Patient Care Assistant

Start your career as a Patient Care Assistant Through the use of Live Instruction and Hybrid Training, you will receive comprehensive knowledge of patient care skills that will prepare you to handle multiple duties and responsibilities in a hospital/specialty health care environment.  

Our Patient Care Assistant (PCA) program is broken up into individual components courses. Students must complete all courses to receive their FSCJ Certificates of Completion for the program. Upon completion of the Nurse Aide course students can sit for the Florida Board of Nursing Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Certification.

Certifications/Certificates Received Upon Completion of Program:

Basic Healthcare Worker/Fundamentals Certificate

CPR/BLS Certification*

Nurse Aide Certificate

Certified Nursing Assistant Certification**

Advanced Home Health Aid Certificate

Patient Care Assistant Certificate

*Certification is optional to receive through program

**Certification requires for you to take additional exam not included in the program.

Required Materials:

Scrubs: Students can order scrubs for the class through www.meridys.com. Upon going to the site click on “Student or Group In” in the top right had corner and use Student Code “FSCJ267” in the code box to access our page. 

Course Materials: All Materials are online materials that can be purchased through Cengage MindTap

(https://www.cengage.com/unlimited/subscribenow/)

Choose 12 Month Access “Subscription Price - $179.99” (Note: Receive access to ALL Cengage e-books, MindTap’s, and print rental options).

Other Recommended Materials Requirements:

Stethoscope, Blood Pressure Cuff, Two Hand Wrist Watch

**ITEMS ARE NOT REQUIRED but can be purchased at Meridys.com or any 3rd party site (i.e. Amazon)

Items to be completed before Performing Clinical:

Undergo a physical exam, Provide proof of up-to-date immunizations & Test, American Heart Association CPR/AED/BLS Certification

Estimated Total Cost of Drug Screen/Background - $150.00

For additional, up-to-date course schedules, search Catalog information in Class Search.

**Please note that students must have completed the following courses before being accepted into the program:

- Basic Healthcare Worker

-Certified Nursing Assistant

-Home Health Aide

Patient Care Assistant Program Outline:

Course #1:  CCE 0796 Basic Health Care Worker - $429.00

Basic Healthcare Worker course should be completed before enrolling in Nursing Aide Training course.

This course is an introduction to the health care environment, students training will focus on the health care team and delivery systems. You will learn and discuss topics including legal responsibilities, ethical issues, safety and security, information technology applications in healthcare, emergencies, infection control, communication, interpersonal behaviors, employability skills, blood borne diseases, wellness, disease and basic math and science.

Course #2:  HED 0101 Nursing Aide Training – $799.00

This course trains students in overall concept of being a nursing assistant. The content addressed in this course prepares you to work with people of various ages and cultures and establishes a foundation of basic skills that extends the students understanding of their role in healthcare. The course includes interactive activities, simulated laboratory experiences and hands-on experience in a designated clinical setting. 

** Upon completion of this course students will be able to sit for the Florida Board of Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam.

Course #3: HED 0710 Advanced Home Health Aide - $395.00

 This course provides the student with advanced knowledge and skillsets necessary to perform physical comfort and safety, infection control, and nutrition in the home setting. This course also reviews normal growth and development from infancy through death. 

Course #4: HED 0711 Patient Care Assistant - $595.00

This course is designed to provide students with job related skills and knowledge of the structure and function, interrelatedness and needs of the human body systems. Patient care activities of daily living, health and hygiene are provided for all age groupings with particular emphasis on the patient in the hospital setting.