When Florida residents can no longer manage their own medications in an Assisted Living Facility (ALFs) and/or Home Health setting, they rely on Med Techs to assist them. The Med Tech certification course provides students with six (6) hours of training regarding proper protocols and procedures to follow as a Med Tech in an Assisted Living Facility (ALF) or in a home health setting.

Southern Technical Institute’s Med Tech is taught by a Registered Nurse and our curriculum focuses on the six rights of medication administration and the regulations concerning prescription medications that include the following:

• State law and rule requirements with respect to the supervision, assistance, administration, and management of medications in assisted living facilities;
• Procedures and techniques for assisting the resident with self-administration of medication including how to read a prescription label;
• Providing the right medications to the right resident;
• Common medications;
• The importance of taking medications as prescribed;
• Recognition of side effects and adverse reactions and procedures to follow when residents appear to be experiencing side effects and adverse reactions;
• Documentation and record keeping; and
• Medication storage and disposal.

Training also includes demonstrations of proper techniques and provides hands-on learning through practice exercises.

After successful completion of the certification course, you will be prepared to:

• Read and understand a prescription label;
• Provide assistance with oral medication including measuring liquid solutions and suspensions (shake well), break scored tablets, and crush tablets as directed by prescription order;
• Provide assistance with topical forms of medication for the skin, eye, ear, and nose, including creams, lotions, ointments, patches, ophthalmic drops and ointments, otic solutions, and nasal drops, sprays, inhalers, and diskus forms;
• Assist with self-administration of insulin pens;
• Provide assistance with oxygen via nasal cannula, nebulizers and CPAP machines
• Obtain vital signs as directed;
• Assist with application and removal of anti-embolic stockings (TED Hose);
• Assist with colostomy bags;
• Perform blood-glucose level checks with the use of glucometer;
• Complete a Medication Observation Record (MOR);
• Retrieve, store, and dispose of medication properly;
• Recognize a medication order which requires judgment and advise the resident, resident’s health care provider, or facility employer of the unlicensed caregiver’s inability to assist in the administration of such orders;
• Recognize the general side effects of medications and classes of drugs and the need to report adverse drug events (ADEs);

Certificate: After successful completion of the training course, you will receive your six (6) hour Med Tech certification that is valid for twelve months (1 year) from the date of your course completion date.

This training course is for a CURRENT MED TECH ONLY who needs an annual renewal course.  Once you are certified as a medication technician, a minimum of two (2) hours of continuing education (CE) training on providing assistance with self-administered medications and safe medication practices needs to completed annually to remain current.

Supervision or assistance with self-administration of medications is a key element of the personal services provided by assisted living facilities (ALFs) and home care agencies. In Florida, a Standard, Extended Congregate Care (ECC), Limited Nursing Services (LNS), or Limited Mental Health (LMH) license allows a facility or agency to provide this service.

After successful completion of the certification course, you will be prepared to:

• Read and understand a prescription label;
• Provide assistance with oral medication including measuring liquid solutions and suspensions (shake well), break scored tablets, and crush tablets as directed by prescription order;
• Provide assistance with topical forms of medication for the skin, eye, ear, and nose, including creams, lotions, ointments, patches, ophthalmic drops and ointments, otic solutions, and nasal drops, sprays, inhalers, and diskus forms;
• Assist with self-administration of insulin pens;
• Provide assistance with oxygen via nasal cannula, nebulizers and CPAP machines
• Obtain vital signs as directed;
• Assist with application and removal of anti-embolic stockings (TED Hose);
• Assist with colostomy bags;
• Perform blood-glucose level checks with the use of glucometer;
• Complete a Medication Observation Record (MOR);
• Retrieve, store, and dispose of medication properly;
• Recognize a medication order which requires judgment and advise the resident, resident’s health care provider, or facility employer of the unlicensed caregiver’s inability to assist in the administration of such orders;
• Recognize the general side effects of medications and classes of drugs and the need to report adverse drug events (ADEs);

Certificate: After successful completion of two (2) hour renewal training, you will receive your two (2) hour Med Tech renewal certification.