What is the difference between a certified Medication Aide and Med Tech?

Nurses General Nursing

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I've read online and still don't quite see the difference; what's the difference between the jobs? And what about the pay? Don't both pass meds, which can work in hospital settings? Please explain.

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CMA's Pass Meds. A Med Tech has a bachelor's degree and works in the Lab running test on blood and body fluids.

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No, they have certified med techs as well; they both apparently pass meds. It's a course; you don't need a degree.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
mzsuccess said:

No, they have certified med techs as well; they both apparently pass meds. It's a course; you don't need a degree.

Yes, this.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
DarlaSchrag said:
CMA's Pass Meds. A Med Tech has a bachelor's degree and works in the Lab running test on blood and body fluids.

A medical TECHnologist requires a bachelor's degree and works in a lab.

A medical technician also works in the lab; one year certificate/Associate's degree is required.

A medication TECHnician passes meds—no educational requirements on the job training.

Good question. It gets confusing.

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Yes, Diane, it's so confusing. Thanks for clearing that up. A medication technician passes meds, and so does a medication aide; I don't see the difference between those two, and I'm just looking for something to do until I'm done with nursing school.

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Depends on what part of the country you are from.

A Med Tech is a MEDICAL Technician, which is--depending on where you live, the same thing as a Certified Nurse Assistant, a Medical Assistant, a Patient Care Technician, and depending on what department you work in, can be an Emergency Room Technician. Every unit has rules about what a Medical Technician can and can not do. If you work in an MD's office, the lines get even blurrier. Mostly, it is patient care based (and there are some Medical Technicians who are allowed to do some more advanced technical things, some who can draw labs, some who even insert foleys.), but that is not everywhere--and you need to get a job description to see what this all means, and what you are required to do. An ER tech is usually an EMT or a paramedic and does (or not) some wound care, EKGs, and labs.

A Medication Aide is a different certification. And again, dependent on where you would be working, usually do not pass meds in the same way a nurse would. They are usually utilized in Assisted Living or the higher functioning units of LTC or Skilled Care--even in halfway houses for mentally ill clients. They observe residents taking their own medications out of a pre-poured medication box (that is pre-poured by an RN or an LPN). With that being said, a Medication Aide is usually a program assistant or a CNA that has additional certification as a Medication Aide. In some states, it is a Department of Mental Health or State certification, in addition to being a state-certified CNA.

Either way, I would start as perhaps a CNA and take whatever additional certifications that I can once you are one. Or see if you are a nursing student, if you could work in an MD's office as an assistant.

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And in endoscopy, we use med techs to clean and care for scopes. Medical technician, not medication technician. They don't pass meds at all; they are equipment techs. So it matters what the context is in which the title is used. Just worth noting when looking through job listings.

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jadelpn said:
Either way, I would start as perhaps a CNA and take whatever additional certifications that I can once you are one. Or see if you are a nursing student, if you could work in an MD's office as an assistant.

OP is already a CNA, she's posted about not wanting to stay a CNA because she finds it too mentally and physically taxing, so she is looking at changing jobs. Currently a student in LPN program, according to the other posts.

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Guide, your information was helpful. I'm looking into it for my cousin, but I've read you have to have your CNAs first. Thanks for all your help.

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There is a difference between Certified Medication Technicians & Certified Medication Aide:

CMT is to pass all sorts of meds & Insulin (ONLY if you have an Insulin License), including narcotics, with approval from the CN (Charge Nurse), which will be an LPN or RN!

CMA Are to pass all sorts of meds but are NOT allowed to administer Insulin and narcotics. It is the state law. And in order to get your CMT or CNA, you have to be a CNA for at least six months before being eligible to do CMT classes. You also can not have any kind of felony on your record, you can not have a record of being put on the EDL (Elderly Disqualification List), and you have to have no record of child abuse / elderly abuse. Basically, you have to have a very, very clean record, so if you have a record on you, then you might want to consider doing something else. Hope this helped!

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