Summer Open Enrollment Event: Friday July 26, 2019

Screenshot 2019-07-23 at 12.13.28 AM

Legacy Healthcare Careers will soon be hosting a summer open enrollment event that allows members of the public to easily enroll in nurse aide (CNA) programs, medication aide training classes, and American Heart Association CPR/BLS certification classes on the spot.

The open house event will take place on Friday July 26th from 2:00pm to 5:00pm at the Legacy Healthcare Careers campus. Call (682)626-5266 to RSVP, ask questions and/or confirm attendance. The school’s address is 7505 Glenview Drive, Suite I, N. Richland Hills TX 76180. Light refreshments will be served.

The next two-week CNA training program starts on July 29th with a graduation date of August 12th, and the medication aide program begins on August 20th with a planned completion date of October 17th. The next CPR/BLS classes will be held on the afternoon of August 13th.

Place a telephone call to (682)626-5266 for any questions on class schedules, tuition, fees and enrollment requirements. The nurse aide programs are accredited by the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). Legacy Healthcare Careers has approval to operate from the Career Schools and Colleges division of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) in Austin, Texas.

Fort Worth Area Medication Aide Training Classes Start 8/20/2019

red pills in person s hand
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Finally, after many months of preparation, bureaucratic red tape and patient waiting, the medication aide training program at Legacy Healthcare Careers Training School is open to the public and accepting new students for enrollment. Legacy Healthcare Careers’ medication aide program is approximately 9 weeks long with a start date of August 20th and a graduation date of October 17th, 2019.

Call (682)626-5266 to enroll, or visit the school at 7505 Glenview Drive, Suite 1, N. Richland Hills TX 76180 for a tour of the modern facilities. The medication aide training program at Legacy Healthcare Careers is affordable. It is also legitimate because it is approved by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and the state Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).

Students who enroll in the medication aide training class will attend class for two to three days per week on a part time basis, thereby allowing these people to continue to work their full-time jobs in the healthcare field while they complete their studies. Tuition and fees are affordable, and flexible payment plans are available to those who need additional time to pay.

Classes are taught in strict accordance with the Texas-approved curriculum for medication aides. Also, classes include a blend of different instructional methods such as group discussions, lecture, lab demonstrations, clinical externship, DVDs, films, and so forth. The nonjudgmental environment and small class sizes at Legacy Healthcare Careers are extremely conducive to learning.

All medication aide courses are taught by registered nurse (RN) instructors with many years of clinical and practical experience in the healthcare sector. These instructors are kind, knowledgeable, resourceful, and most of all, they want the to ensure the pinnacle of success for all students who walk through the doors. At Legacy Healthcare Careers, the success of students is a top priority.

Place a call to (682)626-5266 or (682)313-6404 to enroll, or feel free to visit the school at 7505 Glenview Drive, Suite 1, N. Richland Hills TX 76180 for a comprehensive tour that will be conducted by a member of our friendly staff. Also, Legacy Healthcare Careers continues to offer nurse aide (CNA) training classes. The next two-week CNA training class begins on July 29th, 2019 and ends on August 12th.

Why Would Anyone Become a Medication Aide /Medication Technician?

cold winter tablet hot
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

A medication aide, also referred to as a medication technician or assistive medication administration personnel (AMAP) in a handful of select U.S. states, is an allied healthcare worker whose primary responsibility is administering non-injectable prescription and over-the-counter medications to clients.

Medication aides work under the oversight of registered nurses, licensed practical /vocational nurses (LPNs /LVNs) and other members of managerial staff to set up, administer and observe the effects of clients’ medications. Medication aides also report changes in clients’ health conditions and might also be responsible for requesting reorders of prescription drugs per company policies and procedures.

Medication aides are typically found working in post-acute healthcare workplaces such as skilled nursing home facilities, personal care group homes, intermediate care facilities, assisted living facilities, retirement centers, correctional facilities, and schools. Generally, medication aides secure employment in non-hospital healthcare settings due to local regulations.

So, why would any person become a medication aide in this day and age? Well, the advantages of working as a medication aide are definitely worth mentioning. The role of a medication aide is associated with a number of tangible and intangible perks. Without further ado, keep reading to find out about the wonderful advantages of becoming a medication aide.

REASON ONE: The role of a medication aide can be incredibly fulfilling.

One of the main reasons people opt to become a medication aide is that a career in the healthcare industry can be enormously rewarding. The reality that a medication aide will work alongside other persons as a very important part of the healthcare team can produce powerful feelings of joy. In addition, the fulfillment is something intangible that the medication aide can take extreme pride in.

Medication aides also communicate with clients, thereby being in a position to put a smile on their faces or ease their anxieties. The knowledge that one person can make a positive impact by contributing to various clients’ well-being while possibly even prolonging their lives with timely medications makes the role of the medication aide meaningful and fulfilling.

REASON TWO: Flexible work schedules are available for medication aides.

Since healthcare facilities are in operation 24 hours per day, medication aides are often able to select the work schedules they would like to work. A medication aide with school-aged children can work the 7:00 am to 3:00 pm day shift while the kids are in school. Likewise, a medication aide who is single and into the party scene can work the 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. shift, enabling him or her to get off work in time to go to the club or visit late night parties.

Furthermore, the weekend double shift is an option at some facilities. Weekend work appeals to medication aides who attend school full-time during the week or simply have a preference for enjoying all their weekdays off in a row. Finally, many people are nocturnal late owls who prefer to sleep during the day while working all night. Many medication aides work the overnight shift due to 24-hour work scheduling.

REASON THREE: The working conditions of most medication aides are comfortable.

The workplace environments of most healthcare workers, including medication aides, are comfortable due to predetermined standards of cleanliness. Most individuals who work in the healthcare sector report to places of employment that are cleaned on a routine basis per protocol by housekeeping, as well as climate-controlled to promote comfort for workers, clients, family members, vendors and visitors.

Screenshot 2018-12-29 at 12.58.09 PM

In the very near future, Legacy Healthcare Careers plans to offer a brand new certified medication aide training program to prospective students in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area who are employed as CNAs or direct care staff workers. Call (682)626-5266 for more details.

The staff of Legacy Healthcare Careers is in the initial phases of abiding by the varied regulatory steps connected with the addition of the certified medication aide classes to the school’s current nurse aide course offerings. More details will be added as the development of the certified medication aide training program reaches completion time.

 

Medication Aide /Medication Technician Practice Test Questions (Part One)

person holding white medication tablet
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Graduates of approved medication aide training programs must take and pass a state test called the Medication Aide Certification Examination, abbreviated asĀ MACE for short, in order to receive a state-issued practice permit as a certified medication aide. In most states, the MACE typically consists of 100 test questions that directly pertain to safe medication therapy.

The best way to prepare for the MACE is to repeatedly answer medication aide practice test questions prior to sitting for the state exam. To prepare for this exam, a student should answer multiple practice test questions on a daily basis because repetition is the key to retaining the knowledge. In addition to answering test questions every single day, students should also review the rationales behind each answer.

QUESTION: What reason(s) should medication aides obey the six rights of medication administration each time medications are administered?

A. Recent changes might have been made on the dosage of the medication

B. Recent changes may have been made on the time the medication is to be given

C. Recent changes may have been made on the route the medication is to be given

D. All of the above

ANSWER: D

RATIONALE: Safe medication therapy involves checking the six rights of medication therapy each time medicines are administered. The six rights of medication administration include the following: 1) right patient 2) right medication 3) right dose 4) right route 5) right time, and 6) right documentation.

Due to the fact that a patient’s medication orders, times, dosages and routes often change at the physician’s discretion, adherence to the six rights of medication administration ensures patient safety in the realm of medication therapy. In addition, doctors often hold or discontinue medications, so the prudent medication aide would review the six rights of medication administration to avoid giving a medicine that the patient is no longer supposed to receive.

QUESTION: During the routine end-of-shift counting of controlled drugs, the medication aide notices that 10 pills of Xanax (Alprazolam) are missing from a prescription pill bottle. No one knows why the pills are missing. Which action should the medication aide take next?

A. Notify the charge nurse

B. Document the 10 pills as having been administered to a patient

C. Notify the administrator of the facility

D. Do nothing at the moment since 10 pills is not a large shortage

ANSWER: A

RATIONALE: The medication aide should notify the charge nurse each time the end-of-shift controlled drug medication count is inaccurate. This is true whether there is a shortage or overage of controlled medication. Controlled drugs are regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Additionally, the charge nurse knows the facility policies and procedures on how to proceed if the controlled medication drug count is not accurate.

It is not usually necessary to notify the facility administrator of issues relating to controlled medications. A medication aide who falsely documents the missing pills as having been given to a patient is engaging in falsification of medical records since the medication administration record (MAR) is an official medical record.

QUESTION: The medication aide is supposed to administer Metoprolol Tartrate (Lopressor) once per day at 8:00 a.m per the doctor’s order. The medication order has parameters to “hold if the pulse is less than 60.” The patient’s pulse is 55 this morning. What action should the medication aide take next?

A. Administer it anyway since a pulse of 55 is close enough to 60

B. Hold the medication and document it

C. Hold the medication, document it and immediately notify the patient’s nurse

D. Hold the medication, document it, and recheck the patient’s pulse to see if it reaches 60 beats per minute later in the morning

ANSWER: C

RATIONALE: It is common for some doctors to include vital sign parameters when ordering cardioactive medications that affect the heart rate and/or blood pressure. If the patient’s heart rate or blood pressure readings are less than the parameters associated with a medication order, the medication aide should hold the medication, document the action, and immediately notify the nurse.

Administering the medication could harm the patient by adversely affecting the heart rate. The prudent medication aide would not simply hold a medication and just document it without notifying the nurse because a low pulse may or may not signify a change in the patient’s usual condition.

Screenshot 2018-12-29 at 12.58.09 PM

How to Become a Medication Aide, a.k.a Medication Technician

pexels-photo-208512.jpeg
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

A medication aide, also known in some states as a medication technician or assistive medication administration personnel (AMAP), is an important member of the healthcare team who has been trained to provide skilled assistance to registered nurses and licensed practical / vocational nurses in the realm of medication therapy.

In essence, medication aides are entrusted with the safe administration of nonparenteral drugs to patients and residents in a wide variety of healthcare settings outside the acute care hospital. Medication aides have received the pharmacological knowledge and practical training to assist licensed nursing staff by administering medications to patients and residents.

The main duty of a medication aide entails the safe, prudent administration of nonparenteral medications to patients. In most states, medication aides are permitted to distribute oral, topical, transdermal, eye and ear medicines to patients under the supervision of licensed nursing staff (LPNs/ LVNs and RNs). Medication aides also communicate with patients and residents, document all medications they have administered, report changes in patients’ conditions to nurses, and obtain vital signs.

Medication aides are typically employed in workplace settings such as nursing homes, extended care facilities, intermediate care facilities, personal care group homes, assisted living facilities, schools and correctional facilities. Due to rules and regulations that exist in most states, virtually all medication aides must have prior patient care experience as certified nursing assistants (CNAs) or unlicensed direct care staff workers.

To be able to enroll in most medication aide training programs across the United States, prospective students will need to be at least 18 years of age by the first day of class. Prospective students must also possess a high school diploma or general education diploma (GED) and provide evidence of current employment as a CNA or unlicensed direct care staff person before the first day of school.

In many states such as Missouri, the medication aide program consists of a minimum of 60 hours of classroom instruction along with 8 hours of clinical practicum training at a nursing facility. On the other hand, the requirements to complete a medication aide program in Texas are much more stringent: 100 hours of classroom instruction, 30 hours of return skills demonstrations and 10 hours of hands-on clinical practicum training.

The medication aide program coursework consists of instruction in a variety of topics such as medical terminology, fundamental review of systems of the human body, medicinal effects on each body system, principles of infection control, and different medication classifications. The overriding point of the medication aide program curriculum is to equip students with enough knowledge to administer medications in the safest manner possible.

Graduates of medication aide programs must also take and pass a written medication aide examination in the state where they intend to work. The medication aide test normally consists of 100 multiple choice questions that assess the test taker’s knowledge of medication therapy. Adequate preparation for the medication aide test is of the utmost importance. After all, who wants to fail this important test and be forced to retake it?

Graduates who pass the written medication aide test will be awarded a practice permit or state certification as a certified medication aide. This certification enables the medication aide to legally secure employment in a variety of healthcare settings for higher wages than those typically earned by CNAs and direct care workers. Moreover, the working conditions of medication aides tend to be less physically grueling than those endured by CNAs and direct care workers.

Legacy Healthcare Careers CNA School is excited to announce the planned opening of a medication aide program to prospective students who live and work in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex of Texas. Please place a telephone call to Legacy Healthcare Careers at (682)626-5266 for additional information. More updates will be provided to the public as the medication aide program progresses further along in its nascent development.

Screenshot 2018-12-29 at 12.58.09 PM

Certified Medication Aide Training Program Now Open to the Fort Worth / Mid Cities Area!

 

medical tablets pharmacy cure
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The staff of Legacy Healthcare Careers LLC CNA School is extremely pleased to announce the addition of a certified medication aide training program to the school’s high-quality nursing assistant course offerings. The addition of a certified medication aide program to the Fort Worth and Mid-Cities area is welcomed news to prospective students who would prefer to avoid an inconvenient commute to faraway cities for their career training needs.

The Fort Worth / Mid-Cities area certified medication aide training program is currently accepting new students for enrollments for the next class that begins August 20, 2019. Please call (682)626-5266 to enroll, or visit Legacy Healthcare Careers at 7505 Glenview Drive, Suite I, N. Richland Hills 76180 for more information.

The predominant purpose of the certified medication aide training program is to prepare individuals who are already employed as nursing assistants or direct care members of staff for higher-paying positions in the healthcare industry as certified medication aides in nursing homes, intermediate care facilities, group homes, assisted living, or skilled care nursing facilities.

The certified medication aide program has been formulated to teach students basic skills in the safe, prudent administration of non-parenteral medications. The ultimate goal of the certified medication aide program is to qualify graduates to administer medications in a safe manner and to assist licensed practical /vocational nurses (LPNs / LVNs) and/or professional registered nurses (RNs) in the important task of medication therapy.

The certified medication aide course of study in Texas has a minimum of 140 clock hours of targeted instruction. The 140 clock hours can be broken down into 100 classroom theory hours of instruction and training, 30 hours worth of return-demonstration lab coursework, and a minimum of 10 hours of hands-on clinical skills practicum at a healthcare facility under the direct supervision of a state-licensed RN instructor.

The medication aide training program is comprised of focused schooling in the following topics: basic review of bodily systems and the effects of various medications on these systems; medical terminology; principles of infection control; and drug classifications. All certified medication aide lessons at Legacy Healthcare Careers CNA School are taught by experienced registered nurse (RN) instructors.

Graduates of certified medication aide training programs in Texas must take and pass the written medication aide examination, which contains 100 multiple-choice questions that assess the test taker’s knowledge base regarding safe, accurate, prudent medication therapy (Texas Health and Human Services, n.d.).

Once the medication aide examination is passed, the candidate receives a practice permit as a certified medication aide (CMA). The CMA practice permit enables the nurse aide to secure employment as a certified medication aide at nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, extended care facilities, intermediate care facilities, correctional facilities, assisted living settings and personal care group homes.

For any questions regarding the upcoming certified medication aide program that is now being offered at the Legacy Healthcare Careers CNA School campus near Fort Worth, please call (682)626-5266 or telephone the 24-hour hotline at (682)313-6404. The friendly members of staff will answer any questions you may have to the very best of their abilities.

Keep in mind that Legacy Healthcare Careers CNA School is also continuing to offer affordable, high-quality certified nursing assistant training classes with flexible schedules that enable prospective students to keep their jobs while obtaining occupational nurse aide training. Place a telephone call to (682)626-5266 to enroll in the certified nursing assistant program at Legacy Healthcare Careers.

Screenshot 2018-12-29 at 12.58.09 PM.png

RESOURCES

Texas Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Medication Aide Program FAQs. Retrieved from https://hhs.texas.gov/doing-business-hhs/licensing-credentialing-regulation/credentialing/medication-aide-program/medication-aide-program-faqs