Six Knoxville-area certified nursing assistants recently became certified medication aides, launching Morning Pointe Senior Living’s first Tennessee Department of Health CMA class in greater Knoxville.
Morning Pointe, a senior living company based in the Southeast, kicked off its initial CMA class in the Chattanooga market this spring and followed up with this second class this fall serving primarily the Knoxville area. Students went through a rigorous clinical program involving both theory and hands-on practice, and each has now passed their state exams.
New CMAs include:
- Celeste Davis – Morning Pointe of Hardin Valley Assisted Living and Memory Care
- Jordan Dessaint – Morning Pointe of Knoxville Assisted Living
- Jessica Doyle – The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, Knoxville
- Latoya Gallaher – The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, Knoxville
- Remi Day – Morning Pointe of Powell Assisted Living
- Gabby Vandergriff – The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, Powell
“It means a lot to me to advance my career path,” said Gabby Vandergriff. “The program was a great opportunity and a great way to learn about medications before I go to nursing school.”
Fellow graduate Jordan Dessaint shared, “Being a CMA means I have opened the door to a new version of myself. I’ve always been interested in nursing, just never had the time or money for school. The CMA course was a great way to give myself the boost I needed for now without a long time in school. My experience with the training program was excellent. If I ever had questions, our instructor was there any time. She was very involved and rooting for us all.”
What is a CMA?
Certified medication aides are healthcare professionals trained in the administration of certain medications in an assisted living setting. They prepare and administer prescribed medications under the supervision of a licensed nurse. CMAs are trained to perform foundational care skills, such as setting up and passing medications, and to follow infection prevention practices. They learn about common conditions, documentation and basic pharmacology.
Nurses delegate the administration of a medication to a CMA once a nurse has completed a nursing assessment of the resident and established a nursing regimen. A nurse is always available to provide oversight and guidance to the CMA.
“I believe my being a CMA will help my community in a lot of ways,” said Dessaint. “I won’t take the place of a nurse, but I will be able to fill in for one when needed. Nurses can get very busy, and I can come in and take a little load off their hands so we can all serve our residents better together.”
Developing the CMA Program
The Tennessee Department of Health created the new medication aides certification program, and Morning Pointe Senior Living is one of the first organizations to adopt and use it.
The program was created for several purposes – to give dedicated Morning Pointe associates a chance to further their clinical careers, to address the nationwide nursing shortage by providing a path for more individuals to be trained in medication administration, and to continue to provide high-quality resident care at Morning Pointe assisted living and memory care communities.
To enroll in the program, associates have to meet certain criteria. These include: being a current full-time employee of Morning Pointe Senior Living, being at least 18 years old, passing an updated background check, having at least a year of experience as a certified nursing assistant for a senior care community, providing a letter of recommendation, and more.
“The certified medication aide program requires diligent study and application, and Morning Pointe is so proud of these new CMAs who chose to pursue this advancement of their skills,” said Bebe Kennedy, RN, Morning Pointe Senior Living’s vice president of clinical services. “I know they are proud of taking this step in their careers, and ultimately our residents are benefitting as well.”
The company plans to expand the certified medication aides training to its other regions, including Middle Tennessee, as well as in Kentucky, pending review and approval from the Bluegrass Commonwealth.
About Morning Pointe Senior Living
Founded in 1997 by Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow, Morning Pointe Senior Living operates 40 assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care communities in five southeastern states. Each Morning Pointe community provides licensed, clinical, or care staff available 24 hours a day; meals with dietician oversight and an emphasis on fresh, local produce; a full life enrichment activity program; engaging community partnerships; and on-site physical, occupational and speech therapy services. For more information, visit morningpointe.com.
The philanthropic arm of Morning Pointe Senior Living is the Morning Pointe Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to provide nursing scholarships and caregiver support. For more information, visit morningpointefoundation.com.
