NC Nurse Legislation March 17th, 2005

Morguein · Mar 17, 2005

I believe M & M was more concerned that we as RN's will be responsible for them passing the medications properly or improperly. The RN's will be held accountable for all mistakes made by the person passing the meds. I may have misunderstood. Please let me know if I have.

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Mar 17, 2005

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ValerieB · Mar 17, 2005

Nursing homes use medicine aides all the time. Everyone should be held responsible for their own practice.

prmenrs, RN · Mar 17, 2005

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SmilingBluEyes · Mar 17, 2005

Nursing homes use medicine aides all the time. Everyone should be held responsible for their own practice.

Aha were it only that easy. THE BON will STILL hold an RN liable for her assessment/overall wellbeing of her patients. So will litigants in a case of lawsuit.

Yes, sure, Med aides may "go down" for a drastic error, but not alone. I would prefer NEVER to be responsible for an unlicensed person passing meds----they just do not possess the appropriate knowledge of phamacology/pathophysiology or assessment skills for safe medication administration. And these things cannot be just be delegated away per BON mandates. It ought be illegal, if you ask me.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 17, 2005

unfortunately, that link does not work.

begalli · Mar 17, 2005

Good for you M&M for trying to get the word out.

I feel this is a dangerous practice that's being shoved down the throats of nurses.

frekinbrechin · Mar 17, 2005

ok :lol_hitti

I live in ALabama and I have not heard of this, and I hope I do not hear of this practice.

Granted at times we are so short staffed : :crying2: , that if you had an extra set of hands you could get your medications out at the scheduled times.

However :nono: I do not think that a 24 hour class would be sufficient for these individuals to learn dosage calculations, what the medications are for and the contraindications for giving the medication. I see where an licensed who would be responsible for that particular individul passing out the medication, and that is great and wonderful, but would you :smackingf want to be the individual who is responsible. Malpractice would be like you would never believe. "THat nurse said it was ok, or some other lame excuse, then you lose your license that you worked for a lot longer than 24 hours for.

I think we all need to let our legislature know exactly how we feel and give them our opinions. I know a lot of times it does not matter who we are, but we can't give up either.

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Mar 17, 2005

I guess it depends on where these unlicensed people are going to be passing meds and the wording of the law. For example in long term care some of the patients are there just because they became to much for family to care for. They were most likely getting meds at home by some who is not licensed. I have worked in several states and med aids passed meds all the time and as far as I know it never has been an issue. Its no different than one nurse being responsible for all pts being move in and out of bed by aids.

I also just looked at the BON's web site looks like acute care facilities are excluded. So the concern re doasage calculations probably isnt an issue. I know for example Iowa allows medaides the can only pass premeasured, unit dose drugs ie they dont give B12 injections, insulin and the like.

Personally having lived and worked in NC im more concerned that there is no formal continuing education requirement. Believe me when I tell you that I personally worked with nurses that exploited that to the max ie the only CE they got would be CPR and thats only because the hospital required it.

RJ

M&MRN2005 · Mar 17, 2005

I believe M & M was more concerned that we as RN's will be responsible for them passing the medications properly or improperly. The RN's will be held accountable for all mistakes made by the person passing the meds. I may have misunderstood. Please let me know if I have.

I am sorry if I gave you that impression. No I am furious at the whole aspect of all of it. I think it is a disgrace to a trusting profession. It is not a solution to the nursing shortage in North Carolina either.

M&MRN2005 · Mar 17, 2005

Nursing homes use medicine aides all the time. Everyone should be held responsible for their own practice.

That is just the point. They are not and we as nurses are! They are performing a task with only 24 hours of training. How much training as a nurse did you get? I sure hope it was more than 24 hours.