Wright State Nursing Institute to launch Nurse Aide Training Program

The Nurse Aide Training Program, which will be launched during the fall 2013 semester, is a comprehensive program for students entering nursing programs and those interested in working as a nurse aide.

People interested in working as nurse aides can now receive training in a new program offered by The Nursing Institute at Wright State University.

The Nurse Aide Training Program, which will be launched during the fall 2013 semester by The Nursing Institute of West Central Ohio, is a comprehensive program for students entering nursing programs and those interested in working as a nurse aide.

The technical training program is not offered for college credit, but, upon successful completion, each student will receive a certificate and will be eligible to take the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry test. Once on the state registry as a state-tested nurse aide, candidates can work in a long-term care facility.

Approved by the Ohio Department of Health, the training program will introduce students to the role of a nurse aide and to basic patient care principles. It will cover basic nursing skills, communication, safety and emergency procedures, infection control, personal care and hygiene instruction.

“It will make them stronger nursing students and offer skills that will allow the student to work in health care as they go through their nursing program, which will eventually increase their comfort and confidence at the patient’s bedside as they become licensed nurses,” said Harriet Knowles, R.N., M.S.N., director of the Nursing Institute.

In addition, the program will help fulfill the needs of the institute’s partner institutions that indicate that more nurse aides are needed in the health care industry.

The training program will include 107.5 total hours of classroom, lab and clinical training, more than the state minimum of 75 required hours for nurse aides. A quarter of students’ time will be spent gaining clinical experience at an area health facility.

The extra hours will give students more hands-on training and help make them better prepared aides, Knowles said. The clinical experience focuses on practicing what students learn in the classroom with an emphasis on safe, quality care.

The university-based training program offers many resources and expertise associated with a major regional nursing program.

The nurse aide program is open to Wright State students and people not enrolled in a degree program who are interested in nursing or becoming a nurse aide. Students can learn more about health care and decide whether they want to pursue a career as a licensed nurse, Knowles said.

The Wright State University–Miami Valley College of Nursing and Health requires students to have completed nurse aide training before entering its nursing program, as do other programs in the region.

Classes will be held on the Wright State campus or at a local health care facility, and clinical practice will take place at a long-term care facility.

Sessions will be offered throughout the year, and each session is limited to 16 students. The program costs $579, which does not include the fee for the state nurse aide test. The course textbook and parking during the program are free.

Beside the Nurse Aide Training Program, The Nursing Institute offers customized training programs designed to enhance the skill and confidence of the area’s health care workforce.