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In June 2005, the Foundation offered for the first time
Personal Care Assistant (PCA) training. The PCA is an entry-level position
found in many home health agencies and similar healthcare organizations.
Persons certified as PCA’s provide a variety of non-medical patient services
such as bathing, feeding and dressing. Certification of PCAs is required
in order for healthcare agencies to receive Medicaid and other third-party
reimbursement. To become certified as Personal Care Assistants, students must
successfully complete forty hours of Medicaid-approved classroom and clinical instruction
and pass the required certification exam.
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The Foundation has sponsored five Personal Care Assistant classes
through January 2007, all in partnership with Team Nurse, Inc.,
a personal home health care and supplemental staffing agency serving Patrick County
and surrounding areas. Graduates are certified at the conclusion of the course and
are eligible for employment with any Virginia health care provider that offers PCA
services. Many of our graduates have been hired by Team Nurse.
Since beginning this program in 2005, forty-eight adults
have been certified as Patient Care Assistants through these Foundation-sponsored classes.
Additional PCA classes are conducted as needed.
In February 2006, two new courses were launched for persons interested
in or already working in healthcare—the first is a 4-week, 40 hours per week training
program for Certified Nursing Assistants. The second is an 8-hour course
in Basic Medical Terminology. Both are being offered through a partnership
with R. J. Reynolds Patrick County Memorial Hospital in Stuart. These courses are intended
to provide training in critical skill-need areas of healthcare and are offered on an as-needed basis.
This course, taught by instructors on the staff of R. J. Reynolds
Patrick County Memorial Hospital, includes all classroom and clinical instruction required by the
Virginia Board of Nursing for the certification of CNA’s. Graduates of the program, upon successful
completion of the required Virginia nurse aide competency evaluation (the licensure exam), will be
qualified to work as nursing aides/assistants in hospitals, home healthcare agencies, nursing homes
and similar settings. Virginia CNA licensure is transferable to other states.
The certified nursing assistant (also referred to as nurse aide or nursing aide)
education program meets all requirements of the Virginia Board of Nursing and
program content, instructor qualifications, instructional requirements and program conduct are
determined and governed by that agency. The February 2006 CNA training was the first offered by the
hospital since the early 1990s.
Enrollment in the CNA program is limited to qualified Patrick County residents.
A criminal background check and drug screen are required of all applicants as part of that admissions
qualification process. In addition, applicants are interviewed by a panel of the hospital’s CNA
program administrators and must submit an application and other documents as required. Applicants must
meet certain minimum job performance requirements—they must be able to lift at least
50 pounds, be in good physical health, and be able to work 8 to 12-hour shifts.
The 8-hour Basic Medical Terminology course is designed for persons already
working in or seeking employment or advancement in medical records, billing or related functional
areas in a variety of healthcare settings. This course is taught by hospital instructional staff.
Enrollment is open to any Patrick County resident 18 years and older though students should possess
basic keyboarding or data entry skills. While no academic credit is awarded for completion of this
course, graduates receive a certificate of completion. This course is intended to train participants
in the basic medical terminology required for employment and advancement in healthcare positions
related to records and billing.
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