I have a diploma in emergency medical technology, a diploma in clinical medical assisting, and a nursing assistant certificate. About a year of experience in prehospital care with an incredibly heavy volume of critical care. And 1 year of experience in outpatient internal medicine. I recently took a job that I feel combines both of these skills incredibly well as a medication technician. They don't require certification, and since my training already encompasses everything and more in a medication aide program they were comfortable hiring me. This is where my first concern comes in. I assumed that meant they would be hiring primarily people with medical training. However I am the only person on staff with any training or licensure besides the DON. Including the other medication technicians. And the orientation included no training in pharmacology at all.
One of the med techs recently asked me if morphine was addictive. She also cannot perform any nursing assisting Duties because she's never been trained as that either. The other med techs have only CNA experience before hand. One of them suggested PRN lorazepam for pain. A resident had a respiratory emergency and all they did was take BP. Which was low and they charted it as normal. We had a resident with coffee ground Emesis and melena, for 8 hours before I got on shift and they didn't even take a BP. I took it and she had a map of 60, and HR in the 140s. I genuinely feel unsafe leaving the residents under their care sometimes. This is a pretty high acuity population, and a nurse is only there 9-5M-F. Besides that the fully responsibility is on the med tech. But they for the most part show they don't know anything about how medications works or side effects, etc.
second.
more then once I have been surprised with a shift with no nursing assistants at all. Just me for all three floors. Passing meds, and trying to provide nursing aide care. I don't feel comfortable with these assignments, it was nearly impossible and some of these are two person assist. But I can't just leave them with no one.
dianah, ASN
8 Articles; 4,738 Posts
Just a reminder to post to the subject of the thread. Off-topic posts derail the thread. Thank you.