Health Occupations

To complete his or her Health Occupations training, a student must master dozens of skills in the following categories:

• Orientation and introduction to the health care system
• Understand basic human needs, sensitivity to aging and disabled individuals
• Understand the rights of individuals in the health care system
• Role and responsibilities of a Nurse Assistant
• Maintain infection control
• Safety and emergency procedures
• Assist with positioning and moving, grooming and dressing patients
• Assist with nutrition, identify special dietary needs and tray service, feed patients
• Measure and record input, output, height and weight
• Assist with physical exam, elimination needs; take vital signs, temperature, pulse
• Count respirations, take blood pressure
• Admit, discharge and transfer patients
• Support individuals and families through death and dying
• Restorative care; promote self-care, exercise; modify care for individuals with special needs
• Understand prosthetic and assistive devices (hearing aids, glasses, artificial limbs, etc.)
• Maintain skin integrity; apply dressings, compresses, soaks
• Care for acute patients
• Practice home care; assist with fluids/nutrition in the home; maintain home-care records
• Room care/cleaning
• Understand/support psychological needs of individuals, staff and family members