Students who complete the course will be eligible to take Ohio’s test for Nurse Aide certification.
Cincinnati State President Dr. O’dell Owens said one reason the college opted to offer this program in Middletown is that it provides a fast pathway to immediate employment.
“Not only will people with these credentials fill an immediate need, in our experience many will go on to pursue further education in the field of nursing and elsewhere in the health care industry,” he said.
The program provides the skills needed to care for residents in a nursing home or long-term care facility, including:
- Assisting residents with activities of daily living
- Observing and reporting changes in a resident's condition
- Checking temperatures, monitoring pulse and respiration
- Understanding and implementing infection control precautions
- Feeding residents who have various degrees of disability
- Lifting and moving patients safely
Students practice these skills in a simulated resident room, and then apply them in long-term care facilities under the guidance of instructors who are registered nurses. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to take the Nurse Aide competency test offered by the Ohio Department of Health.
Prospective students must be at least 16 years old, must complete a physical exam and a two-step TB test prior to starting the certificate program. Employers will require a criminal background check and a drug test.
The cost of the class, including a testing fee, is approximately $975. A required textbook and workbook, plus uniform and shoes, typically add about $190 to that total.
Michael Chikeleze, director of Cincinnati State Middletown, said the college’s research has found a significant demand for health care training among residents of the northern suburbs.
“We’re delighted to now have the lab space and the manpower to offer Nurse Aide training at our Middletown campus,” he said.
Chikeleze said in addition to serving as a stand-alone pathway employment in the field, Nurse Aide certification is required for those interested in the college’s Associate Degree Nursing and Practical Nursing Certificate programs.
For more information about the program, contact program chair Mary Meiser at 513-569-1669 or email mbmeiser@cincinnatistate.edu, or visit www.cincinnatistate.edu/middletown.