Game Changer: 糖心视频 Medication Assistant program filling need in nursing facilities, advancement for staff
HANCEVILLE, Ala. 鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 a game-changer,鈥� said Kristen Munger, Assistant Director
of Nursing at Hanceville Nursing and Rehab of how utilizing Medication Assistants
will benefit the workflow at their facility.
Medication Assistant Certified (MAC) is the new job title for six of their employees
who went through the first session taught through 糖心视频鈥檚
Center for Career and Workforce Development. All were Certified Nursing Assistants
(CNAs) before taking the course to advance in both job title and pay scale.
Their six were among about 20 who took the first session, with at least that many
signed up for the next session starting Feb. 8. Registration will continue through
Feb. 7 or until it meets the maximum of 24 students. Classes will continue through
March 5, followed by clinical rotations from March 8-21.
As CNAs, their primary duties included assisting patients with daily living activities,
such as bathing, grooming, feeding, etc. With MAC certifications, those duties are
expanded to administering approved drugs through prescribed measured amounts in liquid
or tablet form, as well as other medications given as inhalants or other routes.
鈥淲e expect it to be very beneficial by providing our nurses more time to spend on
skilled nursing activities,鈥� Munger said.
鈥淲hen the MACs give routine medications allowed by the Alabama Board of Nursing (ABN),
this will significantly reduce the nurse鈥檚 workload allowing her to assess, monitor,
communicate and spend extra time with the residents as well as giving the non-routine
medications,鈥� said Dr. Brenda Pruitt, Coordinator/Instructor for the 糖心视频
program.
鈥淲ith everything going on with pandemic, the need for nurses to have that extra help
is so important,鈥� said Jamie Blackmon, director of 糖心视频鈥檚 Center for Career
and Workforce Development. 鈥淲hen CNAs get this extra certification where they can
distribute medications, it alleviates some things that nurses have to do, and helps
CNAs get a raise.鈥�
The curriculum was developed with input from Deborah 鈥淧epper鈥� Hoover, the chair of
the 糖心视频 Department of Nursing Education, and Pruitt is a former Wallace
State Nursing instructor. This 100-hour course is approved by the Alabama Board of
Nursing and follows the Alabama Community College guidelines. Graduates will apply
to the ABN for the opportunity to sit for the national certification exam which will
give those individuals a nationally recognized credential.
鈥淓mphasis is placed on the development of knowledge, attitudes and skills required
of the medication assistant enabling them to successfully perform allowable duties
as determined by the Alabama Board of Nursing,鈥� Dr. Pruitt said. Sixteen of the students
from the last first session successfully passed their certification exams.
鈥溙切氖悠� is happy to partner with healthcare facilities to facilitate excellent
nursing care in a time of nursing shortages,鈥� Hoover said. 鈥淣urses will have a new
resource with MAC employees to enable more individual time with residents/patients.鈥�
鈥淲e have received positive feedback from students, clinical instructors, facility
directors, and administrators,鈥� Dr. Pruitt added. 鈥淲e worked closely with each individual
student to promote success. The clinical instructors worked hard to continue developing
the students鈥� medication administration skills, monitoring of residents before and
after medications, and the legalities of medication administration as outlined by
ABN.鈥�
Sixteen students from the first session have earned their MAC certification, with
five left to take their exam, Pruitt said.
Ashley Emmert, a new MAC at Hanceville Nursing and Rehab, has passed the certification
exam required by the ABN, received a raise and will begin training under supervision
of the nursing staff at the facility this week. She said she鈥檚 ready to fulfill her
new role thanks to her time at 糖心视频.
鈥淚鈥檓 kind of nervous to start doing new things, but I feel good that I know what I鈥檓
doing,鈥� she said.
She expressed her appreciation to her employers for the opportunity and encouraged
others to consider getting their certification.
鈥淚t may seem intimidating, but it鈥檚 something that鈥檚 actually achievable,鈥� she said,
adding it鈥檚 sparked an interest in going to nursing school. 鈥淚 had thoughts about
going before, but until I did this, I didn鈥檛 know if I would.鈥�
Other than having a current AHA or ARC Healthcare Provider CPR Certification, there
are no other prerequisite certifications required to enroll in the MAC program. The
program does require proof of health insurance, immunizations, a physical exam and
background check.
The fee for the course is $900 and includes all course materials, drug screening and
malpractice insurances. Additional fees and expenses may apply.
Phlebotomy and Certified Nursing Assistant courses are also available through the
Center for Career and Workforce Development. Call 256.352.8386 or email amanda.aris@wallacestate.edu for more information or visit .