MEDICATION AIDE
STUDENT ORIENTATION
About the Program
· The Certified Medication Aide (CMA) program is a 144-hour course.
· Depending on the selected schedule, the class will last between 3 to 5 months.
· The class includes a 10-hour clinical which you will complete at the facility where you are employed.
· This is a licensure program, meaning that the training ends with your taking and passing a state exam which qualifies you for licensure.
· You must first apply and be accepted into the CMA
program before being allowed to register. Please review your CMA application packet in detail to become familiar with the application requirements.
Training Content
· In this course you will learn about: · Anatomy and Physiology
· Drug classifications
· Drug names (generic vs. brand name) · Drug treatments
· Side effects of medications · Drug administration guidelines · Legal requirements
Time Demands and Commitment
· The CMA program is very fast-paced and condensed. · You will have homework assignments, reading
assignments, tests, and quizzes.
· This means that you will have to devote time outside of your classroom hours to complete your assignments and study for tests and quizzes.
· On average, most students will require 10-20 hours per
week of studying outside of the classroom to be successful
in this course. If you cannot devote this amount of time, then this is probably not the right course for you.
Clinicals
· Towards the end of your training, you will complete a
10-hour clinical which you will complete at the facility where you are employed.
· Your clinical rotation must be completed under the direct
supervision of a licensed nurse in the facility. This nurse will sign off on your hours.
· When clinicals approach, your instructor will provide you
with information to take to your facility regarding this clinical experience.
· If your facility will not host your clinicals, it will be your
responsibility to find another facility. St. Philip’s College
does not provide clinical placements for the Medication
Application Process
· We only accept complete applications. If you submit an incomplete application, it will be returned to you.
· Review of applications takes about 2 weeks so submit your application in a timely manner.
· Review the Medication Administration Application for Admission packet in detail to learn about the application requirements.
Employment
· You must meet specific employment criteria to qualify for the Medication Aid program.
· You must be employed as a Certified Nurse Aide in a
licensed long-term care facility on the first official start date of the training program.
· OR
· You must be employed as non-licensed direct care staff in a licensed personal care home, state school, assisted living facility, ICF-MR, or correctional facility. On the first official start date of the training program, you must have been employed in this capacity for at least 90 days.
· If your employment changes while you are enrolled in the program, you must obtain a new position that meets one the above requirements.
· You do not qualify for the CMA program if you are employed in a hospital, home health agency, or staffing agency.
Communication
· In an effort to improve efficiency, and to adopt more
environmentally-friendly practices, we will not mail or send anything to you via letter.
· All communications from the Academy of Health Career Training will come in the form of email.
· Information about the status of your application will be emailed to you.
· Your acceptance letter will be emailed to you.
· Information about your class, including any changes in the class schedule, will be emailed to you.
· Details about your state exam will be emailed to you. · Therefore, an active email address is required. And it is your
responsibility to check your email regularly so as not to miss any important information. If you do not have an email account you can obtain one for free from Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, or another provider.
ACES Account
· Once you are accepted to the program, you are then eligible to register for classes.
· Upon registration, you will be given access to your ACES (Alamo College Educational Services) account.
· In ACES, you:
· Pay for classes
· Search for, add and/or drop classes · View and print your class schedule
· Check your Alamo Colleges email account (activated after you register and pay for your classes)
· Update your personal information (phone, address, email, etc)
· View campus events and announcements · Much more…
Cost of the Program
• The Medication Aide program costs $682.
• Textbooks and other supplies are not included in the cost of
Financial Aid
· Financial aid is available in the form of a TPEG-CE grant for students who qualify. Call (210) 486-2600 for more information about financial aid.
· You must apply for financial aid at fafsa.ed.gov.
· Financial aid applications typically take 6 weeks to 4 months to be processed, so apply early.
· This is a grant, meaning that you will not have to pay the money back after completion of the program.
· Financial aid will pay for half of the Medication Aide tuition; in other words, financial aid will pay $341, and you will be
responsible for the remaining $341.
· Financial aid does not pay for textbooks or other supplies. It is your responsibility to obtain these items.
· The SPC Financial Aid Office is located on the 1st floor of the
Paying for the Course
· If you are approved for financial aid, then they will pay their half of the tuition after they receive your TPEG-CE form, which can be obtained directly from the financial aid office, or from the Academy of Health Career Training. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have secured funding for the course.
· Your portion of the tuition is due at least 3 business days prior to the first day of class.
· Cash payments are taken at the Business Office on campus. · Payments of any other form (check, credit card, debit card)
Attendance Policy
· You are not allowed to miss more than 12 hours of class.
· If you miss more than 12 hours of class, you will be
dropped from the program.
· Tardies will be counted towards the total amount of your
Dropping the Class
· If you cannot finish the course, you must follow the steps
below to drop yourself:
· If it is before the first day class, then you must drop
yourself through your ACES account.
· If it is on or after the first day of class then you must
submit a written drop request to the Academy of Health Career Training.
· You must drop the course if you cannot finish. Failure to
officially remove yourself from the class roster will result in your receiving an ‘F’ at the end of the course.
Textbooks
· There are two (2) required textbooks for the course, which
you must have by the first day of class.
· Administering Medications
· 7th edition (must be the 7th edition)
· By Donna Gauwitz
· About $120.00 brand new
· Nursing Spectrum Drug Handbook 2011
· By Patricia Dwyer Schull
· About $35 brand new
· Brand new books can be purchased from the St. Philip’s
College Bookstore. They can also be ordered online from
the St. Philip’s College Bookstore at efollett.com.
· Used copies may be available from other retailers such as
Parking Permits
· Any vehicle parked in an Alamo Colleges parking lot must
display a parking permit.
· They are available at the Business Office located in the
Welcome Center at a cost of $50 each.
· These can also be purchased online through your ACES
account, and you can then pick up your sticker from the Business Office.
· They are good for one whole academic year, from
September 1st through August 31st of the following year.
· The cost of parking permits purchased after January 1st of
Accommodations
· St. Philip’s College has a wide variety of services available
for students with documented physical, visual, and health
impairments, both temporary and permanent.
· Services are free to all St. Philip’s College students.
· If you require such accommodations, please inform the
Academy of Health Career Training before you start class
State Exam
· Taking the state exam is the final component of the
Medication Aide program. Without taking and passing the exam, you will not receive your CMA license.
· You must have a valid picture ID and a Social Security Card to test. You will need to bring these items with you on the day of your state exam.
· Your state exam will usually take place within a week of the last day of class.
State Exam, Continued
· Scheduling the exam is at the discretion of the state and the state test examiner.
· St. Philip’s will communicate the details of your state exam with you via email as soon as the information is made
available to us.
· The cost of your state exam is already included in your tuition.
· You are allowed to retest once, if necessary.
· Retest fees are not included in your tuition and will be your responsibility to pay.
· If you pass, your CMA license will be mailed to you from the state within 2-4 weeks.
Contact Us
· Phone: (210) 486-2071 or (210) 486-2786
· Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
· Website: alamo.edu/spc/continuing-education
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1801 Martin Luther King Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78203
(210) 486-2000 P P22 P23 P21 P20 P18 P8 18 GB Maryland St. Hedges St. Stella St. Anderson Ave.
Updated by Michelle Vasquez, 6/04/10
● Students - 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14,
17, 20, 21, 22, 23 ● Faculty/Staff - 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16
● Public Parking* - 4, 10, 13, 15
● Motorcycles - 4 (Designated Spots)
*Campus police can issue a temporary parking permit for visitors. For more information call campus police at (210) 486-2999.
P15 Montana Street TENNIS COURTS 18 19 17 20 9 10 11 16 15 22 23 21 12 14 13 2 1 3 4 5 7 6 8 6 19 21, 22, 23 20
E. Commerce Street (North)
New Br
aunf
els Avenue (W
es
ORIENTATION COMPLETION VERIFICATION
I completed the mandatory online student orientation. I have had the opportunity to ask questions about the content of the orientation, and I understand the rules and procedures as stated in the orientation.
I understand that if I am found to be non-compliant with any of the rules stated in the orientation, that it may be grounds for dismissal from the program.
_______________________________________________ ________________
Signature of Applicant Date
______________________________________________ ________________
