Nurse Aide

NURSE AIDE PATHWAY

Teaches basic care skills with emphasis on physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients. Covers procedures, communications and interpersonal relations; observation, charting and reporting; care planning, safety and infection control; anatomy and physiology, nutrition and patient feeding; ethics, death and dying. Prepares multi-skilled health care workers to care for patients of various ages with special emphasis on geriatric nursing, home health, long and short term care facilities.

NUTRITION AND WELLNESS

GRADES 9-12

Prerequisite(s): NONE

Credit: 1 ELECTIVE

Students enrolled in Nutrition and Wellness focus on understanding wellness, investigating principles of nutrition, using science and technology in food management, ensuring food safety, planning menus and preparing food, and exploring careers in the field of nutrition and wellness. Critical thinking and practical problem solving are emphasized.

INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH AND MEDICAL SCIENCES/BASIC FIRST AID

GRADES: 10-12

Prerequisite(s): NONE

Credit: 1 ELECTIVE

This course introduces the student to a variety of healthcare careers and develops basic skills required in all health and medical sciences. It is designed to help students understand the key elements of the U.S. healthcare system and to learn basic healthcare terminology, anatomy and physiology for each body system, pathologies, diagnostic and clinical procedures, therapeutic interventions, and the fundamentals of traumatic and medical emergency care. Throughout the course, instruction emphasizes safety, cleanliness, asepsis, professionalism, accountability, and efficiency within the healthcare environment. Students also begin gaining job-seeking skills for entry into the health and medical sciences field. In addition, instruction may include the basics of medical laboratory procedures, pharmacology fundamentals, biotechnology concepts, and communication skills essential for providing quality patient care.

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

GRADES: 10-12

Prerequisite(s):NONE

Credits: 1 ELECTIVE

Medical Terminology is designed to help students learn common medical terms essential for patient care. Topics are presented in logical order, beginning with each body system's anatomy and physiology and progressing through pathology, laboratory tests and clinical procedures, therapeutic interventions, and pharmacology. Students learn concepts, terms, and abbreviations for each topic. This course is pending VDOE approval.

NURSE AIDE I/II (DUAL ENROLLMENT)

GRADES: 11-12

Prerequisite(s):INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH AND MEDICAL SCIENCES and PASS THE APPROPRIATE PLACEMENT TEST

Credits: 2 ELECTIVES

Nurse Aide I, offered as an occupational preparation course beginning at the 11th-grade level, is regulated under the Virginia Board of Nursing. It emphasizes the study of nursing occupations as related to the healthcare system. Students study growth and development across the lifespan, simple body structure and function, and medical terminology. They are introduced to concepts of infection prevention and disease processes. Students receive entry-level skill training in patient nurse aide relationships; measuring and recording of vital signs; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and general patient care. Work-based learning may be offered as part of this course. The Nurse Aide I course introduces students to careers in nursing, health professions, and STEM-H professions. Nurse Aide II is an occupational preparation course emphasizing body systems and diseases as related to advanced clinical care of the acute medical-surgical patient, the chronically ill, and the elderly. Students receive skills training and hands-on clinical experiences in a healthcare setting. Work-based learning in a healthcare facility is part of the course. Students must maintain American Heart Association's Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) & Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) training during this course. Students will take the Virginia Board of Nursing Certified Nurse Aide Certification Exam.