How Can I Become a Medication Aide?

Medication aides have an important job: they ensure that patients get their medications on time and at the right dosage. They also watch for adverse reactions such as allergies.

Typically, medication aides are certified nursing assistants who have undergone additional training to work with medications.

Keep reading to learn what the job of a medication aide entails and what steps you'll need to take if you want to become a medication aide.

What Is a Medication Aide?

A medication aide works in medical and healthcare facilities and distributes medication under the guidance of a physician, registered nurse, or other type of supervisor.

Job duties of a medication aide may include:

• advising patients on how to take their medication
• checking that the right medications are given at the right time
• coordinating with other members of a patient's care team
• distributing medications to patients
• documenting when medications were given and at what dosage
• ensuring that patients are getting the right doses of their medication
• watching patients for side effects and adverse reactions to their medication

Medication aides often work in facilities such as:

• hospitals
• nursing homes
• rehabilitation facilities
• other long-term care facilities

In most states, a medication aide is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) who has been trained and certified in administering medication.

Below, we've outlined the basic steps you'll need to take to become a medication aide.

Step 1: Check Your State Requirements

Medication aides are typically monitored by their state's board of nursing. As a result, the requirements to become a medication aide vary from state to state.

The majority of states require that medication aides must be certified nursing assistants and have a certain amount of experience in that job.

You will also likely need to pass a state exam to be able to work as a medication aide. However, some states don't consider medication aides as their own position and don't have licensing or certification.

Step 2: Train to Be a Certified Nursing Assistant

Depending on your state, you may need to become a certified nursing assistant before becoming a medication aide.

Certified nursing assistants work under the guidance of licensed practical nurses or registered nurses and perform basic care tasks.

Job duties of certified nursing assistants typically include:

• assisting patients with daily care tasks
• bathing patients or helping patients bathe
• helping patients get dressed
• helping patients use the restroom
• monitoring patients' vital signs
• serving meals and helping patients eat
• turning and repositioning patients

You can become a certified nursing assistant through a diploma or degree program, which usually takes a few months, or by earning an associate degree, which takes about two years.

These programs are often offered by community and technical colleges as well as healthcare and medical facilities.

Look for a program that has been approved by your state's nursing board and the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Association (NLN-CNEA).

You can find a directory of NLN-CNEA-accredited programs at cnea.nln.org.

Step 3: Pass Your State's CNA Exam

Once you've completed your training program, you'll need to pass a CNA certification exam in order to work as a CNA.

A handful of states use the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) exam. This exam is made of two parts: an oral or written exam and a skills demonstration exam.

The first part is primarily multiple-choice questions that you have 90 minutes to answer. You can choose to answer in a written or oral format depending on what you're most comfortable with.

The second part is a 30-minute exam. You'll sit one-on-one with a test proctor and be tested on randomly selected clinical skills.

The states and territories that use the NNAAP exam currently include:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• California
• Colorado
• Georgia
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Virginia
• Washington
• Washington, D.C.

The remaining states have their own CNA exams that you'll need to pass. Check with your state's nursing board to see what requirements you need to meet to become certified in your state.

Step 4: Complete Medication Aide Training

Once you've become a certified nursing assistant, you may be eligible to register for a medication aide training program.

However, some states may require that you've worked for a certain amount of time as a CNA before taking medication aide courses.

These programs are usually offered by the state and can be taken at local community and technical colleges.

The length of these programs can vary depending on your state. You will most likely be required to fulfill a certain number of clinic hours to pass the course.

Step 5: Obtain Medication Aide Certification

Unsurprisingly, the requirements to become certified as a medication aide will depend on the state you're working in.

In some states, successfully completing a medication aide training program is enough to allow you to work as a medication aide.

In other states, you may be required to pass a state exam in order to be certified or licensed to practice.

Become a Medication Aide

To become a medication aide, you'll likely first need to become a certified nursing assistant. After gaining experience in the medical field, you can take medication aide courses and become certified.