Wawaloam

Hi Pam, MAP ceritification won't allow you to work in RI. I am a MAP instructor through the American Red Cross. It's a nice entry level step for direct support professionals but does "go against" a RI CNA license, as the CNA license states that you won't administer medications unless its through an approved training program. MAP is more designed for staff that work in group homes. I'm in Nh right now, but when I get back to RI next week I'll call some friends and get you more information about Med Tech training. Are you interested in working in RI or Mass? Similar to CNA and nursing licenses, I don't believe the states recognize licenses from another state.

Hi Pam, Yes, you do have to be a CNA first. My niece did it wile she was waiting to get into CCRI's nursing program. Sandy

Hi Pam, My niece went through the Med Tech course at CCRI in Warwick. Its possible that registration is through the Dept of Health but the classes are held somewhere else. My understanding is that, as a Med Tech, you still need to be supervised by an RN with evaluations done periodically. Keep me informed as to how you make out--I'm always interested in these this field!

Actually Pam, you can go right through CCRI for the Med Tech training. You have to be a CNA first. I don't believe though, that Med Techs are used in home care. Do you plan to do per diem's at a long term care facility. That is where most Med Techs are working in RI I believe.

Thanksfr the info. We've closed all of our insititional type facilities and most of the MR/DD population live in the community in small group homes and their own aprtments and condos. A few are in regular nursing homes but there's a state move to ghet them in the community as well. It would be phyically impossible for a nurse to be in every one of our group homes 24 hours a day for routine and prn med passes--in fact, a large percentage of my clients wouldn't WANT us there anyway! LOL

You are absolutely correct---assessment cannot be delegated. In states that don't have nurses overseeing the medication admiistration process that creates a real problem. In my state I am responsibe for training and ensuring that staff are competently trained and can competently perform the task...I am not responsible for the outcomes of their actions though. I am still responsible for ongoing assessments of the client. As far as knowing the medications and their side effects, I provide patient specific information for my staff, who are then required to teach the client about the medications. In one program, my clients are actually teaching my new staff! I don't have frequent changes though--the clients are quite stable living in the community so it is pretty easy to stay current with--I can't imagine what I'd do if there were frequent changes.

I'm sorry to offend you---you're right, it is pretty creepy but she disappeared from Amherst. I'm just trying to locate someone who may have known where her clinicals were pr why she would have been travelling to Norwood (over 2 hours away) for clinicals. If anyone has anything they'd like to let me know or some knowledge of where clinicals where or whatever, feel free to email me at [email protected].

Is it possible that she was doing clinicals in Norwood, MA? Would she really be sent over two hours away from campus for a day of clinicals? I think she would've been a sophomore also with you. Do you know anyone who may have known Maura?

Of those of you who go to or went to UMass, do you remember a young lady by the name of Maura Murray? She disappeard Feb 9, 2004 and I'm trying to figure out where she was doing clinicals. Is it possible that she would have been sent to Norwood MA for clinicals--its a two hour drive from Amherst? Thanks for your help

we do g tubes, jtubes, etc., and as of march of this year, can delegate insulin injections if they are predosed. In Mass, only nurses can do insulin.

Interesting....In Mass, the MAP trained staff are certified on their own and there's no delegation by the RN. In RI, where I work primarily, it's ALL delegation with no standardized training in the DD field. There are med techs in other areas, but they typically don't work in the DD field.

do the nurses in your state delegate to the staff or are the staff licensed/certified on their own after taking the 30 hour class and passing the test with 100%?

Do you keep in touch with anyone else that may have known her? Her disappearance is still unsolved and many people are actively looking for information/answers/anything

Did any of you that went to UMass Amherst ever meet Maura Murray while you were there? She was a nursing student at UMass Amherst at the time she disappeared.

I work in both RI and Mass---two very different systems. In RI, the providers fought a longer standardized training and we are left with nothing formal--yet our Nurse Practice Act directly reflects the use of the program that was "rescinded" (which didn't actually happen) and in Mass I am going through the classes to MAP certify staff. In RI I use a pharmacy that prepacks my group homes and ind. living meds It has reduced errors overall, though my programs had few to begin with. (there's something to be said for being a B***h with high standards of care) Yes, staff still need to monitor for onset of new side effects, but as anurse, its my job to provide them with the information to identify this. By using a prepacked system, it allows me the time to be more proactive as opposed to tracking down direct support staff for errors.