will be welcome:) .

[suebird3]

Good Grief! All that time and money, and someone else passes your meds? The Med Tech bit got vetoed down big time here in Illinois.

[S.N. Visit, BSN, RN]

$3.00 more per hour?? Ohh, that is awful! What is the rational behind that?

[calmone]

Oh, and the MNA will be earning 3 dollars an hour more than I do. Hmmm. any feedback will be welcome:) .

I might be able to get used to the other things but not this. :angryfire Why would she earn more? What schooling does a Medication Nurse Assistant have anyway? I'm not familiar with them.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Glad I live in Illinois also - these types of positions are nothing but a quicker death for the elderly and those in congregate living conditions. You need a nurse!

[celestlyn]

I'm not crazy about these positions, either. Anyone can learn to 'pass meds'. However, they lack the science background to really understand the drugs and their pharmaceutical properties. Besides they are taking jobs away from LPN's. The facilities are trying to streamline, but the patient will pay the price. The long-term care facilities in this town use them and I've heard of several situations where the med aid has been accused of stealing some of the patients meds. Not that this couldn't happen anyway, but it does seem to be a problem at some of the places here and I have not heard the same accusation of the nurses.

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

$3.00 more per hour?? Ohh, that is awful! What is the rational behind that?

I am interested in reading an answer for this too.

Cause I don't get it.

[K205]

Per Diem rate, so I guess with the bennies I make out OK. I just don't want to deal. Hard enough delegating to the LNAs, never mind an MNA:rolleyes:

[Benedikta]

Hello. Before I started LPN school I thought CMTs (as they are called in KY) were a great idea. Once I got deep into the program and came to understand how much LPNs learn concerning side effects of certain drugs, how to notice bad reactions, what to do in case such happens, etc., I began to wonder if CMTs are such a great idea after all. Does anyone know if CMTs are educated in the ways I mentioned above? I was talking to one CMT a while back about all I was having to learn and memorize in Pharm and he said something like, "Man, we sure didn't have to learn all that!". Thankfully, around here they are almost always used on first shift and I always work second.

[sjrn85]

There's already a lengthy thread about this in "General Nursing" which was started by the same OP.

[nursemomruns]

Hello. Before I started LPN school I thought CMTs (as they are called in KY) were a great idea. Once I got deep into the program and came to understand how much LPNs learn concerning side effects of certain drugs, how to notice bad reactions, what to do in case such happens, etc., I began to wonder if CMTs are such a great idea after all. Does anyone know if CMTs are educated in the ways I mentioned above? I was talking to one CMT a while back about all I was having to learn and memorize in Pharm and he said something like, "Man, we sure didn't have to learn all that!". Thankfully, around here they are almost always used on first shift and I always work second.

The educational requirements and allowed activities vary from state to state.