The home health aide helping mother may be secretly giving mother medications without our consent, so that mother will not disturb the aide at night when she herself is sleeping. We already discovered once before that she was giving mother Tylenol PM at night. How to know for sure and what to do?
If in all seriousness this aide was giving your mother a medication that was not prescribed for your mother, authorised for your mother or requested by your mother for pain relief, then how in heaven's name is she still in your employment?
Your consent, by the way though, is not an issue. If your mother wants an appropriate medication for pain relief there's nothing wrong with that. If your mother wants an appropriate medication to improve her quality of sleep, then she should consult her doctor (and you should help her to do that). Obviously it is not okay for an aide to dope her client so as not to be disturbed, but consider all the reasons why your mother may be accepting or even requesting medications before you jump to that conclusion.
Why do you believe this aide is at it again, if I can put it like that?
The ingredient that causes sleep (which I can’t spell), can be very unhelpful for the elderly with dementia.
No matter how “good” the aide may be, that would be a “mistake” that would be VERY hard to forgive.
I personally can't take Tylenol PM. Even though its not suppose to make u feel "out of it" in the morning, it does me. This aide is jeopardizing her career if she is Certified. In my State CNAs are overseen by the Nursing board. So a complaint can be filed with them.
A blood test will show what meds are in her system and if getting the correct amounts and correct meds.
States that Provide Extended Training and Program Requirements for CNAs
Depending on the state of your practice, states that provide special programs for CNAs require six months to one year of full-time work experience, a 45 to a 100-hour training program in medication administration, the completion of skills lab training and a strong passing grade on the state competency or state board examination. States that allow extended duties and special training for CNAs include:
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oregon
South Carolina
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Texas
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West Virginia
Wisconsin