New Medical Career Paths Open Up

Two new career paths make it easier to enter the medical care field.

Anyone with a high school diploma or GED and who can pass a state licensing exam, can become certified as a Nursing Assistant Certified, which qualifies them to perform limited responsibilities in a care environment.

“They can get jobs in extended-care facilities, assisted-living facilities and sometimes in hospitals,” said Carol Nelson, direction of the nursing program at Spokane Falls Community College.

SFCC offers a three- to four-week program which prepares students to perform basic care functions, including bathing and hygiene, the rights of patients, how to take temperatures, pulse and respiration and how to feed patients, Nelson said.

Nursing Assistants Certified - they’re known as NACs in the industry often work with older patients in extended care and assisted living environments.

A lesser category, Nurse’s Aid Registered (NAR), requires no class time, said Julie Ray, a graduate of SFCC’s nursing program and owner of J.C.’s Adult Family Home.

“It’s easy: they only need to fill out a form and once you’re cleared, you’re on a registry.

Ray explained that NARs work under the direction of a state appointed nurse delegator, and may perform a limited number of “delegated tasks,” including blood glucose monitoring, administering enemas, installing and maintaining catheters, ostomy care, applying topical ointments and administering medications.

“From what I understand, nursing homes want you to be a licensed Nursing Aid Certified.”

Nursing homes may hire NARs, she said, but will assign them to duties other than direct patient care.

SFCC offers a tiered nursing program, Carol Nelson said. After four quarters of study, a student may take a Licensed Practical Nursing Exam.

To earn the higher designation as Registered Nurse, a student must complete another three quarters of study and pass a state exam.