Continuing-Education Healthcare Programs

The Nurse Aide I course (184 hours), prepares students to provide personal care and basic nursing skills for the elderly. Emphasis is on the role of the nurse aide; communication; documentation; infection control, safety; resident’s rights; common disorders/diseases of body systems, aging changes; personal care and grooming; accurate measurement of vital signs; elimination; nutrition; death and dying. Although strongly encouraged, high school/GED is not required for entry into the Nurse Aide I class. Upon satisfactory completion of the course, students are eligible to apply for the North Carolina (NC) State Certification Examination required for listing as a Nurse Aide I on the NC Nurse Aide I Registry. Pre-Requisite Requirements: Attend Healthcare Orientation and successfully complete the 24-hour Career Pathways course. Students must also have a Silver Level score on the Career Readiness Certification (CRC) to enroll in the Nurse Aide 1 Course.

The Nurse Aide II course (180 hours), prepares the Nurse Aide I to further their employable skills through a higher level of clinical practice. In addition to continuing skills learned in Nurse Aide I training, Nurse Aide II students learn how to care for individuals requiring sterile wound care, testing of blood glucose, oxygen therapy, tracheostomy care and suctioning, tube feeding, catheter insertion and removal, colostomy care, and IV site care and IV removal. Upon satisfactory completion of the course and Final Written/Lab Competency Evaluation, graduate is eligible to apply for Nurse Aide II listing with the NC Board of Nursing-Nurse Aide II Registry. Pre-Requisite Requirements: High school diploma, GED, or equivalency; and current listing in good standing on North Carolina Nurse Aide I Registry.

The Phlebotomy Technician course (215 hours), provides classroom and clinical instruction to prepare students to safely and properly collect and handle blood specimens for diagnostic testing. Course content includes but is not limited to: bloodborne pathogen precautions, safe handling of biohazardous materials, appropriate communication skills for working with patients, selection of venipuncture sites, maintaining venipuncture equipment, performing successful venipunctures, handling specimens, and clerical duties regarding blood analysis. Students will be required to perform venipunctures on each other under the direct supervision of the instructor. In addition to satisfactory attendance and academic performance, students will not progress to clinical unless they are competent at phlebotomy sticks in the lab setting. Pre-Requisite Requirements: Successfully complete the Career Pathways Course; high school diploma or equivalency or GED; attend Healthcare Orientation; score Level 4 or higher on Key Train Assessment. Strongly preferred: previous experience in the medical field as NA, EMT, or other healthcare worker, OR have taken a Medical Terminology or Anatomy course.

The Activity Director course (85 hours), prepares students to work in Long Term Care Facilities, Senior Centers, and Adult Care Homes as a director of recreational activities suitable for adults. The course consists of 60 hours of classroom and online instruction and 25 hours of supervised clinical practice. Course instruction includes but is not limited to: methods of organizing arts and crafts activities, games, movies, puzzles, and sing-alongs; scheduling religious services and visits from musical groups or other entertainers, and age-appropriate seasonal activities meaningful to the resident population. Pre-Requisite Requirements: high school diploma, GED, or equivalency.

The Medication Aide for Long-Term Care course (24 hours), prepares Nurse Aides to safely administer medications to residents of skilled long-term care facilities. Course content includes instruction on safe administration of medications via oral, topical, sublingual and other routes. Successful completion of the course requires: attendance for the entire 24 hours of instruction, a score of 90 or above on the written classroom exam, and a passing score on a classroom skills proficiency exam. Upon satisfactory completion of the course, students are eligible to apply for and take the North Carolina Medication Aide Certification Exam. Pre-Requisite Requirements: high school diploma, GED, or equivalency; and current listing in good standing on North Carolina Nurse Aide I Registry.

The Nurse Aide I Refresher course (42 hours) is a review of North Carolina’s Nurse Aide I practice requirements. The course includes review of the role of the nurse aide, basic nursing and personal care skills, care of cognitively impaired residents, basic restorative care, resident’s rights, and infection control. Successful completion of a written exam and a laboratory skills test according to the NNAAP requirements is mandatory for course completion. After successfully completing the refresher course, students will be cleared for eligibility to register for the North Carolina Nurse Aide I Competency Exam. Documented Proof of one of the following situations must be provided to register for the Refresher Course: Nurse Aides with an expired North Carolina Nurse Aide I listing within the last 3 years - with no substantiated finding; OR a successful completion of a North Carolina Nurse Aide I Program from an accredited institution within the last 3 years; OR a current Nurse Aide I listing from another state with no substantiated findings; OR an expired out-of-state listing with no substantiated findings from an accredited institution; OR a successful completion of a Nurse Aide I Program from another state from an accredited institution within the last 3 years.

The Nurse Aide II Competency Assessment course (24 hours) is a course for students with an expired Nurse Aide II credential. The NA II is eligible for competency assessment if: the NA II was eligible for renewal of NA II listing prior to the listing expiration; AND the NA II worked at least eight hours for compensation during the past 24 months performing nursing care activities under the supervision of a Registered Nurse; AND the NA II must have no substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of funds on the DHSR Nurse Aide Registry; AND the NA II has had a continuous period of 24 months during which nursing care activities were not performed for monetary compensation, but patient care activities were performed for compensation; AND the NA II Certification has not been expired for more than 24 months. The NA II must also be currently listed on the NORTH CAROLINA Nurse Aide I Registry.

Note: If the NA II does not meet all of the above criteria, an entire NA II course must be completed.