RN doing temp work as a med aide

[PugLuvr3]

i am a new rn without any nursing experience and i am actively searching for employment as a rn in various settings. with the reality of the current economic sluggishness depressing hiring and the flood of new rn's in the area, i expect finding employment as a rn might take a while. in the interim i was considering trying for a temporary position as a medication aide in a nearby assisted living facility.

in north carolina a med aide is:

"medication aide", when used in connection with a person listed by the health care personnel registry section on the n.c. medication aide registry, means anyone who has passed a medication aide training program approved by the n.c. board of nursing and passed the state medication aide competency exam in accordance with rules and requirements for nursing homes (n.c. 131e-114.2(b) ; n.c. 131e-270 ; and 10ancac 13o .0202 ).

if i get the med aide job i would have to pass medications under my rn license since i am not on the medication aide registry. what might be some of the pitfalls for me as an rn working as a med aid?

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

Get a job as a staff nurse in a LTC facility. You'll pass a lot of meds, but also get actual nursing experience. And get paid a living wage.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Pitfalls? You will make no money, you will not be gaining any valuable "RN" experience, future employers will wonder why you had an active RN license but were working as a medication aide.

[Daisy_08, BSN, RN]

Here are is what my licensing body says about working in other roles

``the nurse is expected to fulfil only the requirements of the position's job description``

However you may have to step out of the med aide role:

``Emergency situations: In the event of an

emergency situation, the nurse working as a UCP will

immediately function at the RN, NP or RPN level.

The member is accountable for:

■stepping out of the UCP role to identify, assess and

respond to the emergency at the level of

her/his RN, NP or RPN preparation;

■practising at the RN, NP or RPN level until a

member practising at the RN, NP or RPN level is

available``

I would see if your board has anything that specifically addresses this issue.

Here is the link to the document from mine, I would assume it to be similar - http://www.cno.org/Global/docs/prac/45027_fsDiffRoles.pdf

For clairification a UCP - unregulated health care provider - like a med aide

[PugLuvr3]

Thanks. This gives me some direction.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I once worked in LTC as an RN. The medication aides were earning $14 hourly, the LPNs were earning between $19 and $23 (depending on experiential level) and the RNs earned between $30 and $34.50 per hour.

I am sure there's at least one LTC facility within a one hour distance of your home that hires RNs. Bypass the medication aide gig if possible, and start accruing RN experience even if it is at a nursing home, assisted living, rehab, or adult day care center.