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This 424-hour program prepares students to work in a nursing unit, usually in a hospital setting. The Nursing Unit Assistant is a key member of the hospital healthcare team and has frequent contact with nursing and medical staff. Nursing Unit Assistants should be able to: communicate effectively with patients, visitors and other members of the healthcare team; understand the organization, structure and function of the various departments in a hospital; function effectively in a fast-paced environment; process physicians' orders; perform clerical duties related to the hospital nursing unit and patient records; identify, pronounce and spell the names of commonly used drugs; perform clerical duties related to the overall care of patients; perform standard receptionist duties; and have a knowledge of and the ability to work within a general code of ethics.
B.C. secondary school graduation, or equivalent, or 19 years of age and out of secondary school for at least one year as of the first day of classes.
A minimum grade of 60% in one of English 12, English 12 First Peoples, Technical and Professional Communications (TPC) 12 or an equivalent Provincial Level ABE English course or a minimum score of 24/40 (Level four) on the Language Proficiency Index (LPI) test. Note: Communications 12 is not acceptable.
A minimum grade of 60% in Computer Fundamentals or equivalent as approved by the department head.
Successful completion of a Standard First Aid and CPR Level C course no more than 12 months before admission. Document proof required.
Applicants must provide evidence of a negative tuberculin test, taken no more than six months before the date of application (or evidence of an appropriate follow-up if the test was positive.)
Keyboarding speed of 50 net wpm.
Students must complete the ten core courses with a minimum passing grade of 60% on each course and receive a pass on NUC 21 (Practicum).
MOA 01-72 hoursMedical TerminologyThis course is designed to introduce students to human anatomy, including the ten major body systems. Students will learn basic word structure, prefixes, suffixes, terms pertaining to the body as a whole, and those related to general body systems. Abbreviations, an overview of basic medical terminology with an emphasis on the roots of complex terms and symbols, will also be covered.
Also offered by Distance Education
NUC 01-21 hoursCommunication Skills for Nursing Unit ClerksThis course is designed to help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and techniques required to communicate effectively with hospital staff, patients, and visitors in a range of routine and emergency situations.
NUC 02-15 hoursPatient Chart RecordsStudents will learn the skills and knowledge involved in assembling and maintaining patient hospital charts, charting rules and procedures, and ethics in regard to confidential patient information.
NUC 03-21 hoursAdmissions, Transfers, and DischargeThis course introduces the learner to the Nursing Unit Clerk's role in patient admissions, discharge, and transfer procedures within the hospital. Students will process admissions, transfers, discharges and will learn to differentiate between elective and emergency admissions.
NUC 04-30 hoursPharmacology IThis course reviews the pharmaceutical knowledge required by the nursing unit clerk to carry out relevant duties, including developing a pharmacology vocabulary, listing various types of drugs and their categories, and describing ways of administering drugs.
NUC 05-30 hoursProcessing Medication OrdersThis course will provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to process physicians’ treatment orders, including preparing and updating dietary information. They will learn to transcribe and process medication orders and to identify the forms that must be prepared for use by professional staff.
NUC 06-30 hoursProcessing Laboratory Orders IStudents will learn to transcribe physicians' orders for the most common chemistry and hematology lab tests using reference resources as needed. They will learn the communication system used to ensure that complete information regarding patient test results is shared with all relevant individuals and/or departments.
NUC 07-30 hoursProcessing Laboratory Orders IIThis course will introduce the student to the principles and procedures for physicians' orders related to common laboratory requisitions for Microbiology, Bacteriology, Pathology, and Provincial labs. Students will utilize appropriate reference resources to complete laboratory orders.
NUC 08-30 hoursProcessing Diagnostic OrdersThis course includes information on processing common diagnostic orders and working with various departments such as Diagnostic Imaging, Nuclear Medicine, and Patient Escort. Students will become skilled at assisting in patient preparation and communicating diagnostic orders to appropriate individuals and departments.
NUC 09-45 hoursProcessing Surgical and Treatment OrdersUnderstanding and processing common surgical and treatment orders, is a major component of the role of the Nursing Unit Assistant. Course topics will include various types of feedings and diets, new admissions including pre and post surgical admissions, completing discharge orders. An introduction to various types of equipment used within a surgical centre, will also be discussed.
NUC 21-100 hoursPracticumThis placement introduces students to hands-on experience in performing unit clerk duties in a planned, supervised manner. Students will have the opportunity to complete their practicums in both medical and surgical units.Prerequisite: Successful completion of MOA 01, NUC 01, NUC 02, NUC 03, NUC04, NUC 05, NUC 06, NUC 07, NUC 08 and NUC 09