Certified Medication Aide (CMA) - Skilled Nursing, PRN
Job Description
Buckner Retirement Services seeks a Certified Medication Aide (CMA) for our Houston skilled nursing community. This PRN position offers 12-hour shifts and requires clinical expertise paired with compassionate senior care.
What You'll Do
- Administer medications accurately and timely according to prescribed schedules and documentation requirements.
- Monitor vital signs and observe resident behavior changes, reporting concerns to shift leaders immediately.
- Assist with personal hygiene, bathing, repositioning, and safely lifting residents as needed.
- Maintain medication room cleanliness, restock med carts, and monitor refrigerator temperatures daily.
- Report medication errors, incidents, and unusual events; chart resident conditions as directed.
Requirements
- Current Medication Aide Certification and Certified Nurse Aide certification required.
- CPR/First Aid certification and High School Diploma or G.E.D. required.
- Minimum 1 year prior experience as a nursing assistant required.
- Proficient ability to speak, read, and write English; frequent lifting up to 50 pounds occasionally.
- Ability to bend, stoop, lift, carry, walk, and stand over 75% of shift required.
Benefits
- Join a faith-based, not-for-profit organization with over 60 years of senior care experience.
- Work at a Recognized Great Place to Work across all Buckner locations in Texas.
This is a preview of the job listing. The full posting includes complete compensation details, benefits package, qualification requirements, and application instructions.
View Full Job Details & Apply →What Most Job Listings Don’t Tell You
General overview for this role type — specific duties and requirements vary by employer.
Care aide and CNA positions in senior living are hands-on roles that require both physical stamina and genuine emotional resilience. In Texas, CNAs must hold an active certification through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, while caregiver and aide positions may not require formal certification but typically involve on-the-job training.
What catches many new hires off guard is the physical demand — you will be on your feet for the full shift, assisting with transfers, repositioning, and mobility support. Memory care roles add another layer, as working with residents experiencing dementia or Alzheimer's requires specialized patience and de-escalation skills. Most facilities offer shift differentials for evenings and weekends, and many in the Houston area provide tuition assistance programs for aides looking to advance into nursing.
What to Expect in This Role Day-to-Day
Based on typical senior living facilities in the Houston area.
Your day typically begins with morning routines — helping residents with bathing, dressing, grooming, and getting to breakfast. Throughout the shift, you will assist with meals, escort residents to activities, monitor for changes in behavior or health, and document everything in the care log. Vital signs checks happen at regular intervals, and you will be the first person to notice if something seems off with a resident.
The team dynamic is close-knit. You will work alongside other aides, report to the charge nurse, and communicate with families who visit. In memory care units, redirection and engagement activities are a big part of the role — keeping residents calm, oriented, and socially active. The work is physically and emotionally demanding, but many aides describe deep bonds with the residents they care for and a sense of purpose that keeps them in the field long-term.
Houston Area Salary Data
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nursing Assistant positions in the Houston metro area earn a median wage of $17.76/hr ($36,941/yr). The typical range is $17.00 – $21.53/hr (25th–75th percentile).
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX Metro Area). Salary data provided by Houston Senior Living Guide.
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