What would you do in this situation?

[nurseintraining222]

I am a CNA/Medication aide at a small county jail. I have been here for 7 years. The company I work for recently hired a medical assistant to do the med passes and my DON has instructed me to train her. As far as my knowledge is concerned, at least in this state, in order to pass medications in a correctional facility, you have to be a nurse (LPN, RN) or a CNA/M like I am. I have never heard of a medical assistant (associates degree level) being able to run a med pass. I talked to my boss about this and she assured me that this person's training as a medical assistant also allowed her to get a CNA/M certification, which, to me, doesn't seem possible. I know in order to get my certification, I had to be a CNA for 2 years, then take the CNA/M class (140 hours) My question is, is there any way that I can be held liable for actually training this person, or is my boss and the company I work for going to be left holding the bag? I know she was hired the same day as her interview and she started working the very next day, which seems to me like the company did not check into her credentials. I feel like I should report this to a higher authority, but I don't know if I have a right to.

[la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN]

First I as a registered nurse did not know non license personnel could pass medications. Only RN and LPN. CNA's should NEVER pass meds. It sounds like someone is bending the law. Calling the state board will not help. They only get involved if you get in trouble. I would love to see where a CNA could ever pass medications.

I think it's because they have the "medication aide" certification. I guess it's a Colorado thing? Still seems kind of iffy. They "observe and report" any side effects or interactions.

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[Davidspeicher]

It seems they are putting a lot of responsibility on non-licensed personnel and medical errors is one of the most common thing that kills people so letting a non-licensed staff pass out meds seems very risky to me

[Davidspeicher]

I would not want to be the nurse that is responsible for a CNA passing my medications

[nurseintraining222]

I, as a CNA med aide, am not able to pass medications without a licensed nurse in the building. Without her in the building, I am useless, but it certainly is not bending the law for me to able to pass meds, I took a state approved course in order to do this. My certification is totally legal. I realize this is not allowed in every state, but here, it is. In fact, I have been told by many nurses that I have worked with that they are totally grateful for me and my knowledge with meds as many of them are not fully up to speed with all the doses of each different med and the generic vs trade names. I agree with most of you who have said that it is not up to me to verify her credentials, think I am just going to live with that.

[TheNurseStudentMom]

In certain settings CNAs can become certified medication aides; in my area most are in assisted living settings that pass meds.

Yep. I'm in NC and CNAs take a 24 hour class to pass meds at assisted living facilities . Once you pass that exam you can take an exam (no course required) to pass meds at adult care centers. Perfectly legal.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

There are levels of CNA certifications that are specific to both medication administration and some as physical therapy assistants (restorative aides).

In assisted livings, the CNA can assist the resident in taking their own medication, remind them that it is due, assist in opening packages.

In some nursing homes or long term care facilities, there is no "med nurse" it is a medication aide who doles out the meds. The same with some department of mental health residential homes.

In a nursing home, there needs to be a nurse on site. That is part of the licensing requirement. As far as assisted living facilities, sometimes that is all a licensed nurse is hired for--to cover the butts of medication assistance. At mental health homes, there often is not a nurse on site. The later 2 being it is a chronic situation, and residents qualify as to if hey are safe to take their own meds with minimum assistance.

The rules may be different state by state, but it remains that if a facility can use UAP's for more and more, they will. They can hire 3 perhaps 4 at the salary of 1 nurse.

[CelticGoddess, BSN, RN]

First I as a registered nurse did not know non license personnel could pass medications. Only RN and LPN. CNA's should NEVER pass meds. It sounds like someone is bending the law. Calling the state board will not help. They only get involved if you get in trouble. I would love to see where a CNA could ever pass medications.

In SC, a med tech can pass meds in specific condition (typically assisted living) Even though it is legal, I am opposed to it. Most of the med techs I have run across don't know what to look for when it comes to side effects/adverse reactions, etc. One CNA I worked with insisted that she could pass meds as well as I could. And she is right, she can PASS them, but when I asks her what to look for when a patient was on digitoxin, she said "it doesn't matter". Um, yes, it matters very much.

[TheNurseStudentMom]

In SC, a med tech can pass meds in specific condition (typically assisted living) Even though it is legal, I am opposed to it. Most of the med techs I have run across don't know what to look for when it comes to side effects/adverse reactions, etc. One CNA I worked with insisted that she could pass meds as well as I could. And she is right, she can PASS them, but when I asks her what to look for when a patient was on digitoxin, she said "it doesn't matter". Um, yes, it matters very much.

They're only allowed to pass meds when the reactions should be typical. When the reactions are not typical, the RN will take over.