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Nursing Assistant Training Program

The Nursing Assistant Training Program at LTCC is one quarter (12 weeks) and prepares students for a career as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

CNAs are an important member of a health care team and provide patients with the personal care needed in nursing homes, hospitals, and other health-care facilities. Typical patient-care duties include bathing and dressing patients, helping with personal hygiene, taking vital signs, answering call lights, transporting patients, servicing and collecting food trays, and feeding patients when necessary.

Overview of LTCC's Nursing Assistant Training Program

Lake Tahoe Community College offers a comprehensive Nursing Assistant Training Program that is approved by the State of California. In partnership with Barton Memorial Hospital, students receive hands-on experience in providing patient care.  

Upon satisfactory completion of this course, the student is eligible to take the state certifying exam, become a Certified Nursing Assistant, and choose to go directly to work or continue to pursue education opportunities in other health care careers.

Lake Tahoe Community College’s Nursing Assistant Program is approved by the California Department of Health Services.


What is a Nursing Assistant?

Nursing Assistants perform routine tasks in the general care of hospital, clinic, and nursing home patients. They work directly under the supervision of registered and vocational nurses. Their role in performing basic patient care assists the licensed staff in providing quality nursing to the patient. The Nursing Assistant occupation is one of a series of possible steps on a career ladder in the health care field.

Typical Nursing Assistant tasks include:

• Answer patient call lights
• Bathe, dress and undress patients
• Tidy patient’s room; change soiled linen
• Assist with personal hygiene
• Serve meals, water and snacks
• Feed patients who need assistance
• Transport patients and help them walk
• Record food and liquid intake
• Take and record temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure
• Collect specimens (urine, stool, sputum)
• Perform CPR and other procedures, including Heimlich maneuver, isolation techniques, Universal precautions, post-mortem care
• Observe and report unusual conditions
• Measure height and weight using bed, chair and balance scales
• Assist licensed staff in any other care given

The typical entry-level Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) earns $10.00 - $12.50 per hour. (Salaries vary depending on type of facility and other factors. See the Regional Health Occupation Resource Center's website for more information.


Course Description & Regulations

The state and federal governments regulate this course and certain content is mandatory. Attendance at all of the classroom and clinical meetings are mandatory. In order to successfully complete the course, all requirements must be met.


Mandatory Course Orientation

Interested students must attend a mandatory orientation held in July or early August (see summer schedule for date and time). You will not be allowed to register in the course without attending this orientation.  Students must complete their physical exam, immunizations and TB test before admission to the course. Information and forms for these requirements are provided at the July/August orientation meeting.


Course Requirements

• Attendance at summer orientation meeting
• Completion of health exam, immunizations, TB testing
• Criminal Clearance (see below)
• Perfect attendance
• Completion of Co-Requisite (CPR certification for the professional rescuer, e.g., HEA110B)
• Ability to communicate in English



Criminal Clearance

The California Health and Safety Code Sections 1338.5 and 1736.1 require that students must submit Live Scan fingerprint documentation upon enrollment in the course and before direct contact with patients. This documentation is submitted to the California Department of Justice for screening. Students are advised that if they have a disqualifying conviction, they may not be able to complete the course. Complete information regarding criminal clearance is given at the orientation. If you need individual information about your potential for criminal clearance, you may contact the Department of Health Services at (916) 327-2445.


CPR Certification

CPR certification for the professional rescuer is a co-requisite for this class. It may be taken concurrently with the Nursing Assistant Training Program (NATP) course or taken before the course as long as the CPR card does not expire before the end of the course. (HEA110B satisfies this co-requisite.)


Course Materials & Estimated Costs

Students are required to have a nursing uniform (“scrubs”), uniform shoes, stethoscope, a watch with a second hand, and textbook. The estimated cost of the Nursing Assistant Training Program at LTCC is $500. This includes registration fees (estimated at the California resident rate), textbook, one uniform, shoes, stethoscope, watch, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification testing, fingerprinting, and the Department of Health Services application fee. The estimated cost does not include medical exams and vaccinations.


Class Size

Class size is limited to 10-15 depending on local and regional labor market needs. The demand for this class is high. Students are requested to carefully consider their commitment to completing the class. Registration is handled with a "random lottery" after completion of the mandatory orientation in July or August.


Certification Testing

Students are eligible to take the certifying exam after successful completion of all course requirements. The certifying exam is administered by state certified evaluators and students may take the exam scheduled at nearby testing centers. The fee for this exam is $85 (subject to change) and is payable to the state evaluators at the time of testing.


Department Contact Person:
Virginia Boyar, PhD
Lake Tahoe Community College (A253)
(530) 541-4660, ext 298
Email: boyar@ltcc.edu

List of Faculty
• Linda Woodman, RN
• Burdine Guillot, RN