Career Opportunities

Certified Nursing Assistants/Home Health Aides

Nursing assistants can work in a wide variety of settings: nursing homes, hospitals, adult day care centers, personal homes and assisted living facilities. The nursing assistant serves as a helpful liaison between the RN or LVN and the patient.

The nursing assistant provides care for patients of any age, ethnicity or gender. Since nursing assistants have daily contact with patients, they are gatherers of vital information about the patients’ conditions, which they must then transmit to their supervisors. A CNA’s workload can become intense and fast-paced, but the human contact and ability to help those in medical need is a strong motivating factor. A desire to help people and compassion for patients can help a nurse’s assistant get through difficult days.

You will connect directly with the Licensed Vocational Nurse program offered by FRC. The nursing community is connected with our programs and is eager to include graduates into the medical fields locally and out of Plumas County. Upon completion of the program, many of our students have gone on to work right away.

Required Immunizations

This is only a semester-long course and clinical facilities require the following before the student can go to the facility. Begin collecting or completing the following before the course starts as they must be provided to the clinical facility with 2 weeks of beginning the course.

• TB
  • Completed Annual TB assessment  and 1 of the following
    • 2 step TB test or a 1 step if a record of TB/QUANTiferon with in the last year. A 2-step is one neg test followed by another within 1-3 weeks.
    • CXR, if history of positive TB test
       
• MMR
  • Born before 1957 (assumed immunity)
  • A Record of 2 vaccines
  • A Titer showing immunity
  • Begin vaccine series
     
• VARICELLA 1 of the following
  • A documented history of chickenpox
  • A Record of 2 vaccines
  • A Titer showing immunity
  • Begin vaccine series
     
• TDAP 1 of the following
  • Record of vaccine in last 10 years
  • Vaccine given
     
• HEPATITIS B 1 one of the following
  • A record of series of 3 vaccines
  • A Titer showing immunity
  • Begin vaccine series
     
• INFLUENZA 1 of the following during flu season (Nov 1-Mar 31)
  • Proof of receiving this season's vaccine ( a record or attestation)
  • A signed declination (informed masking required in patient common areas for flu season
  • Vaccine given

These vaccines are required for all health care workers, so the time to begin the series, receive titers from a clinic, or locate proof are essential prior the starting the course.

Licensed Vocational Nurses

Licensed Vocational Nurses practice under the direction of a licensed Physician or Registered Nurse and are trained to perform services requiring technical and manual nursing skills to provide basic nursing services which include the following:

• Uses and practices basic assessment (data collection), participates in planning, executes interventions in accordance with the care plan or treatment plan, and contributes to evaluation of individualized interventions related to the care plan or treatment plan.
• Provides direct patient/client care
• Performs basic nursing services
• Administers medications
• Applies communication skills in patient care and education
• Participates in patient education to promote self-care skills

Licensed Vocational Nurses are employed in a variety of health care settings that include:

• Long-term care/skilled nursing facilities
• Acute care hospitals
• Home health agencies
• Physician’s offices
• Medical clinics
• Public Health Department
• Education institutions

Required Immunizations

The following are required by hospitals and clinics prior to beginning clinical courses, and must be submitted  by October 15 of the first semester, or the student will not be able to attend the clinical setting in January. There are NO exceptions.

• TB
  • Completed Annual TB assessment and 1 of the following
    • 2 step TB test or a 1 step if a record of TB/QUANTiferon with in the last year. A 2-step is one neg test followed by another within 1-3 weeks.
    • CXR, if  Hx of positive TB test
       
• MMR
  • Born before 1957 (assumed immunity)
  • A Record of 2 vaccines
  • A Titer showing immunity
  • Begin vaccine series
     
• VARICELLA 1 of the following
  • A documented history of chickenpox
  • A Record of 2 vaccines
  • A Titer showing immunity
  • Begin vaccine series
     
• TDAP 1 of the following
  • Record of vaccine in last 10 years
  • Vaccine given
     
• HEPATITIS B 1 one of the following
  • A record of series of 3 vaccines
  • A Titer showing immunity
  • Begin vaccine series
• INFLUENZA 1 of the following during flu season (Nov 1-Mar 31)
• Proof of receiving this season's vaccine ( a record or attestation)
• A signed declination (informed masking required in patient common areas for flu season
• Vaccine given

These vaccines are required for all health care workers, so the time to begin the series, receive titers from a clinic, or locate proof are essential prior the starting the course.

Emergency Medical Technicians

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) care for the sick or injured in emergency settings, and people’s lives often depend on their quick reaction and competent care. EMTs respond to emergency calls and care for patients while transporting them by ambulance to a hospital. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of EMTs and paramedics is expected to grow by 33 percent from 2010-2020, much faster than the average for all other occupations. The EMT training program at Feather River College is a one semester course that prepares students for the job and makes them eligible to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians exam. Areas for employment and/or volunteerism may include: Fire Departments, Ambulance/Emergency Room, Health Clinic or Doctors' Offices, and Search and Rescue.