Nursing Assistant Research Paper

Medication Nursing Assistants Nursing assistants have long been the heartbeat of assisted living, long-term care and rehabilitation facilities alike. Over time, their roles in these settings have evolved to accommodate the needs of the RNs/LPNs they work alongside and the cliental they care for. In 2001, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) expanded the capacity of NAs in an effort to facilitate safer staffing ratios. This provision allowed those in good standing with sufficient experience to become medication-certified barring successful completion of a training course and exam. The aim of this designation was not to replace the RN/LPN but to create a functional care partner. While this collaboration is an endeavor to improve patient outcomes, there are caveats. The purpose of this paper is to narrowly examine the usefulness of this role and

The idea remains that the dispersal of stable patients to MNAs in regards to medication administration allocates more time for RNs/LPNs to prioritize care for critical patients. A stable patient is defined by the New Hampshire Board of Nursing as one “whose overall health status, as assessed by a licensed nurse, is at the expected baseline”. Research conducted by Randolph and Scott-Cawiezell revealed trends in medication errors prior to and following the integration of MNAs. “Before the introduction of medication aides, error rates were as follows: RN (11.55%) and LPN (10.12%) with a mean error rate of 10.4%. Six months after the introduction of medication aides, error rates were as follows: RN (2.75%), LPN (7.25%) and medication aides (6.06%) with a mean error rate of 6.6%” Randolph & Scott-Calwiezell (2010) as cited in Budden (2011). While errors remain, the objective of reducing inaccuracies among primary nursing staff was achieved by