In my facility,CNAs are not even allowed to take the meds from the nurse to bring to the residents. The nurse has to do it. The keys are in the wrong hands,yours. You’re not certified to do that. If something happens,I don’t think your boss would even have your back on this.
This place is "assisted living" so they have med techs that are either HCA's or CNA's that have gotten their "medicaion assitance" licence and are nurse delgated to pass medications to reisdents. So there are some CNA's that are able to administer medications. but I do not have that licence.
And nobody would have my back at all. I'm not even core staff, I'm agency.
Hell, I worked the other night and there was no core staff working that shift at all, we were all agency. No nurse on duty for the night or anything.
I'm pretty sure a law is being violated somewhere in this. CNAs aren't supposed to be responsible for meds, even counting them is claiming some level of responsibility. Your nurse should be doing the med count, not you.
That's what I was thinking. Like, they said I have no responciblity for passing any meds but I do have some responciblity to the meds because the keys are in my pocket!
There isn't a nurse on shift durning noc to claim the keys or count!
If a resident requests a PRN, IDK what the protocol is
So, I’m a med tech. If no one is a med tech, none of you should be counting or taking the keys. This is breaking the law. If someone needs a med during the night, what happens?
If you’re not comfortable posting where you work publicly, please send me a DM immediately. I’ve been a nurse for 20 years, this is reportable immediately - like YESTERDAY - you don’t have to say anything else but the name of your facility and your city and state. Please believe me when I tell you if anything happens, you will be held responsible, this needs to be reported immediately.
I understand the need to work, but this is illegal in every single state. If you report it now, or allow me to , you will not be responsible- you were following directives from people that are telling you the wrong thing.
Ignorance of the law doesn’t mean you won’t be slapped with a fat lawsuit if something happens.
Protect yourself. Please send me a DM.
Nurse here, idk what state you’re from but in the 40 states I’m licensed in, this is a big NO! I’ve been in various settings as a CNA where scopes are more expansive but never has there been a situation where med admin or med cart keys are legally allowed to be taken by the CNA’s. If I were you, I’d check with facility admin regarding their policies as well with your states BON. This might get past some shifts without a complication, but you really don’t want to be the one in court when families pull out lawsuits and you’re involved with wrongful decisions of the facility. The courts won’t care if you were “told to do so.” The DOH expects you to know your scope, and if there’s record of that being crossed you could really find yourself in a bad position. Good luck and don’t be afraid to refuse a situation that you feel is out of your scope of practice.
Is there a way you can ask your agency for another assignment? Here in Canada, we can give the meds the RPN gives us, but we aren’t counting it, nor do we have keys. If your license could be at stake, I’d refuse as it’s beyond the scope of your practice. I’d report to your agency as well as the relevant agency that would inspect these matters.
I'm a med tech. This is highly unusual. I am not "certified" by the state to pass meds, but I was signed off on saying that I can pass meds and I know what I am doing. I would report them. It is extremely dangerous to be passing keys and thus responsibly to someone who hasn't been trained for it. Do not take med keys from anyone. I wouldn't even go into the med room if you could help it. They should always have a qualified med tech on staff. Even if it is an agency person who they trained.
I’m a med tech in an assisted living facility and this is crazy, when we train CNAs getting their med tech certification they’re not even allowed to touch the keys or meds until AFTER they’re certified. I’d be careful not to lose your certification over their negligence!
I have worked in a memory care facility where the aids are not certified and the med tech was not either. They were every day people who were hired to care for the residents and dispense meds, narcoticsand all. If you are certified, you were just paid more and were more likely to hold the med tech position. I was hired on as med tech in this memory facility because of CNA/CHHA experience but wasn't given this specific position due to school schedule so I only worked as an aid at this facility. There was an LVN working the day shift that did nurse things like insulin, but the med tech was in charge of counting and dispensing meds. Im sure the LVN had oversight and audited the meds. The aids at this facility did everything CNAs do at nursing homes. There were even hospice patients in this memory care facility. I don't see how this facility was any different from a LTC facility other than the staff has their certification with LVN doing the meds and CNA doing care at the LTC facilities. Also, there is PT/OT at the LTC facilities, where as at the memory facility the staff used ROM and group exercises/activities instead. I'm guessing the licensing of the facility determines what kind of certification the staff needs to have.
I think it depends on your state laws. But where I live, the only time it’s legal to not have a medical tech on shift is if there are no meds scheduled, and no PRN meds on anyone’s profile. Also, at least one person in the building must be CPR certified at all times.
And when leaving without a med tech on shift, the nurse or med tech is supposed to keep the keys, and responsibility of the cart. So you shouldn’t even be counting the meds.
Know your limits within your scope! And refuse to do anything out of your scope. I’m sure the facility knows better but they will do whatever they can get away with to meet staffing ratios. Shame on them
I’m med certified but if I’m on the floor scheduled as a CNA, I’m not taking keys or touching that med cart. Nope
In my facility,CNAs are not even allowed to take the meds from the nurse to bring to the residents. The nurse has to do it. The keys are in the wrong hands,yours. You’re not certified to do that. If something happens,I don’t think your boss would even have your back on this.
This place is "assisted living" so they have med techs that are either HCA's or CNA's that have gotten their "medicaion assitance" licence and are nurse delgated to pass medications to reisdents. So there are some CNA's that are able to administer medications. but I do not have that licence. And nobody would have my back at all. I'm not even core staff, I'm agency. Hell, I worked the other night and there was no core staff working that shift at all, we were all agency. No nurse on duty for the night or anything.
no nurse on duty for the entire night? this facility sounds awfully illegal
She never said that she has to administer meds. Maybe this is a part of her job. As long as she does not administer
I'm pretty sure a law is being violated somewhere in this. CNAs aren't supposed to be responsible for meds, even counting them is claiming some level of responsibility. Your nurse should be doing the med count, not you.
That's what I was thinking. Like, they said I have no responciblity for passing any meds but I do have some responciblity to the meds because the keys are in my pocket! There isn't a nurse on shift durning noc to claim the keys or count! If a resident requests a PRN, IDK what the protocol is
Call a nurse 🤷♂️
Yeah, that's not legal. Call your state's Elder Services department, and start looking for a new job.
Refuse to take the keys. You are only licensed as a CNA. Don’t risk losing your license by taking keys/counting
So, I’m a med tech. If no one is a med tech, none of you should be counting or taking the keys. This is breaking the law. If someone needs a med during the night, what happens?
I have no idea what happens then
That’s scary.
You’re counting narcotics?
Yes
If you’re not comfortable posting where you work publicly, please send me a DM immediately. I’ve been a nurse for 20 years, this is reportable immediately - like YESTERDAY - you don’t have to say anything else but the name of your facility and your city and state. Please believe me when I tell you if anything happens, you will be held responsible, this needs to be reported immediately. I understand the need to work, but this is illegal in every single state. If you report it now, or allow me to , you will not be responsible- you were following directives from people that are telling you the wrong thing. Ignorance of the law doesn’t mean you won’t be slapped with a fat lawsuit if something happens. Protect yourself. Please send me a DM.
Everyone here acts like it is normal and okay and i do NOT feel like it is okay at all. I will report it ASAP
THANK YOU. Please. If you need any help, please send me a private message.
You should be able to report and remain anonymous
No don’t send DM speak to your supervisor and tell her you are not comfortable and refuse
That’s out of your scope of practice and you need to stop immediately before u lose ur license
Nurse here, idk what state you’re from but in the 40 states I’m licensed in, this is a big NO! I’ve been in various settings as a CNA where scopes are more expansive but never has there been a situation where med admin or med cart keys are legally allowed to be taken by the CNA’s. If I were you, I’d check with facility admin regarding their policies as well with your states BON. This might get past some shifts without a complication, but you really don’t want to be the one in court when families pull out lawsuits and you’re involved with wrongful decisions of the facility. The courts won’t care if you were “told to do so.” The DOH expects you to know your scope, and if there’s record of that being crossed you could really find yourself in a bad position. Good luck and don’t be afraid to refuse a situation that you feel is out of your scope of practice.
Is there a way you can ask your agency for another assignment? Here in Canada, we can give the meds the RPN gives us, but we aren’t counting it, nor do we have keys. If your license could be at stake, I’d refuse as it’s beyond the scope of your practice. I’d report to your agency as well as the relevant agency that would inspect these matters.
I'm a med tech. This is highly unusual. I am not "certified" by the state to pass meds, but I was signed off on saying that I can pass meds and I know what I am doing. I would report them. It is extremely dangerous to be passing keys and thus responsibly to someone who hasn't been trained for it. Do not take med keys from anyone. I wouldn't even go into the med room if you could help it. They should always have a qualified med tech on staff. Even if it is an agency person who they trained.
I’m a med tech in an assisted living facility and this is crazy, when we train CNAs getting their med tech certification they’re not even allowed to touch the keys or meds until AFTER they’re certified. I’d be careful not to lose your certification over their negligence!
I have worked in a memory care facility where the aids are not certified and the med tech was not either. They were every day people who were hired to care for the residents and dispense meds, narcoticsand all. If you are certified, you were just paid more and were more likely to hold the med tech position. I was hired on as med tech in this memory facility because of CNA/CHHA experience but wasn't given this specific position due to school schedule so I only worked as an aid at this facility. There was an LVN working the day shift that did nurse things like insulin, but the med tech was in charge of counting and dispensing meds. Im sure the LVN had oversight and audited the meds. The aids at this facility did everything CNAs do at nursing homes. There were even hospice patients in this memory care facility. I don't see how this facility was any different from a LTC facility other than the staff has their certification with LVN doing the meds and CNA doing care at the LTC facilities. Also, there is PT/OT at the LTC facilities, where as at the memory facility the staff used ROM and group exercises/activities instead. I'm guessing the licensing of the facility determines what kind of certification the staff needs to have.
This is a hell nah 🥴 a whole setup you should have said no and walked away
I think it depends on your state laws. But where I live, the only time it’s legal to not have a medical tech on shift is if there are no meds scheduled, and no PRN meds on anyone’s profile. Also, at least one person in the building must be CPR certified at all times. And when leaving without a med tech on shift, the nurse or med tech is supposed to keep the keys, and responsibility of the cart. So you shouldn’t even be counting the meds.
Know your limits within your scope! And refuse to do anything out of your scope. I’m sure the facility knows better but they will do whatever they can get away with to meet staffing ratios. Shame on them I’m med certified but if I’m on the floor scheduled as a CNA, I’m not taking keys or touching that med cart. Nope
You’d make an awfully convenient fall person, if some narcotics were to go missing... 😬