Health Careers Certification - Sapulpa

Restorative aides work under the direction of physical therapists to provide therapeutic rehabilitative services to persons with mental, physical, emotional, or developmental impairments. The ultimate goal is to improve clients’ quality of life and ability to perform daily activities. They serve in an expanded capacity of the Certified Nursing Assistant, with the primary focus on communication and rehabilitation.

Medication administration technicians prescribe medications to patients and maintain related medical records under supervision. They verify identity of patient receiving medication and record the name of drug, dosage, and time of administration on specified forms or records. They also present medication to patient and observe ingestion or other application, or administer medication, using specified procedures.

Physical therapy aides help physical therapists to provide treatment that improves patient mobility, relieves pain, and prevents or lessens physical disabilities of patients. Physical therapy aides perform a variety of tasks. Under the direction and supervision of physical therapists, they provide part of a patient’s treatment. This might involve exercises, massages, electrical stimulation, paraffin baths, hot and cold packs, traction, and ultrasound. Physical therapy aides record the patient’s responses to treatment and report the outcome of each treatment. The duties of aides include some clerical tasks, such as ordering depleted supplies, answering the phone, and filling out insurance forms and other paperwork.

Long term care/home health care assistants provide health-related services for ill, injured, disabled, elderly, or infirm individuals either in institutions or in their homes. By providing routine personal care services, long term care/home health care assistants help elderly, disabled, and ill persons live in their own homes instead of in an institution. Although some of these workers are employed by public or private agencies, many are self-employed.

Nursing assistants are trained to care for people who are ill or need help in caring for themselves. The care given is always under the guidance and supervision of licensed health care providers such as nurses or physicians. The competencies needed to successfully complete the objectives for this course are identified from the skill standards produced by the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education’s Testing Division for the Health Certification Project of the Oklahoma State Department of Health using the DACUM process.

This course is designed to ensure that students have a basic understanding of the nutritional needs of the residents, communication and interactions involving the residents and facility staff, behavior challenges and safety procedures of the long term care facility in which they are employed.

Phlebotomists collect blood specimens for laboratory analysis. They apply medical terminology, basic anatomy and physiology, infection control, safety, communication, and professionalism as they relate to the medical laboratory. Specimen collection equipment and venipuncture are used. Phlebotomists complete activities through hands-on experiences at a hospital, clinic and/or blood center location. They complete venipunctures, perform administration of glucose testing, collect specimens, and adhere to safety regulations as established by the clinical site.

Electrocardiograph (EKG) technicians trace electrical impulses transmitted by the heart, attach electrodes to the patient’s chest, arms, and legs, and then manipulate switches on an EKG machine to obtain a reading. An EKG is printed out for interpretation by the physician. This test is done before most kinds of surgery or as part of a routine physical examination, especially on persons who have reached middle age or who have a history of cardiovascular problems. EKG technicians, with advanced training, perform Holter monitor and stress testing.