Core and Course Outline: Curriculum: Health Careers

Introduction

During the 1989-90 school year, the State Board for Career and Technical Education established a Health Occupations Task Force to answer the question, "Does the Health Occupations curriculum currently in use across the state of North Dakota meet the needs of students wishing to enter the health care industry of the 1990's and beyond?" As a result of the work of the task force, a Health Careers statewide curriculum committee was formed to develop a contemporary curriculum. The curriculum was based on a core of common practices with an introduction to medical careers and information common to many occupations in health care.

Health Careers was a successful effort with programs expanding and new programs being added to high school course offerings. The need for an advanced health careers was seen. In 1994 a statewide curriculum committee developed the Advanced Health Careers curriculum.

The many changes of the health industry required the Health Careers to be updated. A statewide curriculum committee was again formed in 1998 to begin the task of refining the original curriculum. The Florida framework was used to identify core concepts and update the course outline. In addition, the task lists, and clinical rotation forms were updated. Cooperative Education in Health Careers was added to this curriculum update to better provide working experiences for students within the health care industry. This manual is the result of the Health Careers curriculum committee's work.

Health Careers Curriculum Committee

Mary Kay Keller, Chair
Magic City Campus
Minot, ND

Sue Grosz
Bismarck High School
Bismarck, ND

Marilyn Hehr
Ellendale High School
Ellendale, ND

Julie Buxa
Harvey High School
Harvey, ND

Carla Symons
Langdon High School
Langdon, ND

Kory Boehmer
Lake Area VoTech Center
Devils Lake, ND

Philosophy

The Health Careers program has been developed to provide students interested in the health care industry assistance in determining a career that will best suit their capabilities and interests. The program is a competency-based curriculum that is fundamental to a variety of careers in the health care industry. The curriculum allows for input from Advisory Committees, training in workplace basics, flexibility in cross networking occupations, as well as preparation for advanced career/technical professional education.

Course Description

The Health Careers curriculum is a 360-hour program designed to be taught as a two-hour per day course for one year. The first 180 hours or "core" information is fundamental to a wide variety of careers in the health care field. The core curriculum includes units of instruction such as: Introduction to Health Care Delivery, Medical Ethical Responsibilities, Anatomy and Related Disorders, Professional Applications of Wellness and Disease and Concepts, Safety, Monitoring Body Functions, Disease Prevention, Infection Control Standards, CPR and First Aid course completion, and Introduction to Health Careers.

The second 180 hours of instruction provides students the opportunity to expand their skills and knowledge in specific career areas of interest. Students should have completed the Health Careers Core curriculum.

Researching careers is an integral part of the career segment. A variety of methods may be utilized to assist students in identifying and investigating career options (see Resource and Reference section).

Students selecting the Nurse Assistant option can complete the 75-hour required coursework. Completion of the coursework will make the student eligible to take the certification test to become a Certified Nurse Assistant.

Health Careers Core

1. Integrate Problem Solving Methodology
2. Demonstrate Knowledge of the Health Care Delivery System
3. Demonstrate the Ability to Communicate and Use Interpersonal Skills Effectively
4. Demonstrate Knowledge of Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
5. Demonstrate an Understanding of Wellness and Disease
6. Practice Safety and Security Procedures
7. Identify and Respond to Emergency Situations
8. Demonstrate Infection Control Procedures
9. Identify Computer Applications in Health Care
10. Identify and Implement Career Development Skills

Health Careers Course Outline

Core Outline:

1. Integrate Problem Solving Methodology
2. Demonstrate Knowledge of the Health Care Delivery System
   • Facilities
   • Agencies
   • Trends
   • Insurance
   • Organizational Facilities Structure
   • Careers
3. Demonstrate the Ability to Communicate and Use Interpersonal Skills Effectively
   • Career Industrial Clubs of America (VICA) - Professional Development
   • Medical Terminology
   • Effective Communication
   • Cultural Diversity
   • Client Education
   • Observation / Reporting / Documentation
   • Personal Qualities of a Health Care Worker
4. Demonstrate Knowledge of Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
   • Ethics
   • Patient Rights
   • Professionalism
5. Demonstrate an Understanding of Wellness and Disease
   • Basic Body Structure and Function
   • Planes and Cavities
   • Systems
   • Diseases and Conditions
   • Vital Signs
   • Nutrition
   • Human Growth and Development
   • Human needs
   • Life Stages
6. Practice Safety and Security Procedures Appropriately
   • Client Identification
   • Body Mechanics
   • Positioning, Transferring and Moving Patients
   • Accident Prevention
   • Fire and Environmental Safety
   • Governmental Regulations
7. Identify and Respond to Emergency Situations
   • Disaster Preparedness
   • First Aid - (with issuance of completion card)
   • CPR
8. Demonstrate Infection Control Procedures
   • Microorganisms
   • Standards Precautions
   • Disinfecting / Sterilization
   • Isolation
9. Identify Computer Applications in Health Care
10. Identify and Demonstrate - Career Development Skills
    • Employability Skills
    • Job Searching
    • Job - Keeping
    • Financial Management
    • Personal Career Goal

Career Segment

The career segment provides students an opportunity to expand their skills and knowledge in a variety of health care related careers. Students should have completed the Health Careers core curriculum. Health Careers will offer in-depth individualized career studies and correlated clinical rotations as available.

Researching careers is an integral part of the career segment. A variety of methods may be utilized to assist students in identifying and investigating career options (see Resource and Reference section).

Suggested Instructional References

Statement:

The following texts are considered for Health Careers Resources:

• Diversified Health Occupations, Louise Simmers, 4th Edition, copyright 1998, Delmar
• Health Careers Today, Judith Gerdin, copyright 1997, Mosby
• Health Occupations, Shirley A. Badasch, Doreen S. Chesebro, 4th edition, copyright 1997, Brady

The curriculum design is based on Diversified Health Occupations, Louise Simmers, 4th edition, copyright 1998, Delmar.

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