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:) .
BTW, CMA typically stands for Certified Medical Assistant... different from an MNA. CMAs are from accredited institutions, certified by the AAMA... Here's what they are allowed to do:
Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.
BTW, CMA typically stands for Certified Medical Assistant... different from an MNA. CMAs are from accredited institutions, certified by the AAMA... Here's what they are allowed to do:
Sorry, just had to clear up some confusion there. I'm in CMA school getting my Associate's degree.
CMAs in my state can earn an associates degree or just a diploma, but the amount of medical training is the same regardless. The difference is only made up in the amt of english, math, history, and so on.
They make and have just as much responsibility as a CNA which complete 3-6week courses, or a PCA (Patient Care Assistant) which is a 6mos course.
Bottom line...in Memphis, TN CMA=PCA=CNA and we do not have MNAs.
I am a former Medical Assistant accreditied by the AAMA. Learned about several skills and med admin that was not taught remotely like it should have been in retrospect (after going through an ADN program). They are not allowed to pass meds in the hospitals, but may be employed at doctors offices where they work directly under the nurse and can give some injections. I worked at a cancer clinic and could draw blood, give injections, and start IVs. I was diligently supervised. But a hospital is not the place for a CMA.
Pt conditions and hospital structure just does not allow for the appropriate supervision that accompanies the level of training received. I say again, that I can only speak about my CMA program, my experience, my hospital, and my nursing school experience.
In our area, I would never allow anyone other than another RN or LPN to pass meds for me. And even then, only someone that I trusted and respected. I want my clients to receive the best coordinated care available and not have to always recheck behind someone. This just makes my job more tedious.
BTW, CMA typically stands for Certified Medical Assistant... different from an MNA. CMAs are from accredited institutions, certified by the AAMA... Here's what they are allowed to do:
Sorry, just had to clear up some confusion there. I'm in CMA school getting my Associate's degree.
The confusion has to do with role title variations:
Qualified Medication Assistant (QMA)
Medication Nurse Assistants (MNA)
Certified Medication Technician or Certified Medication Assistant (CMT or CMA)
I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few more titles.
CMA is an abbreviation that has been used for both Certified Medication Assistant and Certified Medical Asssistant. Agreed that there is a difference between the two.
Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.
I am not trying to re-open the can of worms here but I have to tell this. As many of you know I very often work with the Med-aide students at my facility during there clinicals. I have this one and she was talking with another nurse about meds. This nurse pulls me aside and say's "I cant believe this, this girl is going to do her clinicals next week and she has no clue what acetaminophen is". I said really.. no surprise here. So when talking to this girl , who thought of it as no big deal she did not know one of the most common drugs in LTC; her whole thought process was I will just follow the MAR and give whats on it. So being me I said so if you had a patient that was allergic to Acetaminophen and you had a order on the MAR for Tylenol you would give it... SHE SAID .."Well yes". :eek: She had no clue the max limit on Tylenol or even what other drugs contained Tylenol...HOLLY MOOLLY. She has a very large surprise coming because Denise dont play with not knowing the meds and then giving them to my fragile patients. I will update this story more tomm after we have our come to Jesus clinical med pass....Just had to get this off my brain... There are some things in nursing that still give me the chills.
whats so sad is that I know at a local school with an asn program an established school attached to a very established hospital and medical school doesnt offer pharmacology to the asn program students I am in a bsn program and I learned this from one of my coworkers that she didnt have to take pharmacology and she was not happy about and she graduates in december and she does not feel confident about that.
smilingblueeyes I didnt mean to offend I did not say ALL programs I said this one locally we were talking about things that suck in nursing and things that should not happen. I think that is absolutely wonderful to hear that yours does I think it should definitely be offered in all schools no matter what degree you are receiving. I definitely want to know that someone is caring for me knows a something about what they are administering. This school is very much accredited and its sad like I said in my previous the girl I know is not at all happy about it and I dont know about most programs I know about the one here. I was not speaking on behalf of all programs and I PERSONALLY do not know why they(the students) are just not trying to get it in the Associate in science of nursing program. But again before gets all weird acting I was not passing judgement over one program to another I was talking about one program in particular because if you read the post I replied to you will understand what was being said.
Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.
whats so sad is that I know at a local school with an asn program an established school attached to a very established hospital and medical school doesnt offer pharmacology to the asn program students I am in a bsn program and I learned this from one of my coworkers that she didnt have to take pharmacology and she was not happy about and she graduates in december and she does not feel confident about that.
tell her to take it. Surely even though its not part of the program she can sign up to take it anyway....she is a paying customer. We are required to pass it our first semester or we flunk out of the entire program.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
smilingblueeyes I didnt mean to offend I did not say ALL programs I said this one locally we were talking about things that suck in nursing and things that should not happen. I think that is absolutely wonderful to hear that yours does I think it should definitely be offered in all schools no matter what degree you are receiving. I definitely want to know that someone is caring for me knows a something about what they are administering. This school is very much accredited and its sad like I said in my previous the girl I know is not at all happy about it and I dont know about most programs I know about the one here. I was not speaking on behalf of all programs and I PERSONALLY do not know why they(the students) are just not trying to get it in the Associate in science of nursing program. But again before gets all weird acting I was not passing judgement over one program to another I was talking about one program in particular because if you read the post I replied to you will understand what was being said.
AGAIN SORRY TO OFFEND ALTHOUGH!!!!
I am not offended; nowhere did I say I was. Just pointing out that some ADN programs do include pharmacology in their programs--I have the 1100 page nightmare of a book still, to prove it, rofl...... Matter of fact, I daresay most nursing programs (ADN or BSN) do include this.
That the one you mention does not, does indeed concern me. I bet after a while it become either a prerequisite course or incorporated into that program, as well. It is just too important not to be included.
i've been a med tech for five years now and i use to get on this topic and argue that we have every right to do meds just recently my opinion on this has totally changed. I started a new ltc facility and did not know any of the residents had three days of orientation and then was handed the med cart I thought to myself what in the sams h.ll am i doing not only was I a med tech passing meds but i was a med tech passing meds to people i didn't even know it was the worst exp i've faced yet times like this i wish they did not have med tech's. Although i do think that alot of nurses like med tech's b/c that means they don't have to do it BEFORE ANYONE SAYS ANYTHING I DIDN'T SAY ALL NURSES. My last job they had cmt's/med tech's doing the insulins and neb tx's to they put to much responsibility on a person with little to no education.
:eek: 
fyrelight74
15 Posts
BTW, CMA typically stands for Certified Medical Assistant... different from an MNA. CMAs are from accredited institutions, certified by the AAMA... Here's what they are allowed to do:
http://www.aama-ntl.org/resources/library/Role-delineation-2003.pdf
Sorry, just had to clear up some confusion there. I'm in CMA school getting my Associate's degree.