Multi-Level Patient Care Technician
Certificate Program

Students learn the components of patient care and the application of techniques and procedures to provide care to patients. Topics include introduction to patient care skills, principles of basic nutrition, basic therapeutic techniques, data collection, and communication skills. Hands-on demonstration, practice, and validation of skills are conducted in the lab.

Students build on their patient care knowledge and skills in such areas as patient vital signs, specimen collection, and dressing changes. Hands-on demonstration, practice, and validation of skills are conducted in the lab.

Prerequisite: PCT100

Students are introduced to the world of healthcare, providing them with an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the patient-care technician and other healthcare providers. Topics include concepts of health, healthcare delivery systems, legal/ethical issues, interpersonal relationships, and health instruction.

Students study such advanced patient care techniques as oxygen therapy. Hands-on demonstration, practice, and validation of skills are conducted in the lab.

Prerequisite: PCT110

Students continue to build on their patient care knowledge and skills, as they focus on elderly and adult clients in long-term care settings. Topics include but are not limited to cognitive changes, concepts of long-term care, safety in long-term care, and legal and ethical considerations for long-term care. This course is taught in the classroom and laboratory and practiced in a long-term care facility with the supervision of a New Jersey Licensed Registered Nurse.

Prerequisites: PCT110, CPR Certification

Students apply the knowledge and skills learned in PCT 100 – 131 to the acute care environment with the supervision of a New Jersey Licensed Registered Nurse.

Prerequisites: PCT131, CPR Certification

Students continue to build on their patient care knowledge and skills, as they focus on the elderly, adults, infants, and children in the home-care setting. Topics include but are not limited to concepts of home care/hospice, safety in home care, and legal and ethical considerations for home care/hospice. This course is taught in the classroom and laboratory and practiced in a home-care environment with the supervision of a New Jersey Licensed Registered Nurse.

Prerequisites: PCT110, CPR Certification

Students learn to assist the nurse in various tasks related to safe medication administration in home-care settings and assisted living facilities. Topics include but are not limited to medication forms and measurements, prevention of medication errors, legal/ethical considerations, and safety and rights of medication related to safe administration of medications. This course is taught in the classroom and skills laboratory and includes New Jersey Licensed Registered Nurse supervised clinical experience.

Prerequisite or Corequisite: PCT150
Prerequisite: CPR Certification

Students apply the knowledge, skills, and techniques attained throughout the program. Critical thinking and teamwork skills are assessed through case studies reflecting the Patient Care Technician's workplace.

Prerequisites: Departmental approval, CPR Certification

Introduction to the anatomy and physiology of the cardiac system. Students learn lead placement and perform EKGs on patients, troubleshoot EKG machine problems, and recognize basic cardiac arrhythmias. Spirometry testing is performed.

Prerequisites or Corequisites: HEA201, SCI224

Students learn the proper venipuncture and finger-stick techniques of obtaining human blood specimens in accordance with OSHA Standards. Basic blood chemistry tests, including glucose, are performed and results are properly recorded. Students also become familiar with the anatomy and physiology of the blood body system and cover topics such as blood formation, testing and grouping, and individual blood type identification.

Prerequisite: SCI224

Provides a solid foundation and understanding of the medical language used by healthcare professionals. This is accomplished through the introduction, reinforcement, and combining of medical word parts including prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms. Emphases are on word building, analysis of parts of the word, abbreviations, spelling, and correct pronunciation of various body systems including the musculoskeletal, digestive, nervous, and integumentary, as well as the senses.

Students continue to develop their understanding of the medical terms that are used regarding various body systems. There is an emphasis on combining word parts (prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms) to create full medical terms including the cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, endocrine, lymphatic, and reproductive systems.

Prerequisite: HEA200

Explores career development opportunities and strategies. Stresses entry-level job requirements and upward career paths. Covers resume writing skills, interviewing techniques, and the importance of professionalism. Continues the student's orientation to Berkeley College’s computer framework, which includes content collection and compiling a professional e-portfolio.

Study of the structure, function, and pathology (disease) of the human body. Students are introduced to various body systems including the musculoskeletal, digestive, nervous, and integumentary, as well as the senses.

Students continue to develop their understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology (diseases) of the human body. Topics covered include the cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, endocrine, lymphatic, and reproductive systems.

Prerequisite: SCI223

This course provides an understanding of the legal, moral, and ethical issues involved in the healthcare environment, including laws and standards that protect both the healthcare professional and patient. In addition, the bioethics component of the course focuses on the study of the ethical controversies involved in the practice of medicine including euthanasia, abortion, doctor-patient confidentiality, human and animal experimentation, genetic engineering, stem-cell research, cloning, and access to healthcare.

An introduction to the basic principles of psychology and their direct application to the understanding of human behavior. Topics include human development, learning, memory, thinking, intelligence, creativity, motivation, emotion, adjustment, perception, abnormal behavior, and therapy.