Key Points

• A Certified Medication Aide administers medications under nursing supervision in long-term care and assisted living facilities.
• To become a CMA in Illinois, you must be an active CNA with at least 2,000 hours of recent work experience, be 18 or older, and pass a background check.
• Training includes 60 classroom hours and 40 clinical hours, completed in 8–10 weeks.
• CMAs in Illinois earn $39,270 per year ($18.88/hour) on average (BLS).
• Demand remains strong across hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities.

What is a Medication Aide?

A Medication Aide, also called a Certified Medication Technician (CMT) or Medication Technician (MT), is a trained healthcare worker who administers prescribed medications under the supervision of a registered nurse or physician. Their work helps ensure that patients receive the right medications safely and on time.

Typical responsibilities include:

• Administering oral, topical, or injectable medications
• Monitoring and recording vital signs before and after medication administration
• Documenting medications in patient records
• Reporting side effects or adverse reactions
• Managing medication inventory and restocking supplies

Where Do Medication Aides Work?

Medication Aides in Illinois work in diverse healthcare environments, including:

• Nursing homes and assisted living communities
• Rehabilitation and long-term care facilities
• Hospitals and medical clinics
• Home healthcare and hospice organizations

These roles often offer flexible shifts, career stability, and the chance to grow within the healthcare field.

How to Become a Certified Medication Aide in Illinois?

1. Find a state-approved class

To become a Certified Medication Aide in Illinois, you must first start by becoming a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA). If you're not already a CNA, don't worry! You can check Dreambound to help you find approved CNA training programs in Illinois. Their user-friendly platform allows you to search based on location, program length, and payment options, making it easy to find a program that fits your needs. Once you've completed your CNA training and gained some experience, you'll be ready to take the next step in finding the right Medication Aide training program for you.

2. Meet the requirements

To become a medication technician in Illinois, you must first meet specific educational prerequisites:

• High School diploma or GED: You must earn a high school diploma or GED or demonstrate functional literacy (8th-grade reading level).
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license: You must hold an active CNA license in Illinois with at least 2,000 hours of recent (within the past three years) experience. This ensures you have the foundational knowledge in patient care.
• CPR certification: You must be certified to perform CPR by the American Heart Association (AHA) or the American Red Cross.
• Background check: You must pass a background check and fingerprinting.

3. Complete your training

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) requires that you complete an approved medication aide course study which usually takes 4-8 weeks including:

• A minimum of 60 hours of classroom training;
• A minimum of 10 hours of simulation lab study, and
• A minimum of 30 hours of registered nurse (RN)-supervised clinical practicum with progressive responsibility for patient medication assistance.

These programs typically cover medication administration, pharmacology basics, and legal and ethical considerations.

3. Pass the certification exam

When you're ready to get your first license, you'll need to fill out some paperwork. Here's what you need to know:

• You'll fill out forms that the Illinois Department of Public Health provides. The forms will ask for information that helps the Department decide if you qualify for a license.
• You'll have to pay a fee when you submit your application. This fee covers the cost of giving the test. Just remember, you can't get this fee back even if your application is denied. If you sign up for the test but don't show up, you'll lose your fee.
• The Department will tell you when and where you can take the test.
• You have 3 years to finish your application process after you start it. If you don't finish within 3 years, your application will be rejected. You'll lose your application fee, and you'll have to start over with a new application. If this happens, you'll need to meet whatever rules are in place when you apply again.

4. Maintain certification

When you become a licensed medication aide, your license will have an expiration date. The rules decide when this date will be. It's important to know two things once your license expires: (1) you can’t renew it, and (2) you can’t get it back once it’s expired.

This means you need to pay attention to when your license will end. If you want to keep working as a medication aide after it expires, you might need to apply for a new license.

Each of these paths offers increased responsibility, pay, and career advancement.