Certified Medication Aide

Job Description
Please note that “CMA” can also mean “Certified Medical Assistant” in certain healthcare settings, which is not what CMA means here! The Medication Aide is certified by the Oregon State Board of Nursing to pass certain medications in certain healthcare facilities, especially Skilled Nursing Facilities, or nursing homes.  

Medication Aide Curriculum
The goal of the CMA curriculum is the effective training of medication aides who will safely, legally and accurately administer medications, and competently carry out related duties and responsibilities in appropriate healthcare settings. Instructional topics include medications, their names, actions, interactions, side effects and safe management and administration, legal, regulatory and ethical considerations, and documentation and communication with the healthcare team.  

Our program requires 24 hours or 3 8-hour “shifts” of clinical experience with passing medications. Please note that this clinical experience is different from that of NA-1 or NA-2 programs, in that the MA student is supervised one-on-one by the approved nurse preceptor.  

Prerequisites

• By Oregon State Board of Nursing regulation you are required to hold a current CNA1 Certificate and have six months or accumulated equivalent of six months full-time work experience as a CNA prior to starting a CMA class. You must document this experience with a copy of your Certificate of Completion from your CNA program and documentation of your work history from your employer or employers.
• If you have been arrested, charged with, entered a plea of guilty, no contest, convicted of or been sentenced for any criminal offense, either misdemeanor or felony, including driving under the influence, in any state, select this link to see a list of disqualifying crimes. For more information and recommendations, contact our Program Director or the Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) at 971-673-0685.
• If you have a physical, mental or emotional condition which in any way impairs your ability to perform CNA duties with reasonable skill and safety, contact the OSBN for recommendations prior to registering for the program.

Oregon State Board of Nursing CMA Program Requirements:

• Criminal history background check performed prior to commencement of class
  
• Fingerprints for national criminal history record check to submit with CMA examination application

Hours: 84 Hours of instruction and training are required for certification.

Class Hours: We offer 60 hours of classroom instruction and labs Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. .

Clinical Hours: Upon successful completion of the classroom instruction, 24 hours of clinical will be scheduled with a clinical preceptor.

Scrubs, soft-soled totally enclosed shoes, a watch with a second hand, and Cascade Medical School name badge must be worn at the clinical location at all times.

Graduation
Upon graduation, you will be issued a certificate of completion, CMA Certification Examination Application, and scheduled for your written state examination. Certification tests are offered at different times and places in Oregon. We recommend you test at the site where you performed your CMA training.

How to Register

• Step 1:  Complete an online registration form
• Step 2:  Attend an information session
• Step 3:  Complete the class registration packet
• Step 4:  Reserve your seat with a $75 non-refundable Registration Fee