Nursing Assistant Course

Lesson 1 • Healthcare Setting Orientation

Introduces common care environments including hospitals, long-term care, and home settings. Prepares students for varied workplace expectations.

Lesson 2 • Role and Scope of Practice

Defines the nursing assistant's duties within the healthcare team. Clarifies boundaries between CNA tasks and licensed nursing responsibilities.

Lesson 3 • Professional Communication Skills

Teaches verbal, nonverbal, and written communication with patients and staff. Supports accurate documentation and respectful patient interaction.

Lesson 1 • Digestive, Urinary, and Endocrine Systems

Covers digestion, elimination, and hormonal regulation relevant to patient care. Supports understanding of nutrition, fluid balance, and diabetes management tasks.

Lesson 2 • Nervous System and Sensory Function

Introduces brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve functions affecting patient behavior and mobility. Connects neurological concepts to dementia and stroke care.

Lesson 3 • Integumentary and Musculoskeletal Systems

Covers skin structure, bone anatomy, and muscle function relevant to CNA care tasks. Links system knowledge to skin breakdown prevention and mobility assistance.

Lesson 4 • Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems

Explains heart function, circulation, and respiratory mechanics at a foundational level. Prepares students to recognize abnormal vital signs and breathing patterns.

Lesson 1 • Hand Hygiene and Aseptic Technique

Demonstrates correct handwashing and alcohol-based hand rub procedures. Introduces medical asepsis principles applied during routine care tasks.

Lesson 2 • Workplace Safety and Hazard Management

Addresses fire safety, chemical hazard communication, and sharps disposal. Prepares students to respond appropriately to common workplace emergencies.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Infection Control

Explains how pathogens spread and how the chain of infection is broken. Establishes the scientific basis for all infection prevention measures.

Lesson 4 • Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions

Covers standard precautions applied to every patient and additional precautions for specific infections. Differentiates contact, droplet, and airborne isolation protocols.

Lesson 1 • Toileting and Elimination Care

Covers bedpan, urinal, commode, and incontinence care procedures. Teaches accurate observation and reporting of elimination output changes.

Lesson 2 • Dressing and Undressing Assistance

Demonstrates proper sequencing for dressing patients with weakness or paralysis. Promotes patient choice and independence throughout the dressing process.

Lesson 3 • Bathing and Skin Care Procedures

Teaches complete bed bath, partial bath, shower, and tub bath techniques. Emphasizes skin inspection during bathing to detect early breakdown signs.

Lesson 4 • Oral, Hair, and Nail Care

Covers brushing, denture care, hair grooming, and nail hygiene procedures. Addresses special considerations for unconscious or cognitively impaired patients.

Lesson 1 • Body Mechanics and Ergonomic Principles

Teaches correct posture, lifting mechanics, and movement strategies to prevent musculoskeletal injury. Forms the safety foundation for all patient handling tasks.

Lesson 2 • Ambulation Assistance and Gait Aids

Teaches safe walking assistance with and without gait aids including walkers and canes. Covers fall response procedures when a patient begins to fall during ambulation.

Lesson 3 • Transfers Between Surfaces

Demonstrates bed-to-chair, chair-to-toilet, and lateral transfer techniques. Addresses weight-bearing status and use of transfer belts and boards.

Lesson 4 • Positioning Patients in Bed

Covers supine, lateral, prone, Fowler's, and Sims' positions with correct alignment. Links positioning to pressure injury prevention and respiratory comfort.

Lesson 1 • Pulse and Respiration Assessment

Teaches radial pulse palpation, apical pulse auscultation, and respiratory rate counting. Identifies rhythm, rate, and depth abnormalities requiring nurse notification.

Lesson 2 • Intake, Output, and Weight Measurement

Teaches accurate measurement of fluid intake, urinary output, and body weight. Connects fluid balance monitoring to early detection of clinical deterioration.

Lesson 3 • Oxygen Saturation and Pain Assessment

Covers pulse oximetry placement, interpretation, and limitations. Introduces standardized pain scales used to quantify and document patient-reported pain.

Lesson 4 • Blood Pressure Measurement

Demonstrates manual sphygmomanometer and electronic cuff techniques for accurate readings. Covers cuff sizing, positioning, and common measurement errors.

Lesson 1 • Cardiac and Respiratory Condition Care

Addresses activity restrictions, oxygen therapy assistance, and symptom monitoring for cardiac and respiratory patients. Covers when to escalate observations to nursing staff.

Lesson 2 • Stroke and Neurological Condition Care

Covers post-stroke deficits including hemiplegia, aphasia, and dysphagia and their care implications. Teaches positioning, communication aids, and swallowing precautions.

Lesson 3 • Diabetes Care and Glucose Monitoring

Covers hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia recognition, dietary support, and foot care. Prepares students to assist with blood glucose monitoring under nurse supervision.

Lesson 4 • Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Care

Addresses behavioral symptoms, communication strategies, and safe environment creation for dementia patients. Emphasizes person-centered approaches to reduce agitation.

Lesson 1 • Restorative Nursing and Rehabilitation Support

Teaches range-of-motion exercises, splint application, and bowel and bladder retraining assistance. Connects restorative goals to maintaining patient function and independence.

Lesson 2 • Principles of Palliative and Hospice Care

Defines palliative and hospice philosophy, goals, and the CNA's role within the care team. Distinguishes comfort-focused care from curative treatment approaches.

Lesson 3 • Physical Signs of Approaching Death

Identifies physiological changes in the final hours and days of life. Prepares students to provide appropriate comfort measures and notify nursing staff.

Lesson 4 • Emotional and Spiritual Support

Covers therapeutic presence, active listening, and cultural sensitivity in end-of-life situations. Addresses family support and grief responses in the care environment.