MEDICATION TECHNICIANS

In 2004, legislation was passed, SB405, that governed individuals who were registered with the Board as medication assistants. This law requires that medication assistants be certified under a new title known as medication technician (MT). The bill also: defined the minimum age to work as a MT, allowed for disciplinary action against a MT and enacted additional changes consistent with certification. 

This legislation affected all individuals who were currently registered as medication assistants and applicants who were to be trained in the future. This included individuals who administered medication in assisted living, school health, adult day care, juvenile service, Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) Alternative Living Units (ALU) and group homes, etc. 

• The medication assistant registered on the Board's web page as a medication assistant on October 1, 2004 were automatically certified as a medication technician.
  
• Certification for medication assistants began early in 2005. It took approximately two years to roll over the registered medication assistants to Certified Medication Technicians. A renewal notice was sent to the medication assistant based on the individual's birth month and birth year. For example for someone born in May 1953, the person received a renewal for May 2005. For a person born in May 1954, the person received a renewal for May, 2006. A renewal notice was sent approximately 60-90 days prior to the individual's birth month. This certificate as a medication technician did not reflect the original practice setting training. 

 The applicant must:

• Complete a Board approved medication technician training program.
• Complete a medication technician application including submitting 2"x2" passport size photo and paying a twenty dollar initial application fee.
• Be 18 years of age to apply for certification as a medication technician.
• The application must be signed by the RN approved to teach the medication technician training program.
• The Board will certify the eligible applicant and issue a medication  technician certificate. 
• Should the medication technician change practice settings, the employer is responsible for assuring that a RN approved to teach the Medication Technician Training Program specific to the practice setting, teaches the medication technician course content specific to that new practice setting. 
• Effective January, 2008 the new medication technician will receive the designation for the practice setting in which he/she were initially trained e.g. “Medication Technician – School Health.” 
• The initial CMT certificate will be effective until applicant’s next birth date. This may be less than 2 years for the initial CMT certification. 

The medication technician:

1.  Will renew the certificate every two years following the date of the first renewal.
2. Certification will expire on the 28th day of the individual's birth month.
3.  An individual born in an even year will renew in an even year. An individual who was born in an odd year will renew in an odd year.
4. The Board will mail the medication technician a renewal form for renewal of the certificate 60 to 90 days prior to the expiration date of the certificate. If the MT does not receive a renewal application it is the MT’s responsibility to contact the Board and request a renewal application.
5. The medication technician must successfully complete a Board approved Clinical Update specific to his/her practice setting within 90 days prior to the medication technician certificate expiring. For example, if the individual CMT certificate expires September 28, 2007 the individual would need to complete a CMT Clinical Update sometime between June 28, 2007 and September 28, 2007.
6. In addition, there is a thirty (30) day grace period beyond the date of expiration of the certificate to renew. Therefore, the individual has an additional 30 days following expiration of the certificate to obtain the Clinical Update. 
7. Effective October 1, 2007 the CMT must have 100 hours of practice as a CMT in the two (2) years immediately preceding the CMT renewal.
8. The Registered Nurse approved to teach the medication technician training program must submit the MT's Clinical Update verification electronically, (please see - Online License Renewal, MT Update at www.mbon.org). 
9. The individual must complete the renewal form, pay the fee and return the renewal form to the Board. The renewal form fee is $30.00.
10. The Board will electronically match the Clinical Update verification and the medication technician renewal form. Please refer to the Board’s Online Verification System at www.mbon.org or the automated phone verification system at 410-585-1994.
11. If one fails to obtain the Clinical Update before the expiration of the grace period the CMT will be required to repeat the 20 hour CMT Training program.

The fee for the medication technician certification includes:

• Initial certificate - $20.00
• Renewal fee - $30.00 every two years

• An individual will not be eligible to endorse from out of state as a "medication technician".

The student nurse is eligible to be certified as a medication technician when the
following requirements have been met.

• Successfully completed the Board recognized equivalent course content in the licensed nursing program for the medication technician requirement.
• An official transcript must accompany the application for certification as a
  medication technician.

The nursing Graduate may be eligible to be certified as a medication technician when the
following criteria has been met.

• Successful completion of a Board approved nursing education program.
• A copy of the nursing graduate's official transcript must accompany the application for certification as a Medication Technician.

To be eligible for the Medication Training Program the individual must:

• Have received an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter.
• Successful completion of a Board approved medication technician training program is required.