My LTC facility is starting to Hire Med Techs

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I work at a privately owned skilled facility and they are training some of the CNA's for 3 days to go out on the halls and pass meds. How on earth can you do that? It's not safe. I know the bottom line is to cut cost. I also heard that med techs can't pass narcs, do fingersticks, injections, treatments and tube feedings. What is the point? Currently on my hall 2/3 of the people get routine narcs. How is that gonna help me if I have to go right behind them and give them the narcs, injections, do all the paperwork, tubefeeding, etc. This job pays well and I hate to leave, but I'm not sure if I want to be responsible for med techs with such little training. I can definately find a job somewhere else but I'm pretty comfortable here. I guess I'm just gonna have to sit back and see how it all pans out. Does anyone work with Medtechs? How is the routine at your facility?

Specializes in LTC.
What is a QMA?

Qualified Medication Assistant. They are used in place of LPN's. (Naturally). In my facility, there are 2-60 bed units that employ 1 nurse each to chart and do tx's and the "Q's" do most med passes. 1 unit has 30 beds and usually has 1 "Q" in charge (it's a half step above assisted living), while my unit, (30 bed skilled unit) "covers" her. (I.e., does the alert charting, signs behind narcs). My unit does not use a "Q" at night. This is all on 3rds. However, most facilities in the area don't use them. I'm not sure why we use them so extensively, other than to save money.

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LPN's will always be able to find a job. If you work somewhere that is actually trying to replace LPNs with medtechs shouldn't you be trying to find a better place to work? Med techs and CNAs are there to lighten the load on the nurses. Not replace them.

I must say though that assuming med techs are just dangerous and prone to making errors because they are not licensed is the same as saying the licensed nurses are dangerous because they are not registered. Think about it.

If mgrs truly wanted to lighten their nurses' loads, they'd hire more NURSES, not med techs.

Med techs do have their place and are well utilized in some situations, but to think that a facility would hire them to "lighten the load" of nurses is just not reality.

They are hired to lighten the wage$ a facility pays. Bottom line.

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I work at a privately owned skilled facility and they are training some of the CNA's for 3 days to go out on the halls and pass meds. How on earth can you do that? It's not safe. I know the bottom line is to cut cost. I also heard that med techs can't pass narcs, do fingersticks, injections, treatments and tube feedings. What is the point? Currently on my hall 2/3 of the people get routine narcs. How is that gonna help me if I have to go right behind them and give them the narcs, injections, do all the paperwork, tubefeeding, etc. This job pays well and I hate to leave, but I'm not sure if I want to be responsible for med techs with such little training. I can definately find a job somewhere else but I'm pretty comfortable here. I guess I'm just gonna have to sit back and see how it all pans out. Does anyone work with Medtechs? How is the routine at your facility?

I have worked in facilities w/ med techs for years and the majority are quite good! They actually are speedier than I am and the majority do it accurately. They don't get pd enough probably!

At one facility we were training med techs to give insulins and do blood sugars and they did fine!

This left me able to do assessments, treatments, care plans, supervision of other care, even help w/ baths/incontinent care, GASP! It was a GOOD thing. TWY it you may WIKE it!

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I work in a privately owned LTC center in S. Indiana, and we have TONS of CMA's.

Hey, 6 wks experience, welcome to nursing and to the board~! :D Or is that old information?

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Specializes in Mother-Baby, Rehab, Hospice, Memory Care.

I must say though that assuming med techs are just dangerous and prone to making errors because they are not licensed is the same as saying the licensed nurses are dangerous because they are not registered. Think about it.

I don't assume that med techs are dangerous. But in my opinion, passing medications in most populations of patients/residents is a job for a licensed nurse - LPN or RN (both are "licensed nurses"). Also I disagree with your comparison of med techs to LPNs and LPNs to RNs. Saying a med tech is dangerous is not the same as saying an LPN is dangerous because she/he is not an RN.

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Specializes in LTC.
Hey, 6 wks experience, welcome to nursing and to the board~! :D Or is that old information?

I was licensed Nov 27, 2007, so still brand new!! Thank you for the welcome!

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Well, I hope the LTC I work for does not start this practice. If they do, then I may have to quit, if it comes to that. I do not intend to be held responsible for what med techs do or don't do.

I cannot monitor every pill they pour into a cup, if they should make a med error.

I am responsible for what I do, personally, and that's all I'm going to let anyone hold me to, on med passes. If I make an error, and yes, I've made some, I have to write up a medication error report on myself.

If they want to hire med techs, then IMHO, the administrator or the one who does the hiring, can have that responsibility.

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Specializes in MED SURG, LTC, ER, LTAC.

I cannot understand the reason hospitals are trying to do away with LPNs. I worked at different hospitals in my nursing career of 42 years, and was treated with respect and got along well with the RN staff. I feel there is no respect given to LPNs today. We work as hard or even harder in the hospitals as the RNs do. I just pray the legislation will look at all the backgrounds of the experienced LPNs and allow us to take a test to become an RN, AND GIVE US THE RESPECT THAT WE DESERVE. There is so much worry about the shortage of nurses, why do they not realize the LPNs with 10yrs+ could be lots of help in this time od need for nurses., and we are NURSES ALSO. THANKS FOR LETTING ME VENT.:cheers::cheers:

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I agree with you catlyn. Thankfully that situation has not come to pass in my state yet. Whenever it does, I won't be working at any facility that puts me in that position. I've been through too much already, just taking responsibility for my own actions and those of the CNAs that I've supervised. To me, this is going too far.

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well its true med techs r working in LTC and taking the place of LPN"s job. its comming to a place near U. I guess I should look for another job, cause I am about to lose mine to a med tech, a shame to the LTC . I hope that family members know that their loved ones will not have a nurse taking care of their loved ones, so that money can be saved...shame....:cry::cry::cry:

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Specializes in LTC.

Just remember they still can't give injections, chart, take phone orders, do staged area tx's (at least in my facility), start IV's, hang ATB's/fluids, etc. We're still useful...for now.

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I have a problem with med techs! I am not in fear of being replaced by them, I am concerned about the ability to recognise a side effect,if the resident is having an adverse reaction. The pharmacy that we use for our facility uses pharmacy techs, what a mess! They don't have a clue about the pills they are dispensing. I can't tell you how many errors are made in a week. When the mistakes are brought to the pharm. attention, we basically get a response like" oh well, just send the pills back". They don't seem to get it that the patient could have been given this incorrect med, or that they have been given the incorrect meds. No, I don't trust them. I would be very concerned about my loved one in this situation.

When you give meds, don't your patients ask you about the meds, why are they taking it, ect?

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