U.S. Department
of Labor Allied Health
Grants
Bridges to Health
Careers Initiative
Scholarships > Targeted
Programs >
Overview
The United States Department of Labor awarded a second Community-Based
Job training grant of $2,174,000 to the Connecticut Community College
System for the period of January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2009.
The Bridges to Health Careers Initiative builds upon and expands
partnerships and structure from the Career Pathways Initiative in
Nursing and Allied Health by expanding capacity-building efforts
to the Community College certificate programs.
The primary goal of the Initiative is to increase completion rates
in health care certificate programs and open pathways to degrees
and higher-wage jobs for underserved students, particularly low
income, English-as-second-language, and minority students.
A virtual Health Care Career Academy will be created to connect
Continuing Education and degree programs across the 12 colleges
into a seamless Allied Health continuum and set of flexible career
pathways that are accessible to both traditional and non-traditional
students.
Tuition, academic, social and emotional assistance will be provided
for Continuing Education students.
Targeted
Programs: Bridges to Health Careers Initiative
Also see Programs
at a Glance for more
information >
Certified Nurse Aide
The Certified Nurse Aide
is qualified to perform many important functions for people in
need, such as giving basic nursing and personal care to patients;
helping patients maintain or regain everyday tasks including eating,
bathing, dressing, and toileting; communicating with patients and
providing physical and emotional support to them; making patient
observations and reporting them; and participating in care planning.
The Certified Nurse Aide works under the supervision of a Registered
Nurse. Certified Nurse Aides are valuable members of the health
care team who are able to work in a variety of settings including
acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home care, hospice,
physicians' offices, out-patient clinics, and rehabilitation facilities.
Dental Assisting
Dental Assistants perform many tasks requiring
both interpersonal and technical skills. In additional to assisting
the dentist during a variety of procedures, dental assistants may
take and develop dental x-rays, sterilize instruments and equipment,
and take impressions of patients' teeth. Dental assistants may work
in private dental offices, hospitals, or community health agencies
along with clinics, dental product sales representatives, dental
and dental hygiene schools, public schools and public health departments.
EKG Technician
The EKG Technician is the person responsible for
performing diagnostic tests to assess the heart rhythm and rate
in patients. EKGs are also performed before and after operations,
during physical examinations of patients over 40, for patients with
a history of heart disease, when patients are experiencing chest
pains and when the doctor deems it necessary. EKG Technicians work
in hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices and other health care facilities.
Emergency Medical Technician
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs)
respond to health care crises such as heart attacks, unexpected
childbirth, car accidents, and fires. EMTs use their knowledge and
skills to provide basic and advanced life support to seriously ill
or injured patients before these patients reach the hospital. Under
the direction of a physician, EMTs are told how to proceed with
medical care. They perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation),
control bleeding, place splints on broken bones, and check pulse
and respiration. EMT-Intermediate provides more advanced training
that allows administration of intravenous fluids, and use of advanced
airway techniques and equipment to assist patients experiencing
respiratory emergencies. EMTs may work for ambulance companies,
rescue or aero medical services, hospital emergency rooms, private
industry, educational institutions and government agencies.
Medical Billing and Coding Specialist
A Medical Coder uses a classification
system to assign code numbers and letters to each symptom, diagnosis,
disease, procedure, and operation that appears in the patient's
chart. These codes are used for insurance reimbursement, research,
health planning analysis, and to make clinical decisions. Medical
coders work in hospitals, HMOs, insurance companies, physicians'
offices or are self-employed.
Patient Care Technician
Patient Care Technicians work with doctors,
nurses and other medical staff to provide basic patient care which
includes observing, recording, and reporting vital signs, blood
pressure, pulse, respiration rates, and height and weight; collecting
and testing specimens, and reporting and recording patient's conditions
and treatments. They also assist patients with their mobility, bathing,
dressing, grooming and personal hygiene. Patient Care Technicians
work in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, and in nursing/assisted
living facilities.
Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy Technicians help
licensed pharmacists provide medication and other health care products
to patients. Pharmacy technicians label and fill prescriptions,
order and maintain the pharmacy's stock levels, fill unit-dose
medication carts, package and repackage medications, and deliver
prepared medications. Pharmacy Technicians work under the supervision
of licensed pharmacists. They work in hospital and community pharmacies,
extended care facilities, home health care facilities, and industry.
Phlebotomy Technician
Phlebotomists draw blood samples from people
by venipuncture and skin puncture, and keep careful records of all
procedures for medical tests and blood donations. Safety precautions
are of utmost concern to the phlebotomist to prevent the transmission
of infectious diseases. Phlebotomists are instructed to adhere to
strict policies and procedures accurately and efficiently while
treating the patient with care. Phlebotomists work in hospitals,
independent clinical laboratories, blood banks, home health agencies,
and public health departments.
For more information on these and other healthcare careers, visit
www.healthcareersinct.com.
