A medication technician, also known as a “med tech” or medication aide, is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) who dispenses prescribed medications to patients based on written orders from doctors. A med tech must also complete additional training, pass a written and clinical examination, and have current state licensure in addition to her CNA certification. The majority of medication technician jobs are found in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, where patients’ medication regimens are typically stable and only changed infrequently. However, not all nursing boards in the United States allow medication administration to be included in a nursing assistant’s scope of practice. Med techs dispense oral capsules, pills, elixirs, and possibly subcutaneous insulin to patients in states where they are allowed to practice, assist them in taking the medication, and assess for any side effects or drug reactions.
For a variety of reasons, many nursing home residents take multiple medications. Residents’ medications are prepared by a medication technician, who also assists them in taking them comfortably and safely. This process can be lengthy due to the size and sheer number of pills and capsules, as well as an elderly resident’s potential difficulty swallowing. While some residents can take their pills with water, others require a small spoonful of applesauce to be swallowed with the pill or pills. Because some residents have difficulty swallowing, the med tech must crush their medications and mix them with applesauce or pudding.
A medication technician must be familiar with the residents’ most recent vital signs and blood glucose levels, as well as the various contraindications — or restrictions to medication administration — that commonly occur. Patients with a pulse rate of less than 60 beats per minute, for example, should not be given digitalis. Patients with low blood pressure should not be given antihypertensives, or high blood pressure medications. If oral diabetes medication or subcutaneous insulin is given to a diabetic resident who already has low blood glucose levels, a hypoglycemic or low blood sugar emergency can occur. These are just a few of the safety precautions that must be taken with each drug and each patient.
A medication technician’s job also includes assessing potential drug side effects or allergic reactions. If rashes, itching, or reddening of the face and neck occur after starting a new medication, these symptoms should be suspected of being allergic reactions. Dizziness or impaired balance are common side effects of many drugs. These are especially important for a medication technician to watch out for in elderly people who are already at risk of falling and breaking their bones.