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 Much more
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 Aide program.
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 course. These costs are in addition to the $682.
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 1 st floor of the Welcome Center.
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) must be paid online through your ACES account.
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 absences.
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 7 th edition (must be the 7 th 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 L&M Bookstore, amazon.com, half.com, ebay.com, etc.
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 1 st through August 31 st of the following year. The cost of parking permits purchased after January 1 st of any given academic year will be prorated.
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 so we can provide you with further information.
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: ecasillas7@alamo.edu or rhill5@alamo.edu Website: alamo.edu/spc/continuing-education Office: Science Building room 112
MLK CAMPUS MAP E. Commerce Street (North) 1801 Martin Luther King Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78203 Montana Street 20 P22 Watson Fine Arts Center (WFAC) Fine Arts, Theatre, Kathryn Morgan Gallery Grounds Building (GB) Continuing Education (CEB) 5 6 7 8 Maintenance (M) Central Plant (CP) Health and Fitness Center (HFC) Welcome Center (WEC) Workforce Development and Continuing Education Administration Admissions, Advising, Assessment and Testing, Business Office (Bursar), Counseling, Dual Credit, Financial Aid, International Student Services, Records and Registration, Veterans Affairs Center for Health Professions (CHP) P23 Wyoming Street Dr. Frank Bryant, Jr., Human Patient Simulation Center and Nursing Laboratories, Health Sciences Education, Nursing Education Center for Learning Resources (CLR) Distance Learning, Library, Media Services 9 Science Building (SCI) 10 Sutton Learning Center (SLC) 11 Natural Sciences, CE-Academy of Health Career Training Administrative Offices, Behavioral Sciences, Career Services, College Health Center, First Year Experience, Mailroom, Print Services, Public Relations, Social Sciences, Special Needs Services, Student Recruitment, Transfer Center Norris Technical Building (NTB) English/Speech, Equity Center, Information and Communications Technology, Mathematics, Read/Educ./Foreign Lang., Rose R. Thomas Writing Center, Tutoring Lab 12 Campus Center (CC) 13 Turbon Student Center (TURB) 14 Bowden (BOWD) 15 16 17 Electrical Plant (EP) Campus Police Learning and Leadership Development Center (LLDC) 18 Child Development Center (CDC) Bookstore, Heritage Room, Tiger Café, Tourism, Hospitality & Culinary Arts, US Post Office P12 P1 P2 Maryland Street P3 CE-Community Training Center, City of San Antonio One Stop Center GED classes 9 CLR 8 17 10 LLDC SLC Places of Interest WEC HFC NTB EP 5 M 12 P5 Parking Lots 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) CP 15 Emergency Phone P 14 P 15 6 7 11 16 Disability Parking Open Computer Lab S CHP Dakota Street P E Maryland St. SCI CC P6 4 CEB BOWD P 16 P 17 3 Nevada Street ASB WFAC P8 GB 2 1 P9 Hedges St. Stella St. 13 TURB 14 Anderson Ave. 22 23 21 P 10 Child Care Center 19 Tennis Courts 20 Future House of Pride 21, 22, 23 Portable Buildings P13 P4 Student Life Administrative Computer Technology, Accounting, Business Administration, Business Management, Computer Science, Web Developer W Martin Luther King Dr. P 11 Ferguson Street 3 4 Automotive Technology, Cisco Academy, Electronic Systems Tech, Grants, Microsoft Academy, Institutional Advancement, Planning and Research 19 Mittman Street Applied Science Building (ASB) 18 CDC Meerscheidt Street 2 New Braunfels Avenue (West) Gevers Street 1 N P20 P 21 TENNIS COURTS Walters Street (210) 486-2000 *Campus police can issue a temporary parking permit for visitors. For more information call campus police at (210) 486-2999. P18 Updated by Michelle Vasquez, 6/04/10
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 Print Name Date