Allied Health
Earn a Skillset • 12 Credit Hours
Individuals who complete the below courses will receive a Certificate of Successful Completion from Mountwest Community & Technical College. Graduates will be eligible for the Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT/A) national certification exam issued by the National Health Career Association (NHA).
CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
PCT 200 Patient Care Tech 9
AH 151 Medical Terminology 3
TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED
12
Nursing Assistants and Orderlies
2019 Median Pay
$29,640 per year
Number of Jobs
469,500 in 2018
Job Outlook
2018-2028 9%
Faster than average employment.
For the most current salary information, please refer to the Bureau of Labor Statistics “Occupational Outlook Handbook” found online at bls.gov/ooh/.
The college adheres to an open admission policy which means applications with a high school diploma or GED are eligible for admission to the college.. This program, however, requires a GED or high school diploma for students to sit for the national exam.
Employment of nursing assistants is projected to grow 9 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations. Employment of orderlies is projected to grow 5 percent from 2018 to 2028, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
As the baby-boom population ages, nursing assistants and orderlies will be needed to help care for an increasing number of older patients in nursing and residential care facilities. Older people are more likely than younger people to have disorders such as dementia, or to live with chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. More nursing assistants will be needed to care for patients with these conditions.
Demand for nursing assistants may be constrained by the fact that many nursing homes rely on government funding. Cuts to programs such as Medicare and Medicaid may affect patients’ ability to pay for nursing home care. In addition, patient preferences and shifts in federal and state funding are increasing the demand for home and community-based long-term care, which should lead to increased opportunities for nursing assistants working in home health and community rehabilitation services.
