New Mexico
Certified
Medication Aide
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.)
How can my facility become eligible to use CMAs?
A.) The Board
of Nursing requires all facilities to be approved prior to using CMAs. Facilities must
apply as either a participant facility or a training facility. A participant facility is
one where CMAs will be hired after obtaining their certification and there will be no
training conducted at the participant facility. A training facility will be authorized to
conduct all or any part of an approved training program.
Due to some recent clarification of
this rule, changes were implemented and facilities that are currently approved as
participant programs who are conducting the clinical training on-site will be asked to
renew as a training program at their next renewal date.
Q.) Who can use Certified Medication Aides?
A.) Any facility type that deals with routine medication is eligible for approval but only facilities that have been approved by the BoN may use CMAs. Accute care settings, such as hosptials where medications are not routine, are not eligible for approval. CMA's are certified according to the population type they will be serving. Currently, NMHCA is aware of approved training programs for school systems, homes for the developmentally disabled, and nursing facilities. NMHCA submitted it's long term care curriculum for use in residential care facilities which have at least 1 RN employed. This program has been approved by the Medication Aide Advisory Committee and is scheduled for review at the June Board of Nursing meeting. Please watch for details!
Q.) My
nurse educator attended the NMHCA clinical nurse training; does he/she still need to
attend the Board of Nursing nurse educator training?
A.) Yes. The Board
of Nursing nurse educator training is a requirement of the BoN as part of the facility
participant application. The NMHCA clinical nurse training is simply a "how-to"
for the clinical training in the facility and, while not required, is recommended so the
nurse educator is clear on the expectations of NMHCA's training.
Q.) I
have a CMA candidate who just completed the classroom rotation but has not yet completed
the clinical rotation. The deadline for applying for the next test is next week. Can the
CMA candidate apply to take the BoN CMA final exam prior to completing the clinical
rotation?
A.) No. The Board
of Nursing requires that all aspects of the training be complete before the CMA applies to
take the final exam. The application requires the CMA test candidate to submit all
certificates of completion along with the other required documentation (i.e.: CPR cards)
so until the candidate completes all training, the proper documentation will not be
available.
Q.) Can I hire a
CMA off of the street and use him/her at my facility?
A.) This answer is
not a straight yes or no. First, even if your facility plans to hire only medication aides
who already hold certification, the facility MUST be approved by the Board of Nursing.
Second, CMA's are certified as individuals and the certification is not facility specific,
however, certification is population specific. A CMA MUST
hold the long-term care designation on their certification in order to qualify to work in
a long-term care facility. To obtain a specific designation, the CMA must complete 20
hours of population specific classroom training and be clinically trained at a facility
that serves that population.
Other items that facilities should make
themselves aware of before hiring a CMA include:
1. Make sure the
applicant is a Board of Nursing Approved Certified Medication Aide. If you here the word
"med tech", be extra diligent in checking on the applicant's status as a CMA.
Typically the word "med tech" is used in the residential care market and refers
to someone who has completed an assisting with medication self-administration training
program. These programs DO NOT meet the requirements of the Board of Nursing for certified
medication aides and persons completing this type of program are NOT Certified
Medication Aides.
2. Always check with the Board of Nursing to ensure the CMA is in good standing.
Q.)
What is the role of the NMHCA vs. the role of the BoN?
A.) The Board of Nursing is the regulatory agency that oversees the CMA program. This includes oversight of the agencies using CMA's as well as oversight of the CMA individually.
NMHCA is the training venue
for long-term care CMA programs*. NMHCA tries to schedule the classes so that they
coincide with the BoN testing schedule but if demand for training is high, training maybe
held when a test date will not be available for some time.
*NMHCA is a membership organization and
will gladly help any person from member facilities find answers to questions on any topic,
including CMA regulations.
Q.) Where
can I get the applications for testing, the monthly report form or other information
regarding the CMA program?
A.) The board of
nursing website is located at www.state.nm.us/nursing.
Information regarding the CMA program as well as applications and forms can be found by
clicking on the Medication Aide link. The rules are located in the Nurse Practice
Act/Rules link.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Tracy Alter at 505.880.1088 or by email at talter@nmhca.org.