Update: Medication Administration Interventions That Must Be Performed By A Rn

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTIONS THAT MUST BE PERFORMED BY A REGISTERED NURSE

Greer Glazer RN, CNP, PhD, FAAN

Check out followup story:

Glazer, Greer. (February 28, 2002). NursingWorld | OJIN: Legislative Column: Medication Administration Interventions That Must Be Performed By A Registered Nurse Available

http://www.nursingworld.org/ojin/tpclg/leg_12.htm

[bjpeace]

Nurse Karen,

Thanks for the article link!

Interesting article, but I found it vague. What about Lpn's? It appears that Lpn's were separate from the Rns responding, but it would have been a more informative survey if the responses were separated by Rns, Lpns, and unlicensed staff. As an Lpn in critical care there are many drugs that I administer that the article considers "RN specific". In primary nursing, there isn't any deliniation between RN and LPN, at least not at my facility (except of course in pay!). There is a difference outside of the ICU and stepdown areas, for example, still under primary nursing, there are many meds that LPNs cannot give IV push.

Just an opinion!

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Food for thought again.

[Gldngrl]

I wish the article had gone into more detail, stating specifically what medications (RNs giving all IV medications is overly broad), the rationale for determining who gives what. What does PCA assistance mean? Does it mean setting up the pump, giving boluses via the PCA pump or does it mean actually using the pump on behalf of the patient (PCA by proxy)? The policies I've reviewed specifically prohibit PCA by proxy and recommend either using a basal dose or another means of therapy in which the nurse assumes control of administration. I hope there will be future articles on this subject.