Certified Medication Assistant; CMA II

Duties and Responsibilities

Administer, pour, pass, and document all routinely prescribed medications, except by the injection route, and except for PRN medication which must be given only when so instructed by a licensed nurse.

The person holding this position is delegated the responsibility for carrying out the assigned duties and responsibilities in accordance with current existing federal and state regulations and established company policies and procedures.

• Administer and document regularly prescribed medications which the medication aide is permitted to administer only after personally preparing (setting up) those medications to be administered
• Document in the resident’s medical record those medications given
• Observe and report to the licensed nurse reactions and side effects of medication commonly administered to nursing facility’s residents
• Take and record vital signs prior to administration of medications which could affect or change the vital signs
• Administers PRN medications under the instruction of a licensed nurse
• Must document administration of all PRN medications according to state standards in all areas of the chart
• Administer oxygen per nasal cannula or a non-sealing face mask only in an emergency
• At discretion of charge nurse, count narcotics, give all routine prescribed narcotics, and document same on individual sheet and medication sheet
• Apply specifically ordered ophthalmic, optic, and nasal medication
• Regarding PRN orders, document in nurses’ notes symptoms indicated for the need of the medication and the time that symptoms occurred
• The licensed nurse shall initially document on the appropriate medication record from which medications are administered the authorization for the medication aide to crush the medication

It is of utmost importance that the medication nursing assistant be aware of the limitations of the position, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

• May not administer medications by the injection route, including hypodermoclysis, intradermal, intramuscular, intravenous, and subcutaneous
• May not administer medications used for intermittent positive-pressure breathing (IPPB) treatments or other methods involving medicated inhalation treatments
• May not administer PRN medications unless authorization is obtained from the facility’s nurse or the resident’s treating physician
• May not administer the initial dose of a medication that has not been previously administered to the resident
• May not calculate for administration any resident’s medication dose
• May not crush medications unless the initial prior authorization is obtained from the facility’s licensed nurse
• May not administer medications by way of the nasogastric tube
• May not receive or assume responsibility for reducing to writing, any verbal or telephone orders from a physician
• May not order residents’ medications from a pharmacy
• May not apply topical medications that involve the treatment of skin that is broken or when a specific aseptic technique is ordered by the attending physician

• License/Registration:
  Possess a current acknowledgement card and/or certificate issued by a state agency
• Continuing
  
  Education:
  
  As required by state law and regulations
• Education:
  
  Successfully completed a state-approved school of medication administration
• Experience:
  
  At least one year’s experience as a nursing assistant preferred
• Standards:
  Function in accordance with accepted pharmaceutical and nursing practices as set forth by state and facility policies and procedures
• Professional Memberships:
  Not required, but encouraged
• Other:
  Willing to cooperate with licensed nurses; be aware of limitations and not attempt to exceed these limitations; work with the residents
• Job Knowledge:
  Perform the functions of medication nursing assistant, including pharmaceutical and nursing practices

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