Students interested in patient care can find short-term courses of study, through which nursing assistants learn how to help patients with daily activities and take vital signs. Patient care assistant programs usually include additional clinical hours and courses on how to work in a private home setting.
School Information
Four top schools that offer programs for nurse or patient care assistants include Hennepin Technical College, Northwest Technical College, Seminole State College of Florida and Anne Arundel Community College. Two of the schools were ranked highly by Community College Week for 2016. The other two equip students with a wide range of nursing skills.
Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park, MN
| School Highlights: The school was ranked the #10 top associate degree producer, practical, vocational and nursing assistants for 2016 by Community College Week. |
In 2016, Community College Week listed Hennepin Technical College, a 2-year public school, as the #10 top associate degree producer for practical nurses, vocational nurses and nursing assistants in the nation. The school's 4-week nursing assistant program prepares students for the Minnesota's state certification exam and includes 24 hours of clinical care. Students interested in working in a hospital setting can pursue a nursing station technician option through HTC's Health Unit Coordinator program. A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, the college has campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie.
Northwest Technical College in Bemidji, MN
| School Highlights: #46 top associate degrees, practical, vocational and nursing assistants. |
In 2016, Community College Week named Northwest Technical College (NTC) as the #46 top associate degree producer in practical nursing, vocational nursing and nursing assistance in the nation. The fastest-growing 2-year institution in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, the college offers a 1-course nursing assistant and home health aide program. Topics include basic human needs, daily-living assistance, body mechanics and basic nursing skills. Upon completing the course, students can opt to continue in the school's practical nursing program.
Seminole State College of Florida in Sanford
| School Highlights: Nursing and patient care 3-part training program. |
Students interested in nursing and patient care can pursue a 3-part training series at Seminole State College of Florida. The first course is a 1-semester Articulated Nursing Assistant program that prepares students to work in nursing homes. The program covers topics in basic anatomy and physiology, basic life support skills and medical terminology; students also learn about the procedures for taking vital signs and collecting specimens.
Graduates can go on to the 3-week Advanced Home Health Aide program to learn how to work in private homes. The Patient Care Assistant program is the final step in the series, and students learn to work in healthcare facilities other than a nursing home.
Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, MD
| School Highlight: The school offers a Patient Care Technician/Geriatric Nursing Assistant Certificate program. |
This program consists of two courses, each of which consists of a combination of 45 hours of lecture, 30 hours of college laboratory and 60 hours of clinical practice. Students learn skills such as phlebotomy and gain familiarity with industry-standard equipment. Graduates are eligible to take the Maryland state registry exam for geriatric nursing assistants.
Top Nurse or Patient Care Assistant Programs
Here are some more colleges with relevant programs for aspiring nurse and patient care assistants:
- Daytona State College in Daytona Beach, FL, offers a 12-week patient care assistant program that includes clinical experience in long-term care and hospice settings.
- Indian River State College's 'open-door' policy guarantees that anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent will be granted admission to the college. The school is located in Fort Pierce, FL.
- At Minneapolis Community and Technical College in Minneapolis, MN, the nursing assistant and home health aide program has an optional acute care track.
- Our Lady of the Lake College in Baton Rouge, LA was established in 1923 as a nursing school by a Franciscan missionary group.
- Seattle Community College - South Campus in Seattle, WA, offers a nursing assistant program that covers topics in death and dying, basic care, controlling infections and emergency preparedness.
- At Snow College in Ephraim, UT, the Allied Health Department offers a certificate of proficiency for nursing assistants and home health aides.
In order to become a nurse or patient care assistant, students can complete undergraduate programs through which they build basic medical knowledge and health care skills.