Where The Needs Of Others Come First · Available 24x7 For Emergencies
The Difference Between Nursing and Companion Care Near San Marcos Is Important
In previous, we looked at some of the risks that people should be mindful of when seeking San Marcos companion care. There is another risk that is slightly different from those, rooted in the caregiver’s understanding of exactly what services he or she is qualified to provide. As part of their training, providers of companion care near San Marcos learn not only how to do certain things, but also that they may not legally do certain other things.
Caregivers, Not Nurses
Because in-home caregivers are not medically trained nurses, they are not prepared or allowed to do some things for their clients. Nurses go to school for years to learn how to safely administer medications, monitor health, and conduct technical procedures. While in-home caregivers receive plenty of training in emergency response, safe lifting techniques, and dietary issues, they are not medical professionals.
Prescription Drugs
Prescription drugs are the one area where this distinction is most prominent. Family members of seniors sometimes assume that the caregivers they hire will take care of organizing and dispensing their loved ones’ medications, but that is not legally a responsibility that caregivers can take on unless they are nurses. All a caregiver can do is remind a senior when it is time to take a medication.
Knowledge Is Key
If someone providing companion care near San Marcos is unaware of these restrictions, he or she could put a senior in grave danger by taking on tasks that are beyond his or her training. If an untrained person sets up an IV bag incorrectly, for example, or accidentally mixes up drugs while dispensing them, he could instantly put his client’s life in danger. A conscientious, thoroughly instructed non-medical caregiver will always know what his or her boundaries are and will tell the family when he or she is not allowed to perform certain tasks.