Caregiver

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Caregiver program is a 3-week program with a total of 75 clock hours. Caregiving is an entry level position where a person learns the skills of assisting clients with their activities of daily living, light housekeeping & meal preparation. During the program students will gain an understanding of the client needs & how to assist the client with their specific needs. Care givers are frequently employed in Assisted Living facilities & Home Health/Hospice agencies. As the population ages, the demand for Caregivers is increasing substantially.This program is approved by the Arizona State Board of Nursing Care Institution Administrators & Assisted Living Facility Managers. Regional Center for Border Health, Inc./College of Health Careers holds an institutional accreditation by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education schools.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

All interested participants must submit a completed admission application.

Participants must have the following:

• High School diploma or GED
• An 8th (eighth) grade reading/comprehension ability
• Score 8.0 on the Test Adult Basic Education (TABE)
• 18 years of age or older
• No criminal history
• Finger print clearance card
• Ability to pay or qualify for sponsorship from area employment partners/governmental agencies.
• Ability to fully participate in classroom, laboratory, or clinical setting program activities.
• Students will test for the Arizona State Board of Examiners of Nursing Care Institution Administrators and Assisted Living Facility Managers certification.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To graduate from the Caregiver Program the student must:

• Pass all required programs of study
• Pass CPR certification
• Pass Food Handler card
• File a completed application for graduation
• Clear any indebtedness to the training center

CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

To obtain certification through the Arizona State Board of Examiners of Nursing Care Institution Administrators and Assisted Living Facility Managers, student must:

• Demonstrate citizenship/nationality/alien status documentation
• Fingerprinting required by the Arizona State Board of Examiners of Nursing Care Institution Administrators
• Negative TB test or public health clearance card
• Complete an approved Caregiver program
• Complete an application for Caregiver examination

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Orientation

Clock Hours: 0 Lecture
Students will be provided an overall orientation of Regional Center for Border Health, Inc. College of Health Careers and complete required student file forms. During this orientation, students will be provided a short Medical Terminology course with an evaluation at the end of the course to measure understanding. Students will be taught how to “break down” medical terms using prefixes, root words and suffixes to promote a basic understanding of the terminology used in the medical field.

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Home Care and Healthcare Systems

Clock Hours: 1 Lecture
Home Care & Healthcare Systems introduces students to the world of healthcare in a 2 hour short course. In this course the students learn about various types of healthcare facilities/organizations. Students learn what the “scope of practice” & how it will relate to their practice. An introduction to state & federal regulations is reviewed, along with specific state & federal departments.

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Legal and Ethical Issues

Clock Hours: 3 Lecture
Legal & Ethical Issues encourages students to explore their own morality & apply that to the workplace. Emphasis is placed on the legality of an action along with the ethical dilemmas that may occur. This course will be full of open discussion with the instructor for 5 hours.

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Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Clock Hours: 1 Lecture
Communication & Interpersonal skills are required to be practiced in the job setting. During the 4 hours of this class students will explore appropriate communication with their peers & how this will relate to the client. Understanding verbal & non-verbal communication is an important skill the caregiver needs to gain the trust of the client.

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Infection Control

Clock Hours: 2 Lecture / 3 Lab
Infection control explains the way infections get passed from one person to another. During the 5 hour lecture portion, students will be shown the basics of sanitation, disinfection & sterilization. During the 4 hours of laboratory practice, students will demonstrate hand washing, sanitation & disinfection of surfaces.

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Safety Concepts

Clock Hours: 2 Lecture / 2 Lecture
Safety concepts are important to prevent injuries in the workplace. Body mechanics, posture, body alignment & other concepts are discussed in the 5 hour lecture. Students will then practice skills learned. Students will be taught & certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

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Holistic Approach to Understanding Clients

Clock Hours: 2 Lecture
During this course, students will give an overview of the anatomy & physiology of the human body. The Holistic concept is introduced which will encourage the caregiver to look at “the whole person” when assessing for changes.

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Nutritional Needs

Clock Hours: 3 Lecture
Students will receive instruction on proper nutrition & physical nutritional needs. Caregivers will be working with clients that may have specific nutritional needs & will gain an understanding of the reasons why the client’s needs are different from general nutrition.

Personal Care, Basic Healthcare & Restorative Skills

Clock Hours: 17 Lecture / 5 Lab
This portion of the program consists of 17 hours lecture & 5 hours of laboratory practice. During the course, students will gain an understanding of how clients will be taken care of. Specific skills will be taught & return demonstrated by the student. A few of these skills include transferring a client, feeding a dysphasic client, assisting with housekeeping chores and many others.

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Medication Administration

Clock Hours: 15 Lecture / 7 Lab
Medication Administration within a healthcare facility is a skill that requires specialized training. During the 16 hours of lecture & 6 hours of lab practice students will learn about medications & how they are distributed. Students learn about various classes of medications, what common side effects are, what an “adverse reaction” is & how to manage this. Students also are taught how to practice “resident’s rights” regarding medications. Other medication topics are covered as well.

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Mental Health & Care of the Cognitively Impaired Person

Clock Hours: 5 Lecture
Mental illness is full of myths & fallacies. During the 15 hour lecture, students are taught the differences between fact & fantasy. Students learn about physical wellness & how mental health problems could affect this. Students are taught how to deal with the cognitively impaired client appropriately.

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Home Management & Maintenance

Clock Hours: 3 Lecture
Students are provided 5 hours of lecture regarding basic housekeeping skills, basic maintenance techniques & how to develop cleaning schedules.

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Service Plans

Clock Hours: 2 Lecture
Students are provided 4 hours of lecture about the importance of the Service Plan. How a Service Plan is developed is discussed, how the interventions listed are implemented & how the caregiver is able to notify their supervisor for needed adjustments to the Service Plan.

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Career Development

Clock Hours: 2 Lecture
Students are provided 4 hours of lecture regarding their new career. Resume writing, job searches, different ways to manage stress & money are discussed. Students are encouraged to create a resume & develop a job search plan.