Certified Nurse Aide Plus Program at STCC includes Alzheimer’s training
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – At a time when the U.S. population is aging, Springfield Technical Community College this fall will provide training to address critical needs affecting the elderly, including home health care assistance and treatment for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
STCC’s Certified Nurse Aide Plus Program, a 167-hour course, will include components about dementia and related neurological disorders, and home health aide training, among other topics. The class is available to people without any prior professional health care experience.
This course provides valuable training in areas where there is a growing need for professional care. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 120,000 people 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease in Massachusetts in 2016. The Association estimates the number will rise to 130,000 by 2020 and to 150,000 by 2030.
People 65 and over represented 14.5 percent of the U.S. population in 2014 but that age group is expected to grow to be 21.7 percent of the population by 2040, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Administration on Aging.
Alzheimer’s and neurological disorders
The Alzheimer’s and neurological disorders component of the course will explore issues related to dementia, personality changes, physical and emotional changes. Students will learn about new and old strategies when working with memory-impaired individuals.
Home Health Aide training
The Home Health Aide training component of the course will prepare a CNA to provide care in a patient’s home. The primary focus is placed on personal care and home management for patients, but students also will learn about family issues, meal preparation, social activities, housekeeping and more. Home health aides face legal and ethical issues, so these topics also are discussed during the course.
Nurse Aide and CPR certificate
The Nurse Aide training program will provide students who successfully complete the program with entry-level job skills that allow them to enter the health care field and prepare for the Massachusetts state board examination to become a Certified Nurse Aide and also receive their certification in CPR. Students learn to care for residents in long-term care facilities and will practice the following skills: Personal patient care, patient rights, lifting and turning patients, safety, infection control, bed, bath and feeding, vital signs, record keeping, mental health care of residents and stress management.
This program is approved by the MA Division of Health Care Quality.
Students who successfully complete the CNA Plus program will receive a Certified Nurse Aide certificate and be allowed to take the American Red Cross's CNA Examination on the STCC campus at the conclusion of the course. They will also earn CPR certification, a Home Health Aide Training Certificate and Alzheimer’s & Neurological Disorders Training Certificate.
Facts about Certified Nurse Aide Plus Program at STCC
Course schedule: Classes held Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., starting Aug. 15 and ending Oct. 27. No class on Sept. 5 (Labor Day) and Oct. 10 (Columbus Day).
Total course hours: 167
Cost: Fees are $2,395, which includes textbooks, liability insurance, scrubs and fees for the Certified Nurse Aide exam.
How to apply: Visit STCC’s website to enroll online. You also can enroll in person. Go to STCC Building 16, Room 146, to register for the course or call (413) 755-4225.
About Springfield Technical Community College
Founded in 1967 and located on 35 acres of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, STCC is a major resource for the economic vitality of western Massachusetts. As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC, an Achieving the Dream Leader College, offers a variety of career programs unequalled in the state. STCC’s highly regarded transfer programs in business, engineering, liberal arts, science and technology continue to provide the most economical option for students pursuing a four-year degree. With an annual enrollment of more than 8,700 day, evening, weekend and online students, STCC is a vibrant campus rich in diversity.
Media Contact: Jim Danko, Coordinator of Media Relations, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu