Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)/Home Health Aide

This course focuses on safe and effective functioning when providing client care in the health care setting and/or the home environment. Emphasis is placed upon assisting clients with daily living and performing fundamental skills. These skills include checking and recording blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and temperature, performing bathing, hygiene and toileting, bed making, utilizing proper body mechanics, providing mobility, meal service and the proper usage of assistive devices, wheelchairs and lifters. Concepts pertaining to the psychosocial approach to caregiving are covered along with basic anatomy and physiology, medical terminology and infection control.

Skills are taught and practiced in a hospital type laboratory and a home/apartment laboratory. Required clinical hours are spent in a long-term care facility providing hands-on care to residents.

Upon successful completion of 48 contact hours students will receive a Home Care Aide Certificate of Completion. Upon successful completion of the program students will receive a Nursing Assistant Certificate of Proficiency and are eligible to take the practical and competency examinations that lead to Arkansas State Certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

This program is approved by the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Medical Services-Office of Long Term Care.

The curriculum has been developed in accordance with the Health Care Finance Administration under OBRA 1987 Guidelines.

A grade of “C” is required for passing.

Acceptance Procedure

Classes are admitted during registration each semester. Class size is limited. Applicants who meet the admission requirements will be admit-ted based on the date registration is completed.

All applicants shall have equal opportunity regardless of race, disability, sex, creed, religion, or nationality.

Applicants with special needs due to disability must make this fact known prior to admission so that necessary accommodations can be made. Because of the nature of the profession, it may not always be possible to accommodate students with severe disabilities.

Upon acceptance to the program, individuals are required to submit the following information prior to beginning classes and going to clinical site:

1. Functional Ability Acknowledgement Form
2. P.P.D. Skin Test or Chest X-Ray
3. Hepatitis B Series or Signature on SEARK College Vaccination Waiver Claim Form
4. Criminal Background Check (done at students’ expense)
5. Flu shot
6. Driver’s License
7. Social Security Card

Random drug screening may be utilized at any time during the course of the program at the student‘s expense. Process must be completed NO Later than 2-Weeks after classes begin.

The Office of Long Term Care administers the Long-Term Care Criminal Record Check program. This program requires certain long-term care employees to undergo criminal record checks prior to employment in a long-term care facility. Conviction of certain specified crimes may result in being permanently barred from working in a long-term care facility. Conviction of certain crimes could also result in the student not being allowed to participate in required clinical time at long-term care facilities.

Admission Requirements

1. Completion of all general admissions procedures of the College. Refer to the Southeast Arkansas Handbook located at seark.edu.

2. Pre-requisite: Accuplacer score of 75 or ACT Reading score of 19 or Compass Reading score of 83 or completion of a course in Developmental Reading with a grade of “C” or better is required for acceptance or enrollment in the program/course.

3. Approval of a Health Professions faculty advisor.

4. Completion of the Health Professions General Application form.

Course Options

Weekday and evening classes are eight weeks in length and are admitted twice each semester. Saturday classes are approximately ten weeks in length. Courses are offered spring, fall, and extended summer semesters.

Semester (8 Weeks)	Credits
ALLI 1117 Nursing Assistant	7

Completion Awards

Certificate of Proficiency: Nursing Assistant
Certificate of Completion: Home Care Aide

Financial Aid

Students who qualify, financial aid consists of funds made available from federal, state, and sources. Scholarships, grants, loans, and Veteran’s benefits are all available to qualified students.

Advising

Faculty advisors are available to aid students in course selection and future planning.

Accreditation

Southeast Arkansas College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

Approval

The Nursing Assistant Program is approved by the Arkansas Department of Human Services - Division of Medical Services - Office of Long Term Care.

For more information contact:

Southeast Arkansas College
Health Professions Division
1900 Hazel Street
Pine Bluff, AR 71603
870-543-5917
 

Program Brochure(pdf)
General Application Packet
Expense Sheet(doc) 
Criminal background checks 
Licensing restrictions based on criminal records