Medication Assistant, Certified, Assisted Living

Sanford Health•Rapid City, SD

1d•$21 - $28

About The Position

The Medication Assistant serves as a caregiver who provides resident-centered nursing care and daily living assistance to assigned residents under the supervision of a charge nurse. The role delivers care suited to residents’ physical and psychological needs according to their care plans. Duties include personal care, assistance with mobility and meals, medication administration within the applicable scope of practice, documentation, communication about residents’ changing conditions, specimen collection, housekeeping, laundry, and support for wellness and recreational programs.

Requirements

Satisfactorily complete yearly department-specific competency testing.
Maintain a record of continuing education credits each year; at least 12 hours of continuing education annually are required based on state requirements.
Maintain all department-specific required certifications.
For Good Samaritan Society locations, hold the state-required certified or trained medication aide certification (CMA or TMA); CNA certification is assumed to be required before obtaining TMA/CMA certification.
State-specific requirements apply: Iowa and North Dakota require CNA certification with the State Board of Nursing and successful completion of a state-approved Certified Medication Aide/Assistant course after CNA certification. In North Dakota, Medication Assistant I certification is required in Assisted Living or Basic Care, and Medication Assistant II certification is required in a skilled nursing facility.
Minnesota requires nursing assistant certification, completion of the 75-hour course, registration with the Minnesota Nursing Assistant Registry, and successful completion of a state-approved Trained Medication Assistant course.
South Dakota requires successful completion and maintenance of state-approved Certified Medication Aide (CMA) certification with the State Board of Nursing.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or GED.
Minimum age of 18.
Prior clinical or nursing assistant experience.
A valid driver’s license and auto insurance when applicable.

Responsibilities

Provide age-appropriate care based on residents’ physical and psychological needs and their plans of care.
Assist residents with activities of daily living, including bathing, toileting, grooming, dressing and undressing, and other personal care.
Obtain and record vital signs and provide psychosocial support.
Assist residents with transfers, repositioning, walking, range-of-motion exercises, and passive exercises using appropriate techniques and equipment.
Prepare food and support dining; assist with meals and snacks and provide water and supplements as appropriate.
Administer prescribed medications as delegated by a licensed nurse and within the scope of practice defined by state regulations.
Document outcomes related to resident care, medication administration, behavior, activity, and diet.
Communicate changes in residents’ conditions, medication follow-up, and care-related concerns or responses to the charge nurse.
Collect non-invasive body-fluid specimens and gather vital signs.
Provide housekeeping and laundry services to help residents keep their living areas clean and operational.
Assist with and document wellness and recreational programs and encourage residents to participate.