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 course, Medical Terminology, for those interested in familiarizing themselves with new medical language to 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. Emphasis is placed on person-centered care, the aging process, communication, safety/emergencies, infection prevention, legal and ethical issues, measurements, elimination, nutrition, basic restorative care/rehabilitation, dementia, mental health and 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.

Due to Nurse Aide I being a Workforce Continuing Education class, students will not receive credit hours or be 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.

This is a hybrid class, consisting of 168 total hours of online, classroom, lab and clinical instruction. The theory portion of class will be online via Moodle; 48 hours of the class will be clinical hours. The four-hour Clinical Prep & Orientation and eight-hour Mock Competency days are mandatory.

Hybrid classes are best for students proficient in the English language who are confident with their computer and time management skills. Students will need to use Chrome or Firefox web browsers to access Moodle, as Internet Explorer is not supported. Students will not have access to the online component of the class until the first day of class. On that day, students will meet their instructor, receive instructions on how to access Moodle and have questions answered. The student curriculum and class homework are all located in Moodle.

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: 70-question, computer-based exam and five skills.
• Registration for the State Exam is done by online registration at least 12 days prior to the exam date. Payment will be in the form of a debit or credit card paid to Credentia, which administers the test.
• The exam cost is $140 and is separate from NA I tuition.
• The exam can be taken at Wake Tech's Scott Northern Wake Campus and is also given in Spanish.
• Those who have successfully completed 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, the student must email his or her name, address, phone number and the section numbers for old and new class to [email protected].

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, such as Wellness Services, free, brief mental health counseling; Student Success Coaching; food resources; emergency financial aid, including funding for textbooks and course materials; technology assistance; and transportation assistance. Email [email protected] or call 918-866-6111 for more information.

Disability Support Services
Disability Support Services is dedicated to "serving our students who may, due to documented physical, psychological or learning disabilities, require academic or non-academic accommodations for equal access to college facilities, academic programs and other activities."

Individual Learning Center
To ensure that all Wake Tech students are successful in their courses, they can use the Individualized Learner 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

Students must upload all clinical paperwork, other than what's noted below, to CastleBranch prior to the clinical paperwork deadline. Please allow up to one week for review and approval. If the paperwork is not correctly submitted by the scheduled time and date of the clinical prep and orientation, the student will be exited and receive a grade of NG. It is the student's responsibility to check for approval or rejection.

Consistent with their value to do zero harm to patients and staff, several clinical affiliates require all employees, temporary employees, providers, volunteers, students, residents and those who are job shadowing to receive and show documentation of their completed COVID-19 vaccination(s). All Wake Tech students must upload proof of vaccination to CastleBranch's secure server.

Medical and religious exemptions will not be considered for COVID-19 vaccinations or any other required paperwork for Wake Tech's students, faculty and staff. Students are guests at clinical sites and will not be afforded the same rights as clinical employees. Students must abide by the highest clinical standards.

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.

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 Moodle on the first day of class. Students can also access this prior to class via Wake AHEC.

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 criminal background check and drug screening provider. Wake Tech will not accept results from any company other than CastleBranch.

• Select: Nurse Aide
• Order package code: WM83

Students are responsible for the $116 cost of the criminal background check, drug test and medical documentation manager, and all are non-refundable.

To order a background check only: Code WM83re with $5 payment

To order a drug screen only: Code WM83dt with $44 payment

Criminal background check

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 by the clinical site, and admittance into the clinical setting will be determined by the facility officials.

The clinical facility's decision is final.

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.

Drug screening

The urine sample must be submitted and completed before your class goes to clinical. Be sure to note the clinical dates for your class when you register. 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.

Behavioral requirements

The following unprofessional or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated and may result in automatic dismissal from the program:

• Disrespectful, interruptive, disruptive or impatient behavior toward the instructors, fellow students, staff or clinical staff
• Inappropriate reactions at any time
• If the instructor suspects that you are a safety risk in clinical due to a physical or behavior action or issue
• Cheating, suspected use of alcohol or drugs on campus or before class
• Fighting, the use of profanity or demonstrating an attitude that would frighten a patient such as a loud, raised or angry voice

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 exam retake
• 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
• The clinical site disqualifying students 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 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 Moodle by the due date online. It is not the instructor's responsibility to ask for this work. 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., then the student will receive a 2-point credit for each module completed. If assigned homework is not received by the following Sunday by 11:59 p.m., the student will be not receive any credit. If assigned homework is not received by 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.

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 test will be taken 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.

Classroom/lab conduct

• 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. Wearing hats, 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 must be clean and short to participate in lab. The student will not be allowed to enter the lab with long fingernails and will receive deductions from attendance grade.
• No chewing of gum, eating and/or drinking in the class or lab.
• No use of cellphones or other electrical/musical devices. The result of using these devices in the classroom and/or lab will be a deduction from the student's attendance grade.
• No children are allowed on campus.

Class/lab attendance

• 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. 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.

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.

Clinical 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 - must be short, clean and free of nail polish or any artificial covering
• 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

Clinical 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. If the student arrives at clinical and is not prepared to begin work one minute after the scheduled clinical start time, they will be considered tardy.
• Two tardies or two early departures (leaving less than 20 minutes before the end of clinical) will equate to four hours of clinical absence.
• Leaving clinical 20 minutes early or earlier is the same as missing the full day.
• A student arriving 20 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.
• If a student needs to be absent during the clinical component, they must notify the instructor 24 hours prior to the clinical absence. Failure to make this notification will result in automatic 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.

Clinical 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 for the Nurse Aide I student

In compliance with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, the following standards have been established. According to the nature of the work required in nurse aide practice and the educational requirements of the nurse aide curriculum, the student must be able to meet the following:

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.

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.