Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aide
Program Description
Nursing assistants and home health aides are essential members of today’s healthcare teams. In this role, you will work with the interdisciplinary team to provide direct care for individuals throughout the lifespan with a wide variety of alterations in health. Minneapolis College’s program provides the theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills training in our state-of-the-art nursing lab to prepare you for this exciting career. Upon completion of the program you will be a highly sought after vital member of the healthcare team, employable in multiple care settings. Minneapolis College’s nursing assistant/home health aide program also helps to prepare you for a future career in the field of nursing.
Advantages
- This program is approved by the Minnesota Department of Health.
- You will gain foundational skills in nursing that will make you a more competitive applicant for Minneapolis College’s Nursing program.
- Nursing assistant faculty are highly educated and experienced professional nurses.
- Minneapolis College’s diverse and inclusive student population helps prepare you to provide care to all individuals within the global community.
- You will practice nursing assistant/home health aide skills in one of the largest nursing lab’s in Minnesota.
Program Details
Award Requirements and Course Descriptions & Outlines
Please select the award below to view the degree options and requirements in the college catalog.
What Will You Learn
- Minneapolis College’s Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aide coursework will prepare you to perform routine healthcare tasks for today’s increasingly diverse population.
- The courses cover human physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs; health and illness; death and dying and resident/client/employee rights.
- You will learn behavior management, infection control and the importance of being a responsible and dependable member of a healthcare team while focusing on resident–centered care vs. institution–centered care.
- You will receive training in basic skills (bathing, dressing, grooming, exercising and toileting) and learn how to check and monitor vital signs—blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respiration and pain.
- You will have the opportunity to apply your skills during on-campus laboratory exercises and clinical experience in a Minnesota Department of Health-approved long-term care facility.
- You also will learn the fundamentals of wellness and stress management for the caregiver.
- Upon completion of the coursework, you will be eligible to take the NATO (Nursing Assistant Test-Out) exam and be placed on the Minnesota Department of Health’s Nursing Assistant registry.
Beyond-the-Classroom Opportunities
Students looking for jobs in the healthcare industry will get a leg up thanks to the Central Corridor College Fellows (C3 Fellows) program. The C3 Fellows program connects students with entry-level healthcare employment opportunities and partners include employers like
- Health Partners
- Regions Hospital
- Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
- Fairview Health Services
- Healtheast Care System
- And more.
After completing the course and passing the test, C3 Fellows will assist students in finding a nursing assistant job close to their home. Please contact Director of Healthcare Partnerships Shawn Vang with any questions about the C3 Fellows program.
Professional Licensure or Certification Disclosure
The Minneapolis College Nursing Assistant curriculum is designed to help prepare students to sit for the professional licensure exam for Minnesota. At this time, Minneapolis College is unable to make a determination if the Nursing Assistant program meets the licensing requirement for any state or US protectorate besides Minnesota. You will want to contact the licensing board in which state you intend to pursue licensure for their requirements.
If you have further questions about licensure for Nursing Assistant, please feel free to reach out to Heidi Aldes, Interim Dean of Enrollment Management, and they will be happy to help you.
Occupational Outlook
Overall, employment of nursing and home health aides is projected to grow by 18 percent through 2018, which is faster than the average for all occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many of the new jobs will be in nursing and residential care facilities, and growth will be particularly robust in community care facilities for the elderly.
Potential Job Titles
- Nursing Assistant
- Registered Nursing Assistant
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Patient Care Assistant
- Home Health Aide
Where You Could Work
- Nursing homes
- Home healthcare agencies
- Assisted living facilities
- Hospitals
- Clinics