CAREER OUTLOOK FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANTS
As the demand for medical professionals continues to grow, the demand for medical assistants should also increase. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects jobs for medical assistants will grow 23% between 2018 and 2028, exceeding the growth rate for other fields and for many other healthcare positions.
Medical assistants work in a variety of healthcare settings and industries. The areas with the highest concentration of medical assistants include physicians’ offices, hospitals, and outpatient care centers. Although the BLS projects strong overall growth for the field, those who hold certification and possess skills in electronic health records may enjoy the most positive job outlook.
In 2019, the median salary for medical assistants was $34,800 per year. Earning a medical assistant certification online may increase salary potential and make graduates more marketable to employers in the field.
Medical Assisting program provides interactive, hands-on experience and led by Certified Medical Assistants (CMA). Our Medical Assisting certificate prepares students for employment in physician offices, clinics, surgical centers and urgent care centers.
The goal of our Medical Assisting program is to prepare future medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behaviors) domain. Coursework includes: structure, function and diseases of the human body, medical terminology, medical law and ethics, pharmacology, medical assisting procedures (both administrative and clinical) and a practicum (externship) in medical assisting.
Physicians count on medical assistants to:
- Greet and process incoming and outgoing patients
- Prepare and assist the physician during an exam
- Perform routine clinical tasks such as collecting and preparing laboratory specimens
- Take patient histories and chief complaint
- Preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician
- Measure vital signs & height and weight
- Handling correspondence, billing, and bookkeeping
- Coding and filling out insurance forms
- Arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services
- You can earn your Certified Nursing Assistant Certificate in one semester on our Lawrenceville campus! To learn more about this program, please visit one of our information sessions.
- Gwinnett Tech’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program provides interactive, hands-on learning. Students learn patient care by taking vital signs, obtaining lab specimens, assisting with activities of daily living and observing and charting patient information. Graduates may be eligible to sit for the National Nurse Aide Assessment program (NNAAP) which determines competency to become enrolled in the State Nurse Aide Registry and, if successful on the exam, receive a certified nursing assistant (CNA) certificate. With the CNA credential, students can obtain an entry level healthcare position as a certified nursing assistant, nurse aide, nurse assistant, geriatric aide, or hospital attendant.
- This program is offered at Gwinnett Tech’s Alpharetta-North Fulton and Lawrenceville campuses.
- Program Description
- The Certified Nursing Assistant certificate prepares students with rigorous classroom training and practice as well as the clinical experiences to perform a full range of patient care duties or services under nursing or medical direction. This includes taking vital signs, obtaining lab specimens, assisting with activities of daily living, observing and charting patient information, and reporting appropriate information to supervisors. It may also include providing various outreach services to clients within the community. Once the student enrolls in the Nurse Aide Fundamentals course, in order to begin the clinical requirements, students must complete tuberculosis skin test, supply proof of immunization, undergo a background check, and submit to a drug screen test within the first two weeks of starting the Nurse Aide course. For programs of study that have a clinical/lab component, the minimum age for admission must be at least 18 years of age.Students who successfully complete the Certified Nursing Assistant certificate may be eligible to sit for the National Nurse Aide Assessment program (NNAAP) which determines competency to become enrolled in the State Nurse Aide Registry.
- View the Certified Nursing Assistant Certificate Program Fact Sheet for additional information.
Part One: Theory
In this component of our Nurse Assistant Training, CNA class students will learn these aspects of patient care:
- Fundamentals: introductory concepts including roles and responsibilities; legal issues; ethics; patient communications; anatomy and physiology
- Safety: controlling infection; preventing injuries; responding to emergencies
- Providing care: vital signs; positioning/transferring; restorative care; environmental comfort and rest; cleanliness/grooming; meals/fluids; elimination; admissions/transfers/discharges
- Special care situations: specific illnesses; dementia/cognitive changes; end of life care; infants/children; home care
- Transitioning from student to employee
Part Two: Lab
This component builds upon the theory portion of the CNA classes through in-person skills practice. Some of the skills you will perform with the assistance of your fellow students and instructor include personal care (bathing, feeding and grooming), positioning the patient, transferring the patient, and taking vital signs such as blood pressure.
Part Three: Clinical
Upon successful completion of the theory and lab portion of this course designed to prepare CNAs, students begin the clinical training component of the program, working directly with residents of a long-term care facility under the supervision of a licensed nurse who has been certified as a Red Cross Nurse Assistant Training Instructor.
Learn More
Red Cross Nurse Assistant Training providers offer a range of time options so that you can learn around your schedule, be it day, evening and/or weekend classes. Nurse Assistant Training is offered year-round, including summers, which is an ideal time for college nursing students and physician assistants to take this course. Providers set the pricing for this training, so check our class listings for more details about cost, schedules, locations and other requirements.
CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT
(CNA)
A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is a person who assists individuals with healthcare needs, activities of daily living and providing bedside care, including basic nursing procedures. The CNA is an important member of the health care team who often holds a high level of experience and ability to perform a large variety of nursing tasks.
CNA’s work in a variety of settings, such as: Home Health, In-Patients Clinics, Out-Patient Clinics, Physician Offices, Long Term Care Facilities, Hospitals, Rehabilitation Centers, GYN Centers, Hospice, Personal Care Homes, AssistedLiving Facilities and Emergency Rooms.
Please be advised, seats are reserved for students that have satisfied payment requirements.
Seating is assigned on a first come, first served format.