Basic Healthcare Skills

Short-Term Certificate

Overview

Do you want to pursue a career in the healthcare field? Enrolling in Central Ohio Technical College’s basic healthcare skills program is a great way to get started.

This course prepares basic healthcare workers with the skills required by the Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) prior to gaining eligibility to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA) — formerly state tested nurse aide (STNA). The course content includes communication, infection control, safety and emergency procedures, promoting residents’/clients’ independence, respecting residents’/clients’ rights, basic nursing skills, personal care skills, providing care in a home setting, mental health and social service needs, and basic restorative services.

Benefits of completing the course are:

  • Fulfill your CNA prerequisite for the nursing program.
  • You will be eligible to take a state-administered competency evaluation test to become an CNA and be placed on the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry.
  • You will also gain clinical experience in the medical field.
  • Have the ability to start working in the medical field upon successful completion of the course.

CNAs may choose to work in long-term care, assisted living facilities or hospitals. In order to work in these fields, students may need to pass the state-administered competency evaluation test, which is not part of the program. CNAs provide basic healthcare needs for patients under the direction of a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN). 

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Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly can I complete the basic healthcare skills program?

At COTC students can quickly complete the basic healthcare skills program in just one semester.

Can I take classes online or face-to-face?

Students will be required to take the basic healthcare skills class in person. Depending on the location where it is taken, students may need to be at a location, in-person five days per week.

Where can the basic healthcare skills certificate be completed?

COTC partners with other locations to provide students more options to complete the basic healthcare skills certificate in Newark and Mount Vernon, and it can also be completed on the Coshocton and Pataskala campuses. 

  • C-TEC (Newark)
  • COTC Coshocton campus
  • Knox County Career Center/Knox Technical Center (Mount Vernon)
  • COTC Pataskala Campus

What else can I consider studying in nursing after I complete the basic healthcare skills certificate?

Students are encouraged to continue their nursing education. Many students who complete the basic healthcare skills certificate are working to meet the CNA requirement to apply to either the practical nursing certificate program or the associate degree nursing (ADN) program.