WRCRN

Thanks for the support!!! I need to hear from more nurses in the correctional field about this matter. I am going up against some "big politics" as the spokesperson for the nurses and I doooo want my ducks in a row. Ironically, I just received my newsletter "NursingMatters" (Wisconsin based) and the letter from the editor said we as nurses should watch out for "dumbing down" of the profession. One of the things she mentioned was just what is happening by me.....replacing a nurse with a Certified Medication Tech. I am going to give her a call for some advice as well.

HELP!!!!!! I am an 18 year veteran RN in a State Prison for male offenders who also have a mental illness or behavioral problem. We are suffering a 25% vacancy and Management has come up with this "brainchild" of taking unit personnel (who are NOT CNA's by the way), giving them a 60 hour hybrid course in medication passing at a local vocational tech. college, and then putting them under our direct supervision to pass all kinds of psychotropic and anti-anxiety (ie controlled meds) meds to guys who don't have a hoot about what they are taking at times. This is making all of us verrryyyyyy uncomfortable to say the least. I have done some research about med techs in other states and there appears to be statutes that govern their certifications. But not so in Wisconsin.....there are no such accredited positions here. Can anyone help me??? I need some info to take to management as I have volunteered to be on the development committee for this outrageous idea and I want some ammo to help me and the dwindling pool of nurses I work with.