Certified Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aide Program Information

The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Home Health Aide (HHA) Program provided by Santa Barbara City College prepares the student for California Certification as a CNA and HHA. It is designed to provide the student with nursing theory, laboratory and clinical experience necessary to work as a CNA in a variety of health care settings. Instruction will be held at Santa Barbara City College, and the clinical component will be held at several community-based facilities.

Certified Nursing Assistants and Home Health Aides are health care professionals who work in a variety of health care settings. Job responsibilities include assisting with personal hygiene and grooming (for example, bathing, dressing, nail care), mobility (transferring, positioning, ambulation), nutritional and elimination needs (feeding, bedpans, emptying urine collection bags), comfort activities (back rubs, answering call lights, maintaining privacy), assessment and care planning (vital signs, collecting specimens, recording and reporting observations), safety and environmental cleanliness (keeping environment clean, maintaining infection control, caring for equipment), and miscellaneous tasks (transporting residents, delivering specimens, assisting with special procedures).

CNA/HHA Courses

CNA 101-Long-Term Care

On completion of this course, the student meets California requirements to take the State Certification Exam for CNA's. Basic nursing theory and skills are taught in the classroom and laboratory setting, and students are supervised in giving care to residents in the long-term care facility (nursing home). The focus of this course is on the care of the elderly resident. Course content follows the California State approved CNA curriculum.

CNA Certification:

A federal law (OBRA) enacted on April 1, 1987, requires all students completing an accredited nursing program to be tested in theory and clinical skills. As mentioned above, after taking CNA 101 the student qualifies to take the CNA State Exam. The student has 3 opportunities to pass the exam, which consists of a multiple choice and a skills performance component. After successfully passing both parts, the student is certified as a CNA for 2 years. To remain active, this certification must be renewed every 2 years. Successful completion of 48 units of continuing education and at least 8 hours of paid employment must be completed for certification renewal. If the certificate is not renewed, the student must take the class and State Exam again in order to be able to work as a CNA. The student is responsible for following up with certificate renewal, and knowing his/her renewal date. Renewal dates will be indicated on the CNA certificate.

CNA 103-AcuteCare

After completing CNA 101, the student may take CNA 103, which builds on the skills learned in long-term care. The focus is on the care of the patient in the acute care hospital setting. This course consists of theory and supervised clinical experience at Cottage Hospital and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital.

CNA 102-Home Health

The Home Health Aide (HHA) program builds upon the basic CNA training and prepares men and women to give care in the home. This includes a focus on the role of the home health aide, performing personal care in the home environment, medical and social needs of the client in the home setting with a focus on the family, nutritional needs and meal preparation, food storage, and cleaning and care tasks.

*Prerequisite for the HHA course is satisfactory completion of the CNA course, successful completion of the CNA State Exam and/or previous certification as a CNA. There is no state exam for the HHA.\

CNA/HHA COURSE CREDITS

Expenses: Enrollment fees, textbooks, uniform tabards, basic equipment and certification exams fees are paid for by the generous donation of Arthur Rupe. The CNA student would need to pay the following:

Scholarships and loans are available from the Financial Aid Office in the Student Services Building.

LENGTH OF PROGRAM
Together, the CNA course and HHA course take one college semester (16 weeks).
CNA 101- 10 weeks
CNA 103- 2.5 weeks
CNA 102- 3.5 weeks

APPROXIMATE WEEKLY SCHEDULE

CRIMINAL SCREENING PROCEDURE

Have you ever been convicted by any court of a crime, other than a minor traffic violation?

If you answered YES to the above question, you must write to the address below, include the information that is listed below and be cleared by the Department of Health. This needs to be done BEFORE entering the Certified Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aide training course.

This process is the student’s responsibility. Failure to complete this step prior to enrolling in the program will impede the student’s ability to be certified and/or work as a CNA/HHA.

Put in this order

1. Current date:
   
   
2. Address: California State Department of Public Health
   714/744 "P" St.
   P.O. Box 942732
   Sacramento, CA 94234-7320
   Health and Safety Code, Sections 1337 through 138.1
   
   
3. The following statement:
   
   This letter is being submitted for state approval prior to entering a Certified Nurses Assistant training course.
   
   
4. Information to be included:
   
   -Dates and nature of the incident(s).
   -Disposition of the case. (Provide court papers.)
   -Current status.
   -Letters from Probation Officer (if applicable).
   -Letters of Recommendation (if available).

FURTHER INFORMATION: If you have any further questions, the following contacts can be helpful to you:

Santa Barbara City College
Health Technology Office
721 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93109
(805) 965-0581

Mary Webber
Program Director
CNA / HHA Program
(805) 965-0581 x2738

Health Technologies Secretary
(805) 965-0581 x2366
8:00-4:30 Monday-Friday

Health Technology
Cluster Counselors
(805) 965-0581 x2285


back to top of page