THE BENEFITS OF
HEALTHCARE COURSES
The growing field of healthcare provides a large variety of fascinating and essential job opportunities. Continuing Education and Customized Training offers short-term open enrollment courses leading to national certification as technicians in Pharmacy and Phlebotomy. We also offer continuing education courses for EMTs, paramedics, nurses and other health care professionals in gerontology, pain management, mental health and many more areas. Practical fundamental knowledge such as CPR and HIPAA training is available in-person or online for all members in the healthcare field.
Our training programs provide:
- Flexible scheduling, and group training available
- Set your own pace—learn at home or on the go with online courses
You can have a successful, fulfilling career in the health care industry without spending years in school.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, of the 20 occupations with the highest percent change of employment between 2010-20, healthcare professions account for almost 50% of the fastest growing occupations.
Customized Corporate Solutions
Many of our courses and training programs can be customized to fit your requirements. We adapt to various schedules and locations for your individual or company’s needs.
Contact us to schedule a free consultation
Program Leads
Healthcare Programs
Nursing Assistant Course
Nursing Assistant
Introduces concepts of basic human needs, health/illness continuum, and basic nursing skills in long-term care and/or home care environments. Instruction consists of a classroom or online setting, and skills labs. Skills are taught in a simulated laboratory setting utilizing demonstration and role-playing.
The course meets the objectives of the federal and state statutory requirements for nursing assistant training. Upon completion of the program the student will be eligible to take the Nursing Assistant Competency Exam for placement on the Minnesota Department of Health Registry.
Prerequisites
- Must be a minimum of 16 years of age to register
- Students should be fluent English speakers
Cost
$1065 (includes textbook, which will be handed out on the first day of class)
Nursing Assistant Exams
Nursing Assistant Exams
Examination Eligibility: You are eligible to apply to take the Minnesota Nursing Assistant state competency exam for certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant in Minnesota if you have completed a state-approved nursing assistant training program within the past 24 months. You will be required to take the both the Knowledge exam and the Skills exam.
Criteria to Waive the Nursing Assistant Training Requirement: You have previously completed a state-approved nursing assistant training program, have taken and passed the Nursing Assistant Competency Exam (both the Knowledge and Skills exams), and are on the Minnesota Nursing Assistant Registry with an expired registry status. You will be required to take the both the Knowledge exam and the Skills exam. You will be considered a test-out candidate or challenge candidate.
OR:
You are a candidate who does not meet either of the eligibility routes listed above. You will be required to take the both the Knowledge exam and the Skills exam as a test-out candidate or challenge candidate.
Examples are:
- If you trained in another country.
- If you have not taken a nursing assistant training program.
- If you have not worked as a nurse aide in the last 24 months.
TEST OUT/CHALLENGE CANDIDATES: Test out/challenge candidates MUST complete and submit to Meriem Aman or Melissa Troska via email a Test-Out or Challenge Candidate Application – Form 1101MN.
Testing Information:
You must pass both parts in order to be certified and listed on the Minnesota Nursing Assistant Registry.
A Minnesota candidate handbook can be accessed at www.hdmaster.com
The Knowledge based Examination consists of seventy (70) multiple-choice questions in English. An Oral Examination is also an available option that students are responsible for enabling on their TMU profile. Please contact Headmaster at: 1-888-401-0462 with questions.
Students must have access to TMU in order to test. https://mn.tmutest.com
During the Skills Evaluation you will be asked to perform a set of randomly selected skills.
You will be rated on your performance of these skills by an Evaluator based on the Headmasters criteria.
ADA/disability accommodation requests for the NA registry test must be submitted with the required documentation and approved by the test vendor Headmaster at least 14 days in advance of your test date. Use the online Accommodation Form to request accommodations and submit documentation. For ADA questions related to NA testing, please contact Headmaster at 888-401-0462
Cost:
Nursing Assistant Exam | $225
Nursing Assistant – Knowledge Retest | $115
Nursing Assistant – Skills Retest | $150
- Payment of all fees are due at the time of registration. Pre-registration is required.
- Registration must be completed and full payment made by the end of business on the day prior to the examination.
- Registration and/or payment will not be accepted via mail or on the morning of the examination.
Testing FAQ:
- You do not need to take the Knowledge and Skills tests on the same day.
- ADA accommodation requests must be submitted with required documentation and approved at least 14 days advance of your test date. Refer to the candidate handbook.
- The testing site and testing teams are not responsible for your personal belongings.
- If you fail a test, you will need to register for a new test date and pay again.
- If you are late, do not bring the required mandatory ID, or are otherwise unprepared, you will not be allowed to test and will be considered a no-show. No-shows forfeit their testing fees and must register and pay again for another test date.
- You must provide one form of ID that meets the following mandatory requirements: US GOVERNMENT-ISSUED, NON-EXPIRED, SIGNED, PHOTO-BEARING ID. Refer to the candidate handbook for examples and exceptions.
- If you are unable to access your TMU account, go to https://mn.tmutest.com, click Forgot Password and enter your Email. If you need further assistance, please call Headmaster at 888-401-0462.
Preparing for the Test:
- Get a free knowledge test question of the day and a 10-question online practice test at www.hdmaster.com.
- You may also purchase complete practice tests that are randomly generated, based on the state test plan from www.hdmaster.com.
- Watch free NA Skill videos at http://www.healthforceminnesota.org/students/students-nursing-assistant-skills-skill-videos.html (If you are asked to log in, enter Nursing as both the user name and password. N is capitalized in both.)
- Download and review the Minnesota Mock Skills.
- Review the vocabulary words in the Minnesota candidate handbook.
Cancellation Policy:
Refunds and exam rescheduling must be communicated by e-mail or in person no later than three business days prior to the date of the examination. Refunds will not be issued after that date.
Do not remove yourself from the test event in TMU. You must contact Meriem Aman in order to cancel your registration and get a refund, if applicable. Meriem Aman can be reached via email at: meriem.aman@dctc.edu
If you are late, do not bring required mandatory ID and/or do not have the proper testing attire, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TEST AND YOU WILL BE CONSIDERED A “NO-SHOW”. No-shows forfeit their testing fees and must repay to re-register for another test date.
For testing questions, please contact:
Meriem Aman
meriem.aman@dctc.edu
Medication Aide
Class Description
This 48-hour program covers state approved requirements concerning medications and their administration by Certified Nursing Assistants. You must have successfully completed a Minnesota Department of Health approved nursing assistant training program to take this course. This course is a hybrid of online instruction on D2L and arranged on campus class time for lab.
Topics include legal criteria, medical abbreviations, measurements, use of the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR), and overview of body systems and drug classifications.
Oral, eye, ear, rectal and topical routes will be covered.
Instruction also consists of:
(1) the complete procedure of checking the resident’s medication record.
(2) preparation of the medication for administration:
(3) administration of the medication to the resident:
(4) assisting residents with self-administration as necessary:
(5) documentation after administration of the date, time, dosage, and method of administration of all medications, or the reason for not administering the medication as ordered, and the signature of the nurse or authorized person who administered and observed the same:
(6) the type of information regarding medication administration reportable to a nurse.
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CPR & First Aid Courses
- Meet the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines
- Teach critical skills and knowledge needed to respond to and manage an emergency situation
- Available with or without a First Aid component
Delivery Options
- Hybrid (online and in-person)
- This blended CPR training from the American Heart Association (AHA) has an online self-paced study portion, instructor led skills practice, and in-person skills test. You must complete the skills practice and skills test within 60 days of taking the online course.
- Classroom (in-class)
- These CPR courses are instructor led, with hands-on training.
BLS For Health Care Providers: CPR/AED (Classroom or Hybrid)
This course is offered as a 5-hour classroom or hybrid (online and in-person) course. It is designed for those currently working in the health care field. You will learn valuable skills; such as, responding to life threatening emergencies; adult, child, and infant rescue techniques; chest compressions and ventilations; and using an AED (Automated External Defibrillator). This course is designed for students in DCTC’s Allied Heath programs and current health care professionals.
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Heartsaver® CPR/AED (Classroom or Hybrid)
This course can be taken in the classroom or hybrid (online and in-person). It is designed for people who don’t currently work in the health care field, but wish to learn the critical skills needed to respond to and manage an emergency situation until medial professionals arrive. You will learn adult CPR and AED and the procedures for relieving a choking adult. This course can include modules on child and infant CPR that meet the requirements under Hannah’s Law, for all teachers and assistant teachers working at child care centers.
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Heartsaver® First Aid and CPR/AED (Classroom or Hybrid)
This course can be taken in the classroom or hybrid (online and in-person). It covers the basic life support skills taught in the Heartsaver® CPR course. In addition, you will learn first aid skills, such as, how to treat bleeding, sprains, broken bones, shock, and other first aid emergencies.
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Heartsaver® First Aid (Hybrid)
This course is offered hybrid (online and in-person). It covers first aid skills, such as, how to treat bleeding, sprains, broken bones, shock, and other first aid emergencies.
EMT & First Responder
Fisdap, in cooperation with Inver Hills Community College and three Minnesota EMS agencies (Allina Health, Gold Cross Ambulance and North Memorial Hospital), has developed coursework to transition EMS providers to the National Education Standards. Learn more about these online, interactive courses.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Refresher Training
Refresher training is required every two years, by March 31, for emergency medical technicians to maintain certification. This 24-hour lecture and skills course is designed to refresh and develop the most current skills and knowledge necessary for recertification. This course emphasizes safety concerns, patient assessment, airway management, trauma and medical emergencies. During this course you may also earn your AHA recertification in CPR. This course meets the approval of the Emergency Medical Service Regulatory Board (EMSRB) for EMTs.
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First Responder Refresher Training
Refresher training is required every two years for individuals who are currently certified as First Responders. This 16-hour course is designed to refresh and develop the most current skills and knowledge necessary to maintain certification through the Minnesota Emergency Medical Service Regulatory Board (EMSRB) as a First Responder.
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Paramedic
It can be challenging for paramedics to find enough quality educational opportunities to meet re-certification requirements and still learn something new. Our course is designed to meet both Sate of Minnesota re-certification requirements as well as the National Registry Section 1 requirements. This class consists of 48 concentrated hours of lecture and skills sessions as well as discussion, all designed to refresh skills and introduce new innovations in the industry.
Limited Scope X-Ray or Bone Densitometry Certification
The Limited Scope X-Ray or Bone Densitometry operator program provides students with the information and strategies necessary to successfully complete their Limited Scope X-Ray or Bone Densitometry Operator Certification examination.
This 6-week on-line program consists of:
- Radiography physics
- Principles of radiographic exposure
- Positioning
- Digital processing
- Radiation safety
- Bone densitometry (for those who request this)
Successful completion will prepare students to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT) exam. The examinations offered by ARRT are the gold standard proficiency assessments currently available to professionals in medical imaging, interventional procedures and radiation therapy. Minnesota law requires individuals to pass the core components of this exam before they can become certified and take x-rays.
Work Environment
To be successful as a Limited Scope X-Ray or Bone Densitometry operator, an individual must enjoy working with people in a medical setting such as doctor’s offices, small clinics, chiropractic or pediatric offices. The majority of people who take limited x-rays are medical assistants (CNA), medical lab technicians (MLT) or others that work in a clinic or doctor’s office and are now asked to take x-rays.
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Instructors
Gene Frank, eugene@genefrank.org
Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)
With the need for prescription medications growing each year, the demand for pharmacy technicians is expected to increase rapidly through 2016. The Pharmacy Technician program prepares students to work under supervision of a licensed pharmacist carrying out duties such as assisting patients, filling prescriptions, and keeping pharmacy records.
This 72-hour program consists of:
- Medical terminology specific to the pharmacy
- Dosage calculations and conversions
- Dispensing of prescriptions
- Drug compounding
- Inventory control
- Billing and reimbursement
The classroom portion will be followed by a 120-hour clinical at one of our partnering Allina pharmacies.
Successful completion will allow students to enter into a career as a pharmacy technician, and take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) Pharmacy Technician exam.
Work Environment
To be successful as a pharmacy technician, an individual must enjoy working with people, be attentive to detail, and be well-organized. Pharmacy technicians work alongside pharmacists. They are often employed at hospitals, retail/community pharmacies, in-patient and out-patient hospital pharmacies, long-term care facilities, and other businesses that sell drugs. Pharmacy Technicians also work in healthcare call centers assisting customers or entering data for prescriptions. Pharmacy technicians should be willing to spend a lot of time standing and may be required to work evenings and weekends. Many technicians and aides work part-time.
Admissions Requirements or Prerequisites
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must have high school diploma or GED
- Must complete Accuplacer test for Reading with a score of 233 or higher and Math with a score of 250 or higher before being allowed to register for this class. See the following link for more information on the Accuplacer test: https://www.dctc.edu/support-services/accuplacer/
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some Q&A’s for Pharmacy Technician job seekers.
Q: Why do pharmacy technician programs differ and what do I need to do to work as a Pharmacy Technician in Minnesota?
A: In order to work as a pharmacy technician in MN, the state says you must be 18 and have a HS diploma or GED. Each state has its own requirements.
When you look for a job, many employers will be looking for certification as a CPhT. The DCTC course will issue a “certificate” that you completed the course, and will prepare you for an entry level position and the certification exam. Certification is achieved by passing a national examination conducted through a professional organization, The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Today, there are no specific education requirements for taking this exam. Even if you complete a two year course, you will still need to pass this national certification exam to be certified. Your certification, CPhT (Certified Pharmacy Technician) is good for 2 years and you will be required to do 20 units of continuing education. The certification of CPhT is good in all states. See www.ptcb.org for more information.
Once you are employed in MN as a pharmacy technician, the state of MN requires that you register with the MN State Board of Pharmacy. In addition to completing continuing education, new technicians registered after January 1, 2013 must have also completed, or will complete an “educational component”.
The “education component” can be achieved any of these 4 ways:
- Military or public health training,
- an ASHP approved program – will have internship components and is a minimum of 600 hours,
- a MN Board of Pharmacy approved program – will have an internship component,
- or an employer based training program (minimum of 240 hours)
The DCTC course now qualifies as the “education component” with the recent addition of the 120-hour internship component approved by the MN Board of Pharmacy.
Q: Do you have to be certified to get a job as a pharmacy technician?
A: Not necessarily. Certification may or may not be a requirement by the employer. The vast majority of employers want you to be certified either before you are hired or within “x” months of being hired. Being certified should increase your chances of getting a job and may result in a higher wage.
Note: Currently, the state of MN has no requirement that you be certified.
Q: Do you need to register with the state and have an “education component”?
A: Yes. Any new pharmacy technicians, registered with the state after January 2013 must have completed or will complete an “education component”.
Phlebotomy
The Phlebotomy Technician program prepares students to collect blood specimens from patients for the purpose of laboratory analysis. Students will be provided with the knowledge and skills necessary for careers in outpatient or inpatient health care facilities.
This 40-hour classroom program consists of:
- Medical terminology
- Anatomy and physiology (as applicable to phlebotomy)
- Safety procedures
- Customer service skills
- Overview of laboratory processing
- Blood collection procedures
This program provides 100-hours of clinical experience at local health care industry partners:
- Apple Valley Medical Center
- Fairview Health Services
- Northfield Hospital & Clinics
- Park Nicollet
- Regina Medical Center
- Allina Hospitals and Clinics
After successful completion of both portions of the program, the student will be eligible to take the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Phlebotomy certification exam.
Work Environment
To be successful as a phlebotomist, an individual must enjoy working with people, be attentive to detail, and have excellent manual dexterity. Needles and blood will be a regular component of the position’s responsibilities. Phlebotomists typically work in hospitals, commercial laboratories, physician’s offices, blood banks, pharmaceutical firms, home health agencies, research institutions and public health clinics.
Admissions Requirements or Prerequisites
- Must have a High School Diploma or GED
- Criminal background check
- Must provide documented proof of immunity or vaccination for the following:
- Hepatitis B
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
- Varicella (Chicken Pox)
- Tubercle Bacillus (TB)
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap)
- Seasonal flu shot
- Must complete Accuplacer test for Reading with a score of 233 or higher before being allowed to register for this class. See the following link for more information on the Accuplacer test: https://www.dctc.edu/support-services/accuplacer/
Potential Job Titles
- Phlebotomist
- Lab Care Technician
- Plasma Center Technician
Instructors
Kathy Miller | kathleen.miller@dctc.edu
CEUs for Healthcare Professionals
Basic Health Care Courses
Healthcare workers in all sectors need basic building blocks of fundamental knowledge.
- HIPAA Compliance
- Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Medical Math
- Medical Terminology
- Spanish for Medical Professionals
- Universal Precautions
- Cultural Competence, Ethics and Professionalism in Healthcare
- Dementia Care
- Intro to Pharmacology
Courses for Medical Professionals
For those already in the medical field looking for Continuing Education Units (CEUs), these self-paced online courses run for six weeks, two lessons each week, and include exams and discussion areas and are eligible for contact hours. Upon successful completion, you will be awarded a certificate from Allegra Learning Solutions for continuing education units to help maintain credentials.
- Certificate in Brain Health
- Certificate in Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- Certificate in End of Life Care
- Certificate in Gerontology
- Certificate in Healing Environments
- Certificate in Healthy Aging
- Certificate in Holistic and Integrative Health
- Certificate in Integrative Mental Health
- Certificate in Meditation
- Certificate in Pain Assessment and Management
- Certificate in Perinatal Issues
- Certificate in Spirituality, Health and Healing
- Certificate in Stress Management