How to Become a Certified Medication Aide

Certified medication aides are a type of nursing assistant that is in charge of medications. To become one, you'll first need to become a nursing assistant, and then pursue additional training.

Keep reading to learn more about what a certified medication aide does and how to become one.

What Is a Certified Medication Aide?

A certified medication aide (CMA) is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) who has received additional training and certification that allows them to administer medication to patients.

A CNA is a nurse who primarily helps patients with daily functions, including

• bathing and cleaning patients
• helping patients get dressed
• helping patients use the restroom
• repositioning patients and transferring them between beds and wheelchairs
• reporting patient concerns to registered nurses
• serving meals and helping patients eat
• taking patient vital signs, like temperature and heart rate

Once you've become a CMA, your job may expand to include, or may focus on:

• administering prescription and non-prescription medications to patients
• collecting patient samples
• educating patients on medication use and answering medication questions
• keeping the medication dispensary properly stocked
• monitoring patients for adverse reactions to medication and reporting those reactions
• recording medication dosages given and the time given
• working with the nursing team to handle patient care

About a third of CNAs work in nursing care facilities, while another third work in hospital settings. The rest work for assisted living facilities, home healthcare services, or the government.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the demand for CNAs to rise by about 4% by 2032. However, a rise of 17% is expected for CNAs working in the home health setting.

Steps to Become a Certified Medication Aide

To become a certified medication aide, you'll first need to become a certified nursing assistant. Then, you'll need to complete the additional requirements to become a CMA.

We've broken down all the steps for you below. Note that not all states utilize certified medication aides.

Step 1: Complete a Certified Nursing Assistant Program

All nursing assistants will need to complete a certified nursing assistant training program. These programs can be found in a variety of places.

Most commonly, they're offered by community colleges or other two-year colleges. They may be stand-alone programs or offered as a certificate or diploma.

They can also be found in hospitals, nursing homes, independent organizations like the Red Cross, and even high schools. Many states allow students to start CNA programs at 16 years old.

CNA training programs typically cover content such as:

• anatomy and physiology
• ethics and legal issues
• positioning and transferring patients
• safety procedures
• special care situations like dementia or cognitive changes
• taking vital signs

Many of these programs include coursework as well as lab and clinical experiences so that students can get hands-on practice in nursing.

Often, CNA programs are offered on evenings and weekends as well as in a traditional daytime format so that students can take courses on a schedule that works for them.

Before choosing a CNA program, check with your state's Department of Health to find approved programs in your state.

Step 2: Obtain a Certified Nursing Assistant License

Most states require certified nursing assistants to hold a license, although licensing requirements vary by state.

Generally, these requirements include completing a state-approved CNA program and fulfilling a certain amount of training hours. In addition, you'll need to pass a certification exam.

Many states have their own competency exam for students to take, but 17 states use the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP).

This exam is offered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), the same council that administered the national certification exam for registered nurses.

The NNAAP exam is made up of 60 scored multiple-choice questions.

It covers the following domains:

• physical care skills: activities of daily living, basic nursing skills, and restorative skills
• psychosocial care skills: emotional and mental health needs and spiritual and cultural needs
• role of the nurse aide: communication, client rights, legal and ethical behavior, and member of the health care team

Your state may also require you to pass a background check. Note that in some states, applicants may not be required to complete licensure before moving on to a medication aide program.

Step 3: Complete a Certified Medication Aide Program

Once you've obtained licensure as a certified nursing assistant, you can look to pursue additional training to become a certified medication aide.

Some states may require you to have worked as a CNA for a certain amount of time before you can train to become a CMA. CMA programs can be found in on-site, online, and hybrid formats.

They typically cover topics like:

• legal and ethical considerations
• medication interactions and side effects
• medication types
• record keeping
• safe administration and control of medications

As with a CNA program, check with your state to ensure you're choosing an approved training program.

Step 4: Obtain a Certified Medication Aide License

Each state has different requirements for becoming a certified medication aide. As mentioned above, some states do not use certified medication aides in their healthcare systems.

Typically, states will require that you've worked as a CNA for a certain length of time and that you've completed an approved CMA program. A certification test is usually a requirement as well.

Some states use the Medication Aide Certification Exam (MACE) offered by the NCSBN.

This test has 50 scored multiple-choice questions that cover:

• authorized duties: building relationships, delegation, role of a CMA, specific legal and ethical issues, and location and use of resources and references
• medication administration, observation, and reporting: includes administration and charging medications, classifications of medications related to body systems and actions, and reporting of symptoms and side effects
• medication concepts and measurements

You may be required to renew your license periodically. Check with your state board of nursing to learn more about your state's requirements for CMAs.

Become a Certified Medication Aide

To become a certified medication aide, you must first become a certified nursing assistant and then complete CMA training and licensing requirements.

By following the steps above, you can be on your way to a career as a certified medication aide today.