Skilled Care

Clinical Medical Assistant Program Information

The Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate Program provides training to individuals who support physicians, medical professionals and medical programs. A clinical medical assistant works with both direct patient care (back office) and in medical administrative support (front office) positions.

There is not a selection process for the clinical medical assistant program (certificate or OSAs). Students will register for the classes on a first-come, first-served basis, as long as the course prerequisites or corequisites are met.

State and national medical industry certifications: Students successfully completing specific credit and/or non-credit courses may participate in Texas and national medical industry certification exams:

State of Texas nurse aide certification (CNA) – upon completion of NURA-1307 Body Systems and NURA-1160 Clinical, Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Asst/Aide
Phlebotomy technician – national medical industry certification (CPT) – upon completion of PLAB-1323 Phlebotomy, and PLAB-1171 Phlebotomy Lab.

Certified clinical medical assistant - national medical industry certification (CCMA) – upon completion of:

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
HPRS-1105	Essentials of Medical Law/Ethics for Health Professionals	1
NURA-1307	Body Systems	3
MDCA-1317	Procedures in a Clinical Setting	3
MDCA-1348	Pharmacology & Administration of Medications	3
MDCA-1452	Medical Assistant Laboratory Procedures	4 or 3
or PLAB-1323	Phlebotomy
MDCA-1160	Clinic Med Assist	1
MDCA-1254	Medical Assisting Credentialing Exam Review	2
Choose elective from approved list

Note: Criminal history may disqualify individuals from obtaining or maintaining medical/nursing assistant certifications and/or employment opportunities.

Prior to determining employability, facilities and agencies must check an applicant's criminal history, Nurse Aide Registry status and Employee Misconduct Registry status.
The Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) is required to check both the Employee Misconduct Registry (EMR) and the Nurse Aide Registry (NAR) and to conduct a criminal history background check for all applicants. Applicants found to be listed on the Employee Misconduct Registry (EMR), or who are listed on the Nurse Aide Registry (NAR) in "revoked" status, or who have a criminal history that would bar employment in a Health and Human Services (HHS) licensed facility or agency are prohibited from enrolling in a nurse aide training program.

Credit by Evaluation for Prior Learning Assessments/Certifications

A student may receive credit for successfully earning one or more of the certifications listed below. To receive credit, a student must have completed 12 semester credit hours with TVCC, present proof that he/she has passed the certifying exam listed, complete and submit a course credit form, and pay the processing fees. Please see an academic advisor for more information or contact the Terrell Health Science Center counselor.

Nurse Aide Certification (CNA) awarded by the State of Texas Department of Health and Human Services can be substituted for both NURA-1401 Nurse Aide for Health Care and NURA-1160 Clinical, Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Asst/Aide for a total of 5 credits
Medication Aide Certification (CMA) awarded by the State of Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services can be substituted for MDCA-1348 Pharmacology & Administration of Medications for a total of 3 credits
American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Phlebotomy Technician awarded by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists can be substituted for PLAB-1323 Phlebotomy.
National Health Careers Association, Certified Phlebotomy Technician and documentation of the completion of a minimum of 30 successful live blood draws can be substituted for PLAB-1323 Phlebotomy and PLAB-1171 Phlebotomy Lab.

Program entrance requirements (See individual course syllabi) – Students must:

Meet essential standards for visual acuity, auditory perception with corrective devices, appropriate physical ability and stamina including manual dexterity of gross motor and fine motor skills and coordination needed for training/employment when participating in clinical courses;
Provide current immunization documentation prior to participating in clinical activities;
Provide a current negative TB test;
Provide an acceptable criminal history background check (no felony convictions);
Follow the Health Occupations drug screening policy. Course syllabi contain specific information and requirements.

PCT Skilled Care Program Information

This program is designed to educate and train individuals to function as nursing support personnel in the hospital who are above the level of a nursing assistant but below the level requiring licensure.

There is a selection process for this program. It is the student’s responsibility to read the current health occupations brochure or contact an advisor regarding the current process. The brochure includes information about the selection process, immunization requirements, and estimated costs, etc. The deadline for submitting the online application is May 14th for the fall semester and October 14th for the spring semester. Check with the Terrell Health Science Center counselor to see if late applications are being accepted.

Students must meet current hepatitis B vaccination requirements to be able to enroll in PCT courses.

It is the student’s responsibility to read the current brochure at http://www.tvcc.edu/health-science-center or contact an advisor regarding the current process.

Note: Criminal history may disqualify individuals from obtaining or maintaining employment and/or certification as a nursing assistant.

Before hiring a Certified Nurse Aide, employers in a regulated faculty/agency are required to check if an applicant is employable, meaning they are not listed on the Employee Misconduct Registry, have not been revoked on the Nurse Aide Registry, or do not have a criminal conviction that is listed as an automatic bar to employment in the Health and Safety Code Chapter 250 found at http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/HS/htm/HS.250.htm.

ECRD-1111. Electrocardiograph. (1 Credit)

(1-0-3-0) This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Fundamentals of cardiovascular anatomy and physiology. Includes basic electrocardiography procedures, interpretation of basic dysrhythmias, and appropriate treatment modalities. Lab fee.

ECRD-1211. Electrocardiograph. (2 Credits)

(2-1-3-0) This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Fundamentals of cardiovascular anatomy and physiology. Includes basic electrocardiography procedures, interpretation of basic dysrhythmias, and appropriate treatment modalities. Lab fee.

HPRS-1106. Essentials of Medical Terminology. (1 Credit)

(1-1-1-0) This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. A study of medical terminology, word origin, structure and application. Lab fee.

HPRS-1105. Essentials of Medical Law/Ethics for Health Professionals. (1 Credit)

(1-1-0-0) This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Introduction to the relationship between legal aspects and ethics in health care, with emphasis on the ethical and legal responsibilities of health care professionals. Lab fee.

MDCA-1160. Clinic Med Assist. (1 Credit)

This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. A health-related work-based learning experience that enables the student to apply specialized occupational theory, skills, and concepts. Direct supervision is provided by the clinical professional. Lab fee $87 includes professional liability insurance and drug screen.

MDCA-1210. Medical Assistant Interpersonal Communication Skills. (2 Credits)

(2-1-4-2) This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Emphasis on the application of basic psychological principles and the study of behavior as they apply to special populations. Topics include procedures for self-understanding and social adaptability in interpersonal communication with patients and co-workers in an ambulatory care setting. Lab fee.

MDCA-1254. Medical Assisting Credentialing Exam Review. (2 Credits)

(2-2-1-0) This course is taken for academic credit. (Prerequisite: MDCA 1417) Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. A preparation for one of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies NCCA recognized credentialing exams. Lab fee.

MDCA-1313. Medical Terminology. (3 Credits)

(3-3-0) This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. A study and practical application of a medical vocabulary system. Includes structure, recognition, analysis, definition, spelling, pronunciation, and combination of medical terms from prefixes, suffixes, roots and combining forms.

MDCA-1317. Procedures in a Clinical Setting. (3 Credits)

This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Emphasis on patient assessment, examinations, and treatment as directed by a physician. Includes vital signs, collection and documented of patient information, asepsis, office clinical procedures and other treatments as appropriate for ambulatory case settings. Computer with web access is required. Lab fee.

MDCA-1321. Administrative Procedures. (3 Credits)

(3-2-3-0) This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Medical office procedures including appointment scheduling, medical records creation and maintenance, interpersonal communications, bookkeeping tasks, coding, billing, collecting, third party reimbursement, credit arrangements, and computer use in the medical office. Computer/web access required. Lab fee.

MDCA-1348. Pharmacology & Administration of Medications. (3 Credits)

(3-2-4-0) This course is taken for academic credit. (Prerequisite: HRPS 1105 and NURA 1407) Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Instruction in concepts and application of pharmacological principles. Focuses on drug classifications, principles and procedures of medication administration, mathematical systems and conversions, calculation of drug problems, and medico-legal responsibilities of the medical assistant. Lab fee.

MDCA-1452. Medical Assistant Laboratory Procedures. (4 Credits)

(4-3-3-0) This course is taken for academic credit. (Prerequisite or Corequisite: HRPS 1105 and NURA 1407) Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Application of governmental health care guidelines. Includes specimen collection and handling, quality assurance and quality control in performance of Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waived laboratory testing. Lab fee.

NUPC-1164. Practicum, Patient Care Assistant/Aide. (1 Credit)

(1-0-0-7) This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Practical, general workplace training supported by an individualized learning plan developed by the employer, college and student. Lab fee $52 includes drug screen and professional liability insurance.

NUPC-1320. Patient Care Tech. (3 Credits)

(3-2-4-0) This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Training, skills, and knowledge needed to gain employment as a patient care technician in a hospital setting. Lab fee.

NURA-1160. Clinical, Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Asst/Aide. (1 Credit)

(1-0-0-6) This course is taken for academic credit. (Prerequisite: See health occupations advisor) Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. A health related work-based learning experience that enables the student to apply specialized occupational theory skills and concepts. Direct supervision is provided by the clinical professional. Lab fee $87 includes professional liability insurance and drug screening.

NURA-1307. Body Systems. (3 Credits)

This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. A basic study of the structures and functions of the human body. Lab fee.

NURA-1401. Nurse Aide for Health Care. (4 Credits)

(4-3-4-0) This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Knowledge, skills, and abilities essential to provide basic care to patients of long-term care facilities. Topics include resident's rights, communication, safety. Emphasis on observation, reporting, and assisting students in maintaining basic comfort and safety with emphasis on effective interaction with restorative services, mental health, and social service needs. Lab fee.

PLAB-1171. Phlebotomy Lab. (1 Credit)

(1-0-4-0) This course is taken for academic credit. (Prerequisite: PLAB 1323) Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Continued skill development in the performance of a variety of blood collection methods using proper techniques and standard precautions to prepare the student for eligibility for national NHA phlebotomy certificate. Lab fee $85 includes lab supplies.

PLAB-1323. Phlebotomy. (3 Credits)

(3-2-4-0) This course is taken for academic credit. (Prerequisite: See health occupations advisor) Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Skill development in the performance of a variety of blood collection methods using proper techniques and standard precautions. Includes vacuum collection devices, syringes, capillary skin puncture, butterfly needles and blood culture, and specimen collection on adults, children and infants. Emphasis on infection prevention, patient identification, specimen labeling, quality assurance, specimen handling, processing, accessioning, professionalism, ethics, and medical terminology. Lab fee $95 includes lab supplies and drug screening.

TECM-1303. Technical Calculations. (3 Credits)

(3-3-0-0) This course is taken for academic credit. Students will earn an A, B, C, D, F, or W. Specific mathematical calculations required by business, industry, and health occupations.

A grade of 75 or better is required in all courses in order to remain in the program.

What Nursing Assistants and Orderlies Do

Nursing assistants provide basic care and help patients with activities of daily living. Orderlies transport patients and clean treatment areas.

SUMMARY

2020 Median Pay: $30830 per year; $14.82 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education: See How to Become One
Work Experience in a Related Occupation: None
On-the-job Training: See How to Become One
Number of Jobs, 2020: 1,440,700
Job Outlook, 2020-30: 8% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2019-29: 118,500

Work Environment

Most nursing assistants and orderlies work in nursing and residential care facilities and in hospitals. They are physically active and may need to help lift or move patients.

How to Become a Nursing Assistant or Orderly

Nursing assistants often need to complete a state-approved education program and pass their state’s competency exam to become licensed or certified. Orderlies typically have at least a high school diploma.

Pay

The median annual wage for nursing assistants was $30,850 in May 2020.

The median annual wage for orderlies was $30,030 in May 2020.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of nursing assistants and orderlies is projected to grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. As the baby-boom population ages, nursing assistants and orderlies will be needed to help care for an increasing number of older patients.

SUGGESTED CITATION:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Nursing Assistants and Orderlies, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nursing-assistants.htm (visited March 4, 2022).

Some careers in this field will require a bachelor's degree.

TVCC's AA degrees are fully transferable to public universities in Texas. See an academic advisor or TVCC's university transfer webpage for more information on this transfer opportunity.
Many of TVCC's AAS degrees lead to an online Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) degree with participating universities. See an academic advisor or the BAAS transfer website for more information on this transfer opportunity.