Students who complete all courses in this career studies certificate will be eligible for placement into the Practical Nursing Certificate program. See the Pre-Practical Nursing and Dental Assisting Career Studies Certificate for information. 

Occupational Objectives:   The program includes basic training for persons seeking to become nurse aides or home health aides working in private homes, residential living facilities, nursing homes, retirement and life care communities, and hospitals.

Admission Requirements: General college curricular admission

Program Notes: Students will be required to repeat any course in which a grade lower than "C" is received.

Criminal background checks may be required of all applicants to the Health Care Technician program.

Progression through the Program: The college offers this program in affiliation with the healthcare agencies and practitioners in the communities the college serves.  The college relies on its community affiliates to provide clinical education opportunities for its students, expert clinical preceptors, and course instructors for many courses.  The often rapid changes in healthcare law, standards of practice, technology, and content of credentialing examinations increasingly necessitate sudden changes in the program’s course content, policies, procedures and course scheduling.  As a result, the college cannot guarantee every student continuous and uninterrupted clinical and course instruction as outlined in the printed catalog curriculum for this program.  Circumstances beyond the control of the college may necessitate the postponement of course offerings or changes in the sequencing and/or location of scheduled courses or clinical assignments.  Additionally the college may have to change the instructor for courses after instruction has started.

Pre-Entrance Health Requirements:  Applicants must be free of any physical or mental condition that might adversely affect safety and performance as a nurse.  Validation of freedom from tuberculosis is required annually of all students through skin testing or chest X-ray.

Functional Skills Requirement:  Students entering the Health Care Technician program must possess the physical ability to 1) aid in the lifting and moving of patients; 2) hear audible alarms and sounds; 3) auscultate certain physical parameters, such as blood pressure, heart and lung sounds; and 4) interact effectively with patients, families and health care team members.  This includes

a)   Sufficient eyesight to observe patients, read records, manipulate equipment, and visually monitor patients in dim light.

b)   Sufficient hearing to communicate with patients an members of a health care delivery team,  monitor patients using electronic equipment, and hear necessary sounds during operation of equipment.

c)   Satisfactory speaking, reading, and writing skills to effectively communicate in English in a timely manner.

d)   Sufficient gross and fine motor coordination to manipulate equipment, lift, stoop, or bend in the delivery of safe nursing care.

e)   Satisfactory physical strength and endurance to be on one's feet for extended periods and to move immobile patients.

f)    Satisfactory intellectual and emotional function to ensure patient safety and to exercise independent judgment and discretion in performing assigned tasks.

Clinical facilities used by the program may mandate additional requirements for students that include updated immunizations, dress codes and conformance with professional standards.