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:) .
You have heard MANY eloquent and sensible arguments against the use of MA's; you simple choose not to acknowledge such and are actually minimizing those arguments as "baseless fears". Kind of hard to get a point across to someone who has already made up their mind that we are "elitist" and have "baseless fears". I see your mind is made up. So is mine. Take care.
You are correct in that I have decided med techs mostly do a good job. I still have not seen any proof that they are dangerous. I haven't worked with UAP's, so I can't say much about them as my opinion would be based only on presumption. Until you've walked a bit in the shoes of someone who has worked with med aides, your opinion is little more than hearsay.
What I can say is that the CNAs I work with in general, I would not want to see trained as a medication aides. My concern would be that what I see where I'm at would be the very "pool" from which medication aides would come from.....Your not working with Unlicensed Assistive Personnel? A certification is the same as licensure?
EXACTLY, there are some absolutely *fantastic* CNAs, these are usually (but not always) the ones that are halfway through school to be an RN or an RT or similar. The others...well...a lot of them just don't care. Why would they? They've invested little in their "career" to them it's just a job. They have no license and reputation to protect.
UAP's is such a lose term, I don't even want to go there. I am talking about med techs who have taken a course with a cirriculum endorsed by the BON in the state they are in. They do not pass meds if they don't pass the course, same as potential nurses in nursing school fail. Maine med techs are on a registry. If they are reported as unsafe, there goes their certificate to pass meds. This is not a new concept. It's been working well here for at least the last 25 years that I personally know about. Nurses are fearing the worst without good reason. No one ever has anything to say asside from fearing for the patient or their licenses, but have nothing to back it up. People make med errors. Most errors are ones that occur not from lack of knowledge, but from being rushed or careless. No degree needed to avoid those errors. I want to hear a real argument against med techs, not baseless fears. It just hasn't happened yet.
It is VERY REAL that they are using these people to give out medications when we have done years of schooling to do the same!! I WILL NOT allocate one of these people to give out meds under my license. That is MY license I worked very hard for and it will not be undermined by any one, ever!! If i stuff up thats my problem but I wont have someone else do it for me! Sick of hearing about managment undermining my training etc to save money! Hell why train RN's in the first place why not just go out and drag someone off the street and teach them a few meds and give them a piece of paper to treat people????????????
Really? All through nursing school we passed meds without our instructors on the floors, in particular the last few semesters. She was in the hospital but not necessarily on the floor with us as sometimes we were split between floors (we would rotate - 3 students to cardiac, 3 students to med-surg, etc) This is done in all schools around here as far as I know.
Also, during our preceptorship we did 120 hrs (10 12 hr shifts) at the hospital. With 10 of it, it would be impossible for the instructor to be there whenever we were. She would have to be there 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week as we worked all days/shifts.
My experience was similar in my second year of school. If the clinical instructor for that course had approved me to pass meds, and if the nurse whose patients I took approved, then I could do it. It turned out that different nurses had different ideas about that, of course. Some wanted me to lecture the patient on the difference between different kinds of beta blockers, some wanted more generalized info, it varied a lot. For these cases the instructor was either in the facility on a beeper or on call 24/7.
It is VERY REAL that they are using these people to give out medications when we have done years of schooling to do the same!! I WILL NOT allocate one of these people to give out meds under my license. That is MY license I worked very hard for and it will not be undermined by any one, ever!! If i stuff up thats my problem but I wont have someone else do it for me! Sick of hearing about managment undermining my training etc to save money! Hell why train RN's in the first place why not just go out and drag someone off the street and teach them a few meds and give them a piece of paper to treat people????????????
Again, lots of caps and emotions punctuated by plenty of question marks or explanation points, but nothing indicating that those other than nurses can't pass meds effectively. Drama. But, nothing to prove med techs can't pass meds safely.
Again, lots of caps and emotions punctuated by plenty of question marks or explanation points, but nothing indicating that those other than nurses can't pass meds effectively. Drama. But, nothing to prove med techs can't pass meds safely.
I never said that others couldnt pass meds effectively, I said not on MY license they wont.
I never said that others couldnt pass meds effectively, I said not on MY license they wont.
LOL...OK, I give. We are of distictly different minds here and this has deteriorated on all levels. I promise to not get into these med tech discussions anymore, as I know it is a futile. I like working with good med techs and feel comfortable doing so, but most don't for reasons I plainly can't agree with. No one is changing their minds on this.
Also, SBE... you deserve an apology from me. This was getting hot enough to use the smilie explosion....this one: Probably should have done so and left it at that.
Today, I feel a little silly in regards to a few I became hauty towards, though, as we all have our own take on this and that's just the way it is. It's a great group we have here. No shrinking violets, that's for sure! Have a great one all.....Sue
If CMAs were a good idea, why haven't they been accepted in every state; rather outright rejected? In fact, why is NC (I believe) having to attempt to get them passed after failing a first time by putting them in another bill to sneak them through? They are cheaper, help make the licensed nurses' jobs easier, and are educated in their craft. If such a good idea, why are they not overwhelmingly accepted by state BONs nationwide?
LOL...OK, I give. We are of distictly different minds here and this has deteriorated on all levels. I promise to not get into these med tech discussions anymore, as I know it is a futile. I like working with good med techs and feel comfortable doing so, but most don't for reasons I plainly can't agree with. No one is changing their minds on this.
Also, SBE... you deserve an apology from me. This was getting hot enough to use the smilie explosion....this one: Probably should have done so and left it at that.
Today, I feel a little silly in regards to a few I became hauty towards, though, as we all have our own take on this and that's just the way it is. It's a great group we have here. No shrinking violets, that's for sure! Have a great one all.....Sue
Beautiful:) EVERYONES opinion counts:balloons: Have a wonderful day!!!
(Mouth drops open in shock)
Probably should have done so and left it at that.
sbic56, BSN, RN
1,437 Posts
You are correct in that I have decided med techs mostly do a good job. I still have not seen any proof that they are dangerous. I haven't worked with UAP's, so I can't say much about them as my opinion would be based only on presumption. Until you've walked a bit in the shoes of someone who has worked with med aides, your opinion is little more than hearsay.