When facing a shortage of licensed nurses, certified nurse aides trained as medication assistants can serve as a viable alternative, according to a pilot detailed in the Annals of Long Term Care.
Washington state has a five-year-old law allowing certified medication assistants, or MA-Cs, to administer certain medications to nursing home residents under the supervision of a registered nurse.
Previous research found no significant changes in medication error rates when medication techs were used, and this program evaluated staffing costs after using medication assistants who received specialized training.
According to researchers affiliated with five different nursing homes, the program improved staff satisfaction, call light response times and fall rates, all while cutting rehospitalizations and medication errors and without costing significantly more in salaries.
The model was tested in a 50-bed long-term care unit, using nursing assistants who had at least three years of experience, limited absences, “emotional maturity” and positive attitudes. Trainees saw their pay rise to $16 hourly, a midway point between the facility’s average rate for CNAs and LPNs. Aides received 104 hours of training before being certified for medication administration.
Based on “encouraging” findings, the Geriatric Interest Group of Spokane plans to further test the pilot.
From the August 01, 2018 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
