Nursing Issue - Medication Aides

Nurses Safety

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Hi. I am new to the post. Very shortly a bill will be presented to our legislation on Medication Aides for my state. I am looking for some feedback regarding these aides. I know other programs have been implemented in many other states. How is it working? What are the current problems? Where can I go to find out more information?

In my state they will be mandatory in non-health focused care settings such as: schools, prison, assisted living, daycares, and group homes. The health focused areas are: long term care facilities, rehab centers, home health, hospice, public health depts., clinics, and acute care settings. However, some say it optional for health care facilities. The training is 24 hours. I feel this is very dangerous. It is being implemented to help alleviate some of the nursing shortage we will experience in the near future. Plus, a lot of these med aides already work in some of these facilities and there has never been any formal training. How they were hired is beyond me, but now there is a need to train these individuals. The only requirement to date is: 21 years old and a high school graduate. No prior medical experience. Scary!!!

I am looking for information on how programs of this type are working in other areas? Any problems experienced with the program? Is there an increase in med errors? Where I can go to gather more information?

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
So dont feel screwed

I don't. I'm scared for the pts., inmates, or residents.

I have posted on many forums on this topic. I am a cmt in the state of Missouri we are allowed to give all narcs (depending on facility) we are allowed to take bs and give insulin(depending on facility) We are allowed to give neb tx's (depending on facility) and we are allowed to adminster meds thru a tube (depending on facility) LUCKILY i have never had to do that and i wouldn't want to do that. At the job i am currently at i am the med tech relief i work four days a month doing meds and the rest i'm working as a cna. I use to disagree with everyone saying med tech's were not educated enough to be passing meds but now i couldn't agree more. yes there is a nurse close by but you are doing your job and they are doing theres i often go to my cn with questions reguardless of how "stupid" it may sound. I get 50 cents more an hour working as a med tech vs cna and the responsibility load is SO much bigger. I am debating on getting rid of my med tech at first i got it for the exp b/c i would like to become a nurse but finically its not possible right now and i did it for the pay raise but it is REALLY not worth the hassle. I have worked in four different facilitys in missouri and i have yet to meet a nurse that has a problem with med techs i think they look at it as a relief b/c they don't have to pass the meds anymore. But i think if more nurses that do work with med techs would stand up and say hey this isn't safe MAYBE like some others have said something would be done to get these med techs an education to be able to do there job safely.....

Excuse me, but, I don't feel "screwed" as you put it, and it certainly isn't about the money. I could care less what you or anybody else makes. It's about pt. safety and MY license if YOU screw up!

Excuse me, but, I don't feel "screwed" as you put it, and it certainly isn't about the money. I could care less what you or anybody else makes. It's about pt. safety and MY license if YOU screw up!

I'm unclear about something...What do you mean by you license being "on the line" for a med tech mistake. I am a med tech and I have made a med error and I realized my error wrote myself up for my error and all was fine My charge nurse in no way shape or form was even involved. I report my error to her then fill out the med error paper. I am preparing the meds without my charge nurse there i am dispensing (pardon sp) the med without my charge nurse right there they are not responsible for something I do wrong unless perhaps i reported and they failed to do there part by contacting the dr or something like that at least that is how missouri is and nebraska i can't speak for any other state. But as i've said before i would agree that med techs should be eliminated. Tiffany

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

You are working under the nurses supervision/license. If there were an error with a bad outcome and a lawsuit the nurse would be held responsible for your actions.

I do understand and appreciate your concerns. Nurses should be given a choice whether they want to work with a med aide or not. I personally fight like a wildcat if I feel they're making me do something I am not comfortable with. Having said that, I am thankful that our nurses don't object to having a Q because they need the help. Their load would be way too much. You might say there are other ways. Well, let's find them.

You are working under the nurses supervision/license. If there were an error with a bad outcome and a lawsuit the nurse would be held responsible for your actions.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
the thread i had read previously the nurse was concerned about pay, she went to college for almost two years and we didnt. it was early in the morning and i was tired. im sorry if it seemed i undermined your concerns. didnt mean to insult.

This was very gracious of you. Thank you for this.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I do understand and appreciate your concerns. Nurses should be given a choice whether they want to work with a med aide or not. I personally fight like a wildcat if I feel they're making me do something I am not comfortable with. Having said that, I am thankful that our nurses don't object to having a Q because they need the help. Their load would be way too much. You might say there are other ways. Well, let's find them.

But don't you see, there will be NO choice. Once Med Aides widely are in place, they (bean counters) will justify downsizing the number of licensed personnel to adjust...so that there may be 1 licensed person for MANY patients, one who has no time to worry about every med passed under his/her license.......

The "choice" may well be whether to work as a nurse at all in many places, or not. Not whether a nurse will "allow" a med aide to pass meds under his or her license!:angryfire

Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.
But don't you see, there will be NO choice. Once Med Aides widely are in place, they (bean counters) will justify downsizing the number of licensed personnel to adjust...so that there may be 1 licensed person for MANY patients, one who has no time to worry about every med passed under his/her license.......

The "choice" may well be whether to work as a nurse at all in many places, or not. Not whether a nurse will "allow" a med aide to pass meds under his or her license!:angryfire

This is EXACTLY what will happen. Couldn't have phrased it better myself, Smiling... Great accountability but little control over the practice environment, other than refusing to work there...

Specializes in Telemetry.

Medication Aides are the Health Industry's answer to the coming legislated lower nurse to pt ratios and to keeping nurse's salaries low. It will allow them to plead that the nurse is not overburdened and since they have these quasi professional pill pushers, they can have fewer nurses per patient. It's a NO BRAINER.

Nurses need to fight this...call your legislator...start a writing campaign...lobby the legislature...get publicity so that future patients realize the ineptitude of these aides and the danger they pose..

This is downright scary...and another way to keep nurses in line.

The more responsibility the "powers that be" remove from our profession the less money they can pay us. AND, HIGHER patient to nurse ratios will result. Our duties are quickly eroding. Think about it.

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