Certified Medication Aide Job Description
Certified Medication Aides in Clinical Settings, Certified Medication Aides in Nursing, Certified Medication Aides in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities and more about certified medication aide job. Get more data about certified medication aide job for your career planning.
Certified Medication Aides in Clinical Settings
Certified medication aides, also known as CMAs, administer all kinds of medication. Hospitals, nursing homes, and medical facilities hire certified medication aides to work full-time on nights and weekends. Certified medication aides work in a collaborative team environment in clinical settings.
They don't travel outside of the facility to do their jobs. The nursing supervisor usually has certified medication aides on duty. All prescriptions are taken properly and the dosage instructions are followed as certified medication aides watch patients administer their own medication.
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Certified Medication Aides in Nursing
Certified medication aides can be found in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, adult day care centers, hospitals, schools, and correction facilities. Some medication aides work for a traveling nurse company that visits a patient's home to administer their medication. To get a two-year associate's degree or a four-year bachelor's degree in nursing, medication aides need to go back to school.
Students study a variety of areas. After training, graduates can sit for a license. The median salary for certified medication aides with at least one year of experience was between $18,118 and $28,730, with an hourly rate of $9.68 to $12.25.
Certified Medication Aides in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities
It may seem like a simple task, but it requires special training. It is important that someone with the know-how safely administer medication because aspirin can have devastating effects on the wrong patients. Many nursing homes and assisted living facilities have certified medication aides.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up the majority of medication aides. Most states require certification, licensing or a permit for becoming a medication aide. State agencies, industry associations and colleges and universities have medication aide designation.
To earn a certification, license or permit, you need to fill out an application, meet education qualifications, and pay an application fee. Candidates must pass an exam. In Texas, medication aides can get a license by passing an open-book multiple-choice exam and a written essay exam.
A certified medication aide is supposed to distribute medication to patients under the supervision of a registered nurse. The aide assures residents that they take the correct amount of their medication. The medication aide can cut or crush pills to help the patient take them.
They can give oral medications, but cannot give injections or IVs. The aide takes vital signs, keeps records, and reports any problems to the nurse. Depending on the area of the country, compensation for certified medication aides varies.
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Certified Medication Aides: What Do They Need to Do?
Long-term care facilities will be tested as the baby boom generation ages. Many use a limited number of registered nurses to supervise nurses' aides, which makes it easier for lower-cost staff to provide care. In some states, specially-trained nurses' aides called Certified Medication Aides, orCMAs, stretch care further by administering routine medications to patients.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that certified medication aides are the first to learn about basic patient care. As staff members with the most direct patient contact, nurses' aides are responsible for observing and reporting any change in their patients' condition. They must understand that they can't change a patient's medication, give injections or start IV drips because of the legal and ethical limits of their position.
The aides must know how to manage the drugs for a large number of patients without making mistakes. When they're not actively preparing and administering medication, certified medication aides are back to their regular duties. Basic hands-on nursing care, such as bathing and feeding patients, helping them with toilet visits and basic hygiene, or supervising their participation in exercise or physical therapy, are included in those.
Practical or registered nurses are the ones who supervise the nursing aide. The charge nurse for that shift must supervise the medication aides. Most states require medication aides to work as certified nurses' aides or nursing assistants first.
Many states require that certified nursing assistants graduate from a formal training program in a year. They have to pass a state licensing exam. Not all states allow the use of medication aides, and those that do vary in their training requirements.
Medication Aides in Some States
In some places, aides are not allowed to administer all types of medicine themselves. Some methods might require a licensed nurse or doctor. A medication aide can help the nurse or doctor.
The aide is responsible for distributing the medication to patients who can take it themselves. An aide will measure vital signs of patients throughout the day. If a patient's vital signs are outside of the normal range, the aide will inform the facility's nurses or doctors on duty.
A medication aide must note any allergies or other reactions in patients' files. To respond to and contact doctors in an emergency, medication aides need to know how to recognize and assess the signs. Some states have people who help with medication.
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Certified Medication Aide: A Job Description
A certified nursing assistant or a Certified Medication Aide is in charge of providing the daily medications to the patients. You will be working in a hospital or medical staff. You will be responsible for keeping an eye on the patient and reporting any changes to the doctor.
You need to be passionate about medicine to be a Certified Medication Aide. You will have to be positive throughout your work hours, and you will have to work around patients going through tough times. You should have a good knowledge of medical equipment.
You have to be passionate about the job and you have to be enthusiastic about learning new techniques. A certified medication aide will have to be skilled and responsible at medical care as they will be performing tests and making reports. Good analyzing skills and attention to detail are required to monitor the patient's health.
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