Certified Medication Aide
A short certification for working CNAs, so you can give residents their medications in assisted living.
- Hours30
- Length~1 week
- Cost$900
- Exam fee$169
If you are already a certified nursing assistant, this certifies you to give residents their medications. The certificate comes from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, and it lets you work in assisted-living residences, comprehensive personal care homes, and assisted living programs.
Why add it
It is a short step up from CNA. You can do more on shift, and more places will hire you, especially assisted living.
What you learn
- Safe Medication Administration in Assisted-Living Settings
- Pharmacology Fundamentals for Common Medications
- Documentation and Reporting
- Identifying Adverse Reactions and When to Escalate
- Resident Rights and Confidentiality
What it costs
$900, plus a $169 exam fee.
What you need to start
Active CNA certification.
What people earn
Most earn between $36,000 and $45,000 a year, or about $17 to $22 an hour. Adding this to a CNA certificate usually lifts pay 5% to 15% above nursing assistant wages, starting from the Bureau of Labor Statistics median of $38,200.
Where it leads
Medication aides often work in assisted-living facilities. They also work in comprehensive personal care homes and assisted living programs, and the certificate is a step toward nursing or pharmacy technician training.
Paying for it
We do not give out financial aid ourselves. We do take outside grants, including One-Stop Career Center and NJ Department of Labor funding. Bring us what your caseworker gave you and we will show you how to use it.
Our credentials are listed publicly. Verified on Credential Finder.