So I've been searching through the Public Health Code and have yet to find any information on who is authorized to administer medications in MI. I know RN's and LPN's can, but I was wondering what the legalities are for CNA's/PCT's/Medical Assistants.
If anyone can shed some light on this, please let me know. Dorsey School commercials have disturbed me. They have commercials that show PCT's having medication administration responsibilities? They make it appear in the commercials almost as if they are training people to be RN's! They didn't explicitly say it but, hmm.
Another disturbing Dorsey commercial, is that they show a PCT standing behind a beautiful home and what appears to be a GMC Envoy? lol..... I don't know... any difference between a PCT and a CNA?
I went to Career Health Studies school, and Graduated as a PCT last September. We were taught that we can do everything a LPN can do
except handle Narcotics. We can give Meds., Injections, Insert Foley Caths.
start a IV. Besides your vitals, bed making, transferring, and more.
If we were schooled incorectly?????? Someone please get back to me. I'm not working yet. I am N H A certified, but i don't want it to be a short career.
I recently relocated to Michigan from Arizona where I am a CNA. I took the Michigan exam and passed with flying colors and am now a CNA in Michigan also. I love being a CNA! I found a job in an independent living facility caring for the those who require assistance. During the interview I was never told I would be passing meds & narcs. They are blistered packed by a LPN but the CNA's, MA's, and NA's pull them, sign off on the MAR and distribute them. Is this legal?? Other than the med book in the office I have no other training in meds. Also, there is no chart of residents diagnosis, so I am not even aware of what/why residents are getting. I am just told to distribute at said time because its on the MAR. I am good at doing as directed but my conscience is screaming at me (lol) this time.
ANYONE who works in a Group Home for developmentally disabled persons are giving meds, with only TWO DAYS of training, which from experience, I can tell you there are medication errors DAILY that get swept under the rug....
I'm also curious about the scope of practice of a PCT. My mind might be a little fuzzy on this, but I think a couple of hospitals in the UP hire midlevel and senior nursing students as externs, but their job title is Patient Care Tech, and I think they can do med passes and the like.
I went to Career Health Studies school, and Graduated as a PCT last September. We were taught that we can do everything a LPN can do
except handle Narcotics. We can give Meds., Injections, Insert Foley Caths.
start a IV. Besides your vitals, bed making, transferring, and more.
If we were schooled incorectly?????? Someone please get back to me. I'm not working yet. I am N H A certified, but i don't want it to be a short career.
They may have taught you how to do those things, but I do now know a hospital system around here that would allow it. I have never seen a place that allows a non-licensed person to give any sort of medications. I have never seen a PCT that was even close to an LPN. Our PCTs can start IVS and Foleys but that's about as technical as it gets. I'm a nurse Tech graduating very soon and I am not allowed to touch meds- neither are my friends at diff hospitals.
In a Drs office though- things are different. It's MAs doing injections etc.
Another disturbing Dorsey commercial, is that they show a PCT standing behind a beautiful home and what appears to be a GMC Envoy? lol..... I don't know... any difference between a PCT and a CNA?
Let me know if you know anything about this
The PCT must be married to someone making good money! They start at $12-15 from what I have seen. My hospital system starts them at 12 and I know most of the rest in the area give a couple extra dollars. That means 24-30K a year assuming they work full time. That sure wouldn't buy a nice home and a new care where I live!
But, it's not all about money. If that is a career someone chooses, good for them. I just hope the commercials don't mislead people.
Assisted living centers often train "Resident Care Aides" and/or "CNA's" to pass medications. It's a scary thing! They train them for about 2 hours and there's no information given on specific drugs or adverse reactions. They are not allowed to give insulin or any other injections. These facilities are subject to state surveys and the RCA's continue to pass medications during this time and it never seems to be a problem.
Is just crazy how people will come on here and say stuff that lack credibility without any research...I use to work as a resident care aid and i wasn't trained for no 2 hrs on medication...
I was trained on medication, culture, diversity, rights of a patient for a whole month (M-F, 8hrs a day). I was educated on some specific drugs including their adverse effects....
Also i had a diabetic patient..i checked his glucose level 3 times a day and would give insulin if necessary....after all diabetic patients give themselves insulin at home....you dont need a nurse to administer that....
finally, It can be a scary thing for "CNA's and RCA's" giving medications.....But medication error do occur among nurses too expecially giving the wrong dosage.....
Is just crazy how people will come on here and say stuff that lack credibility without any research...I use to work as a resident care aid and i wasn't trained for no 2 hrs on medication...
I was trained on medication, culture, diversity, rights of a patient for a whole month (M-F, 8hrs a day). I was educated on some specific drugs including their adverse effects....
Also i had a diabetic patient..i checked his glucose level 3 times a day and would give insulin if necessary....after all diabetic patients give themselves insulin at home....you dont need a nurse to administer that....
finally, It can be a scary thing for "CNA's and RCA's" giving medications.....But medication error do occur among nurses too expecially giving the wrong dosage.....
Sorry, I don't lack 'research'. This is recent and personal experience from just a few months ago. I understand medication errors occur amongst everyone. However, if a medication error occurs on my license, it had better be done by me. Where I worked, the medication class WAS 2 hours. I was mystified when I happened to be double checking an RCA's meds that was passing on another cart UNDER MY LICENSE. She had mixed up doses and had no idea what an oral hypoglycemic was. They had no clue what normal pulse or blood pressure ranges were. I don't feel that it was their fault because they didn't have the knowledge. I worked hard for my nursing licenses and I would prefer to not have to worry about others administering medications for me.
Yes, insulin is an easy thing to administer. As an emergency room physician told me once, the easiest way to kill someone is to mess up their insulin type and dose. Sure it's easy to give a poke to someone. It's not fair to ask unlicensed personnel to administer this when they have no idea about insulin peaks or normal blood glucose ranges.
I have a question regarding this whole issue. I find it so strange. I work for a well known non profit for the developmentally disabled/mentally ill. Just started as a LPN Shift Supervisor. I don't pass any of the meds, the MA's or floor staff do. I don't understand this at all. Why would it be set up this way? Not exactly sure what my job responsibilities will be entirely.
La-La-Ludy
1 Post
I went to Career Health Studies school, and Graduated as a PCT last September. We were taught that we can do everything a LPN can do
except handle Narcotics. We can give Meds., Injections, Insert Foley Caths.
start a IV. Besides your vitals, bed making, transferring, and more.
If we were schooled incorectly?????? Someone please get back to me. I'm not working yet. I am N H A certified, but i don't want it to be a short career.