The Nurse Aide curriculum requires advanced English language skills. Wake Tech offers English as a Second Language (ESL) classes free for students who want to improve their speaking, reading, writing and listening skills to increase their college and career readiness.

There are no prerequisites for Nurse Aide I. However, Wake Tech offers a non-degree Medical Terminology course for anyone interested in familiarizing themselves with medical language. That could help you better understand and prepare for future medical courses and career opportunities. Email [email protected] for more information.

Course description

The Nurse Aide I course includes basic nursing skills required to provide safe and competent care for individuals. The course emphasizes the following:

• Person-centered care
• Aging process
• Communication
• Safety and emergencies
• Infection prevention
• Legal and ethical issues
• Measurements
• Elimination
• Nutrition
• Basic restorative care and rehabilitation
• Dementia
• Mental health
• End-of-life care

Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills and be eligible to test for listing on the North Carolina Nurse Aide I Registry.

As a Workforce Continuing Education class, no college credit is given for Nurse Aide I, and students are not eligible for financial aid. For potential financial assistance, contact the Workforce Continuing Education Financial Resources and Student Support team at [email protected] or 919-866-5853.

Nurse Aide I consists of 168 total hours of instruction, including 48 hours in a clinical environment. Students can take the course either entirely in person (seated) or as a mix of classroom and online instruction (hybrid). All review sessions, labs and tests in the hybrid option are done in person.

The seated option is for students who cannot navigate or feel uncomfortable with online instruction. The hybrid option is best for students with good English language and time management skills and who are confident with online instruction. Chrome or Firefox web browsers are needed to access Blackboard for lessons; other browsers aren't supported.

Both options have mandatory dates marked in the syllabus when students must be present, including the first day of class for orientation. The orientation will cover class expectations, and students will be able to meet their instructors, learn how to access Blackboard and have questions answered. Online lessons aren't accessible before orientation.

Listing on Nurse Aide I registry

Many employers and lay people use the term CNA, or Certified Nursing Assistant, for nurse aides. They work under the supervision of the licensed registered nurse, RN, and do not have a license. The NA I in North Carolina is regulated and listed on the Nurse Aide I Registry by the state Division of Health Services Regulation, which is part of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. To become listed as a Nurse Aide I, federal regulations require that all candidates pass a state competency exam that consists of both a written and skills exam.

• The state exam has two parts: A 70-question, computer-based exam and five skills randomly selected from 22 state skills. Students have 30 minutes to complete the skills portion.
• Registration for the state exam is online through the CNA365 website. The $140 exam cost is separate from NA I tuition and is payable by debit or credit card only. Details on testing will be provided throughout the course.
• The exam can be taken at Wake Tech's Scott Northern Wake Campus on Fridays and Saturdays or anywhere in North Carolina that offers state testing.
• Accommodations can be arranged with Credentia, which administers the test. Testing also is available in Spanish.
• Those who have successfully completed both the written and the skills portions of the exam will be listed as a Nurse Aid I on the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry.

For more information regarding the state exam, visit Credentia's website.

Class withdrawal/transfer policy

Students may submit a withdrawal request and receive refunds in the following instances:

• A 100% refund if the student's withdrawal request was submitted before the course start date.
• A 75% refund (excluding community school, facility, insurance and lab fees) if the student withdraws before the 10% date of the course.

To transfer to another section of the course, a student meeting the above criteria must email his or her name, address, phone number and the section numbers for old and new class to [email protected].

NOTE: If a student is denied access to any clinical agency, the student will not be allowed to progress in the Health Sciences program and will be withdrawn. Please be advised that all Health Sciences students must maintain all health, immunization and vaccine requirements to be eligible to participate in clinical.

Student resources

Care Center
When personal stressors and out-of-the-classroom challenges interfere with your academic performance and daily life, the Care Center provides wraparound supports:

• Wellness Services, free, brief mental health counseling
• Student Success Coaching
• Food resources
• Emergency financial aid, including funding for textbooks and course materials
• Technology assistance, including laptop computers
• Transportation assistance

Email [email protected] or call 919-866-6111 for more information.

Disability Support Services
Disability Support Services assists with academic or non-academic accommodations for students with documented physical, psychological or learning disabilities.

Tutoring and Learning Center
To ensure that all Wake Tech students are successful in their courses, they can use the Tutoring and Learning Center for tutoring services, as well as any campus library, including online resources, for additional support. To access these services, students will need to have an active Wake Tech email and their student photo ID badge.

Clinical paperwork

CastleBranch manages all mandatory student paperwork for clinicals except for verification of ID, which is completed by the instructor. Students must upload the paperwork by a deadline that will be provided in the class schedule. CastleBranch charges students a one-time fee of $116 for the service.

Students should be proactive about gathering all necessary documents and allow up to two to three weeks for review and approval. If the paperwork is not correctly submitted by the deadline, the student will be exited from the program and receive a grade of NG. It is the student's responsibility to check for approval or rejection of his or her paperwork.

Students are guests at clinical sites, and, therefore, these requirements are not optional. While in the clinical setting, students must abide by the highest clinical standards. All Health Sciences students must maintain all health, immunization, vaccine, background and drug screen requirements to be eligible to participate in clinical.

NOTE: If a student is denied access to any clinical agency due to drug screen or background check findings, the student will not be allowed to progress in the Health Sciences program and will be withdrawn.

Without the following information properly recorded and approved, the student will be unable to attend clinical:

Proof of immunizations

The following information on immunizations can also be found on the Student Annual Orientation Checklist through the Consortium for Clinical Education and Practice, which students gain access to via Blackboard on the first day of class. Students can also access this prior to class via Wake AHEC if clinicals are at WakeMed. Other clinical sites have similar requirements.

Criminal background check and drug screening

Clinical facilities require that all Nurse Aide I students submit a criminal background check and urine drug screening. Wake Tech and the clinical facilities have designated CastleBranch as the provider of these services. Wake Tech will not accept results from any company other than CastleBranch.

On the CastleBranch website, select "Nurse Aide" and order package code WM83. Students can order individual items if needed. To order a background check only, the code is WM83re, with $5 payment. To order a drug screen only, the code is WM83dt, with $44 payment.

Students are responsible for the $116 fee for CastleBranch's services, which include the criminal background check, drug test and medical documentation manager. The fee is non-refundable.

The criminal background check is good for one year and must be valid throughout your entire class. All types of felony or misdemeanor convictions, pending charges and questionable histories will be reviewed. Students can submit a letter explaining any offenses that may prevent clinical admittance. Admittance into the clinical setting is determined by facility officials, and the facility's decision is final.

If unable to attend clinical due to findings, refunds will be granted after the deadlines, either prior to class or after 10% date.

The following criminal histories will likely disqualify a student from participating in the clinical component:

• Any pending charges
• Convictions or deferred adjudications involving crimes against persons (physical or sexual abuse, neglect, assault, murder, etc.)
• Convictions related to moral turpitude (prostitution, public lewdness/exposure, etc.)
• Convictions or deferred adjudications related to the sale, possession, distribution or transfer of narcotics or controlled substances
• Registration as a sex offender

Any student with a flagged criminal background check who has been declined by the clinical location will be contacted by a Wake Tech staff member via email and will be dismissed from the program with an NG grade.

A urine sample must be submitted and the drug screen completed before the noted deadline. The drug screening is good for one year and must be valid throughout your entire class.

Any student with a positive drug screen will be contacted by CastleBranch and a Wake Tech staff member via email and may be dismissed from the class.

Reasons for dismissal

• Cheating, forgery, plagiarism or taking pictures of a test in class
• Inappropriate behavior
• Failure to achieve a theory average of 78
• Failure to make 78 or better on a final exam retake
• Failure to pass the skills final exam
• Not submitting homework within three weeks of due date
• More than eight hours of lab absences
• More than eight hours of clinical absences
• Absence from Mandatory Clinical Prep and Orientation
• A clinical site disqualifying the student due to the criminal background check or drug screen
• Failure to correctly submit paperwork by the date and time of Mandatory Clinical Prep and Orientation
• Inability to check off all required skills prior to final exam
• Failure to pass clinical component
• Failure to respect the rights of patients or jeopardizing the safety of a patient
• Inappropriate use of electronic devices

If dismissal occurs for any reason, a student is are not eligible for a refund.

Grading

For tests and exams, a 4-point deduction will be taken from the student's attendance grade for each partial hour or hour missed, which is 10% of the theory grade. The test and exam grade will determine point credits as follows:

• 2 points credit/hour for 95-100
• 1 point credit/hour for 78-94
• No credit/hour for 77 or below

For each hour or partial hour missed from lab or classroom review, a 3-point deduction will be taken from the attendance grade. This deduction cannot be made up. All skills must be successfully checked off prior to entering the clinical setting.

It is the student's responsibility to submit the assigned homework in Blackboard by the due date for hybrid classes. It is not the instructor's responsibility to ask for homework. If homework is not received by due date, a 4-point deduction will be taken from the attendance grade for each assigned homework module. If make-up work is completed by the following Sunday by 11:59 p.m. for hybrid classes and the next class day for seated classes, the student will receive a 2-point credit for each module completed, dependent on the homework grade. If make-up work is not received by those deadlines, the student will be not receive any credit. If make-up work is not received by the second class session or the third Sunday by 11:59 p.m., the student will be exited from the class and receive a grade of "NG." All modules must be completed prior to final exam day.

Grading scale
S = 78 - 100
NG = Below 78

Unit tests – 80%

• There are four unit tests, each with 50 multiple-choice questions.
• Tests must be taken with No. 2 pencils. Pencils will not be provided.
• Students who miss a scheduled test must take a make-up test within one week. The instructor will inform the office staff about the needed make-up and assist the student with arranging a time to take the test outside of scheduled class time. Failure to arrange a time with the instructor to make up a test within one week will result in a score of 0 for the test.

Attendance – 10%

Final Exam – 10% (must score 78 or higher)

• The final exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions. The student will be offered a final retake.

Skills Final Exam – Pass/Fail

• The skills final consists of three random skills that students have been taught, and the students will be offered a retake.

In order to attend clinical, the student must have an overall 78 theory average (test average x 80% + attendance average x 10% + final exam score x 10%) without the benefit of rounding, pass the Skills Final Exam, submitted all mandatory paperwork and have correctly performed all required skills in lab.

Class/lab attendance and conduct

• Students will be considered tardy one minute after the class or lab starts.
• Absences will not be considered excused or unexcused. Failure to be in class, lab or clinical for any reason is considered an absence.
• Dismissal from the program and a grade of "NG" will result if a student accumulates more than eight hours of lab absences.
• Students must complete all components (theory, lab and clinical) of the class.
• There are no provisions to retake any component or transfer to another section for any component after the 10% mark. Failure of any component will result in a grade of "NG." Students will be required to re-register and repay to repeat the entire class.
   
• Students are expected to behave in a mature manner. Class or lab disruption will result in a deduction from the student's attendance grade, dismissal for the day or dismissal from the program.
• Every student is expected to participate in all lab activities. Inability to correctly participate in lab for any reason will result in a deduction from the student's attendance grade, dismissal for the day or dismissal from the program.
• At the end of the lab session, all students are required to clean the lab and return all materials to their proper places or receive deductions from their attendance grade.
• Students must dress modestly and professionally during class and lab. Dress code also is enforced for clinical rotation. Wearing extremely tight or revealing shirts, shorts or skirts is not allowed. The instructor reserves the right to have you leave class to change your appearance.
• Fingernails should not be longer than the fingertips (no longer than 0.2 inch). Bold fingernail polish and acrylic nails will not be allowed in the clinical setting. Visible tattoos need to be covered.
• No eating and/or drinking in the lab. Students can have drinks in class, but the drink must have a secure top.
• No use of cellphones or other electrical/musical devices in class or lab. Using these devices will result in a deduction from the student's attendance grade.
• No children are allowed in the classroom, lab or clinical environment.

Clinical entry

Students must show a progression in their performance to continue in the NAI program. There must be a successful check-off for each required skill and two successful check-offs for handwashing and vital signs prior to clinical. The instructor must be present the first time each NAI skill is being performed in clinical. The attainment of the required skill check-offs in lab and clinical is the student's responsibility.

Dress code

• Tops/pants – neat, clean, wrinkle-free, navy blue scrubs. A solid white or navy blue shirt may be worn under the scrub top. Pants must fit at the natural waist and be long enough to cover the ankle
• Shoes – black, non-canvas, closed-toe, closed-heel
• Socks/hose - black (no portion of the leg or ankle should be visible)
• Hair/facial - must be of natural color, neat, clean and modestly arranged so not to touch the collar
• Make-up - must be kept to a minimum; perfumes and colognes are not allowed
• Nails - no longer than the fingertips (0.2 inch), no bold fingernail polish and no acrylic nails
• Tattoos - must be covered
• Jewelry - watch, med-alert necklace/bracelet, a modest single ring and a single pair of post earrings in the ears are the only visible jewelry allowed
• Equipment – watch with a second hand, stethoscope, Wake Tech photo ID, black pen, small notebook

Attendance

• A four-hour mandatory clinical orientation is scheduled at the beginning of the clinical component.
• An eight-hour mandatory mock competency is scheduled at the end of clinical.
• Students are expected to be at the assigned clinical site ready to begin work at the beginning of the clinical day. Any student who arrives at clinical and is not prepared to begin work one minute after the scheduled clinical start time will be considered tardy.
• Two tardies or two early departures (leaving less than 30 minutes before the end of clinical) will equate to four hours of clinical absence.
• Leaving clinical 30 minutes early or earlier is the same as missing the full day.
• A student arriving 30 minutes after the scheduled arrival time will be sent home and marked as missing the full clinical day.
• Students cannot leave the clinical facility for any reason without approval from the instructor.
• Any student who needs to be absent during the clinical component must notify the instructor 24 hours prior to the clinical absence. For early-morning emergencies, call three hours before clinical begins. Failure to make this notification may result in dismissal from the program, and a grade of "NG" will be given.
• Dismissal from the program and a grade of "NG" will result if the student has more than eight hours of clinical absences or other safety concerns.

Skills and grading

Clinical and skills grade will be Pass or Fail. This grade will be based on the student's performance, professionalism and paperwork. Failure to respect the rights of patients or jeopardizing the safety of a patient will result in automatic dismissal from the program.

Performance standards

In compliance with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, the following standards have been established for a nurse aide.

If a Nurse Aide student believes he or she cannot meet one or more of the standards without accommodation or modifications, the college must determine, on an individual basis, whether or not the necessary accommodations or modifications can be made reasonably. Standards have been developed by the Board of Directors of the Southern Council of Education for Nursing to assist Nursing Education Programs in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act.

Grievances

Student grievances will be taken into consideration; however, students must follow the chain of command. If a student is having issues, the student should speak to his or her instructor before contacting any other member of the Wake Tech Nurse Aide team. Instructors should be the first point of contact for the student.

If the student feels the need to speak with someone after communicating with the instructor, the program director will be asked to speak with the student. Parents should not call for the student. Parents can be present; however, the conversation will be with the student unless the student is a minor.

Emergency cancellations and closings

Wake Tech emergency cancellations and closings are posted on the college website, and messages are on the main phone line at 919-866-5000. Current students with a Wake Tech email are automatically registered to receive Wake Tech WARN email alerts from the college emergency alert system. Students can sign up with Wake Tech WARN to also receive phone text messages and voicemail in the event of an emergency or inclement weather situation.

Nurse Aide classes scheduled August through March will have mandatory inclement weather make-up dates built into their class schedules. In the event the college closes and an entire lab or clinical class day is missed, mandatory make-up dates will be used in the same order they are listed on the class schedule. The attendance policy for mandatory make-up dates is the same as a regular class date. If closings result in partial lab or clinical hours of class being missed, these hours will be made up by adding hours to existing class dates to make up the time.