WSCC: Medication Assistant Certification courses to be held in Oneonta

ONEONTA, Ala. – Wallace State Community College will offer Medication Assistant Certification (MAC) courses in Oneonta, with classes beginning March 17.

This short-term program will provide classroom instruction for four weeks, followed by 40 hours of clinical training. Upon successful completion of instruction, lab and clinical components, participants names will be submitted to the Alabama Board of Nursing for testing for the National Medical Aid Certification Examination (MACE). The classes are geared to those who have received certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), have completed a CNA program, or have completed Nursing 112 in an accredited nursing program.

The total cost of the course ranges from $1,100 to $1,200. Scholarships are available through the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) to reimburse students for the $950 registration fee after they successfully complete the program. Expenses not covered by the scholarship include the $173.50 MACE exam fee, $52 background check and any required immunizations. Other potential expanses include scrubs and a computer with a high-speed connection.

An orientation session for registered students will be held on March 17, at 8 a.m., at the Oneonta Academic Center. Regular classes will be held on Mondays and Thursdays from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m., starting on March 31, and continuing for four weeks. Clinicals will begin after April 24.

“Medication Assistants. Play a key role in the healthcare setting and assist licensed personnel to deliver a. high level of care,” said Rhonda Abbot, coordinator/lead instructor of the MAC program. “They have the knowledge of proper medication dosages, medication storage, collecting vital signs as ordered prior to medication and dispensing, monitoring patients’ reactions to medications, and maintaining accurate medication records.”

Medication Assistants are most often employed by long-term facilities, such as nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. They administer medications under the supervision of a licensed nurse.

Registration is currently open for classes at the Oneonta Academic Center. Students may contact Jessica Pritchett at jessica.pritchett@wallacestate.edu for more information and the link to register for classes and to apply for the ACCS Short-Term Scholarship.

MAC classes have also been held at the Hanceville campus, with the next courses to be held there in June.

The MAC classes are part of a wide range of short-term classes offered by Wallace State’s Center for Career and Workforce Development. For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu/ccwd.