Johnston Community College is adding home care and geriatric home care training to its health education course offerings.
The two new continuing education courses are designed to offer certified nursing assistants with enhanced training and skills to help them work in the home care setting, said Connie Grady, director of health education and nursing assistant programs at JCC.
“It makes sense for nursing assistants to have every certification they possibly can,” Grady said. “It enhances the skills they already have and adapts them to the home care environment. It really makes them more marketable for employment in hospitals, long-term care agencies, or home health jobs.”
Home Care Nurse Aide is a 116-hour certification course that focuses on person-centered care, patient and personal safety, palliative care, and other topics. Geriatric Home Care Aide is a 100-hour course designed to cover health issues that affect the aging client.
JCC will be the first community college in North Carolina to offer the geriatric home care course.
Health education training is in high demand. JCC currently serves some 300 students each semester in its CNA, EKG, and phlebotomy certification programs. Nursing assistant is also the second largest Career and College Promise pathway for the college, with some 50 high school students currently enrolled.
JCC is accepting registration for its Home Care Nurse Aide course, which will be offered on Tuesdays Aug. 18 – Dec. 8 from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Cleveland Center. Geriatric Home Care Aid will be offered in the fall but specific class dates have not yet been set. Linda Barbour, BSN and RN, will teach both courses.
