A medication aide, also referred to as a medical technician, distributes patient medications in nursing homes, schools, correctional facilities, or other non-hospital, assisted living facilities for the physically or mentally disabled. Medication aides are directly supervised by doctors or other licensed caretakers. They typically assist patients in properly taking oral, topical, or intravenous prescriptions in correct dosages, as well as adhering to strict medical regimens. A medication aide also supervises patients to ensure they do not have any adverse reactions after taking their medications.

Knowledge on the classifications and side effects of drugs is a main requirement of medication aides. They need to know how to differentiate dangerous sedatives and narcotics from more basic daily medications. They also need to know the dangers of combining certain drugs. Since a medication aide may deal with many potentially addictive substances, he or she is usually required to take inventory of drugs at the beginning and end of his or her shift to prevent theft or overdose.

A medication aide will typically measure patients’ vital signs, such as blood pressure, temperature, and breathing and heart rates throughout the day. If patient rates are above or below normal, aides do not treat patients but instead inform the nurses or doctors on duty. A medication aide keeps detailed medical records on patients and records any allergies or other reactions in patient files. Medication aides also need to know how to recognize and assess the signs of emergency situations in order to quickly respond and contact doctors.

Formal training in medicine or extensive postgraduate education are not typically required for a career as a medication aide. The criteria for medication aides differs depending on the state or region, but generally a person must be 18 years old with a high school diploma. He or she is generally required to take introductory courses in anatomy, microbiology, pharmacology, and physiology at a trade school, as well as complete a certification exam from their states or regions. Medication aides who work in long-term nursing care often have additional training as a nursing assistant.

A medication aide career is often treated as a stepping stone to a more advanced nursing career. Since medication aides can be employed at health facilities with many patients who require constant care, they can gain basic nursing experience. Aides are sometimes intended to take over some basic nursing duties, especially medication administration, patient supervision, and record keeping. Medication aides can then help ensure nurses have more time to devote to more advanced medical duties, such as working directly with doctors, monitoring medical machines, and performing minor medical tests.