Training  Policies

Nursing Assistant Training Program Policy

Columbine Health Systems offers a Nursing Assistant Training Program approved by the Colorado Board of Nursing. Our program complies with all applicable state and federal regulations.

The training program provides 92 hours of instruction under the direct supervision of an RN or LPN. The program contains the following; classroom/lecture, laboratory time, and 20 hours of clinical instruction. At a minimum, the pre-clinical component of the program must be completed prior to any direct contact with a resident.

Admission to the Program:
Prospective students may apply on-line.

See criteria for admission in the Columbine Health Systems "Candidate Admission, Course Completion, and Dismissal Policy" on this website.

Applicants must obtain the following:
Criminal background check, which must be free of any disqualifying events (refer to policy). The background check results are valid for 3 months prior to the first day of class.

TB skin test and/or chest x-ray.

Proof of current influenza vaccination, October 1 - April 30. Columbine Health Systems Influenza Policy.

***Please note: Due to the limited number of students in each class, prospective students are not guaranteed a seat until all requirements have been met and tuition is paid in full.

Classroom, Lecture, and Laboratory Instruction: Each class will be limited to 20 students. One set of scrubs, gait belts, and name tags will be loaned to all students. These items must be returned at the end of the program in good condition or replacements purchased as part of the course completion requirements. Textbooks must be purchased.

Attendance: Students are expected to arrive promptly for the start of each class and to remain for the duration of each class. Due to the fast-paced nature of this curriculum, attendance to all classes and clinicals is mandatory. Exceptions will only be made for serious illness with a documented physician explanation. Make up work will be scheduled at the discretion of the instructor. All class quizzes and tests must be completed as part of the course completion requirements.

Class Cancellations: Should a class not meet the minimum requirement of participants, Columbine reserves the right to cancel a class up to 3 business days prior to the start date of the class. All registered students will be given the option to have a full refund or be transferred into a different class.

Waitlist Policy: Candidates who apply to classes that are at maximum capacity will have the opportunity to be placed on a waitlist. Candidates who have their background check and application complete will be given first priority. After that, candidates will be invited to join the class in the order of received applications should a slot open up. Waitlist invitees will be given up to 24 hours to respond to an emailed invitation. After the 24 hour period, the invitation will close and the next candidate will be invited.

Clinical Instruction: Clinicals will be completed under the direction of a licensed nurse in one of the Columbine Health Systems facilities. Clinical rotations will be limited to 10 students per day per facility. Students must attend an orientation session for the facility prior to beginning clinicals.

If unable to complete clinical rotation with your enrolled class, completion of clinical rotation must be performed within 30 days of completing classroom course or with next available clinical rotation. If clinical rotation is not completed within 30 days of completing the classroom course or with the next available clinical rotation, the entire course must be re-taken and full tuition cost applies.

Clinical Dress Code: All students must wear dark green scrub pants and top, closed-toe shoes, gait belt and name tag. Students must have a general neat appearance, no facial piercings, and long hair must be pulled back away from the face. Jewelry should be limited to small studded earrings only and perfume/cologne should be minimal. Tattoos must be covered.

For course completion and dismissal information, refer to Columbine Health Systems policy, "Candidate Admission, Course Completion, and Dismissal Policy."

Fee Schedule:
Tuition for the program is $947.25 and must paid in full via cash or credit card prior to reserving a slot.

TOTAL ESTIMATED COSTS FOR PROGRAM:

Tuition (includes training program, lab supplies, gait belt, scrubs, and nametag) $947.25

State Test (payment will be made to the Colorado State Board of Nursing once clinicals are complete) $135.00

Background Check (price varies dependent upon how many names/states must be researched) $21.50 and up

Textbook $65.00

TB Test $15.00 - $25.00

Flu Shot $15.00 - $30.00

ESTIMATED COST $947.25 - $1,015.67

*Withdrawal from the program by the student will result in reimbursement of tuition as follows:

• Cancellation from the program 7 or more business days before the start of the class will result in full tuition reimbursement minus a $75.00 cancellation fee and a $50.00 administrative processing fee.

• Cancelling after the 7 business days before class will result in no reimbursement of funds, regardless of the reason for class termination.

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Candidate Admission, Course Completion, and Dismissal Policy

Candidate Admission Qualifications

1. Minimum age, 17 years. If under 18, must have signed consent form from parent/guardian.

2. Expresses interest in people without exclusions.

3. Has a positive attitude toward the elderly.

4. Expresses the desire to be a caregiver.

5. Obtains a Background Check with no disqualifying events.

6. Reads, writes, comprehends, and speaks English well enough to communicate effectively with residents and members of the health care team.

7. Expresses ability to distinguish smells, tastes, and a range of temperatures from hot to cold.

8. Understands the importance of confidentiality of information.

9. Expresses ability to walk and stand during most of an 8 hour shift.

10. Expresses ability to squat, sit, bend to waist level and also the floor, and reach above the shoulders using good body mechanics.

Candidate Course Completion Qualifications

1. Federal law requires completion of a minimum of 75 hours of instruction to include no less than 16 hours of classroom instruction and no less than 16 hours of clinical instruction under the direct supervision of an RN or LPN. This is a 92 hour program which includes 72 hours in class/lab with 20 hours of clinical work.

2. Finishes all required work as outlined in the syllabus.

3. Passes the class and completes all 20 hours of clinical training.

4. Successfully completes the skills training and knowledge comprehension tasks as demonstrated by turning in a completed skills checklist.

5. Successfully meets the Terminal Competencies for the program as listed on the skills checklist.

6. Pays tuition in full.

7. Returns gait belt, scrubs, and name tag to instructor.

8. Completes the application to test for certification as is required by the Colorado Board of Nursing. Submits this application to the program coordinator.

A Course Completion Affidavit will not be granted and the "Certification by Examination" application will not be submitted to Pearson-Vue until all Course Completion criteria have been met.

Candidate Dismissal

1. Does not attend each required class session .

2. Class grades are below the passing score of at least 75%.

3. Failure to pass the final written exam with a score of at least 75%.

4. Failure to pass the final skills test.

5. Failure to attend all 20 hours of clinicals.

6. Does not subscribe to expected classroom conduct; is disruptive, disrespectful of others, sleeping in class, or is insubordinate.

7. Demonstrates a bias against the elderly or those of another race, religion, or nationality.

8. Student will be dismissed from the program if they provide any service/skill for the resident/client during clinical practice that they have not been trained for and/or found to be proficient by the instructor prior to performing the service/skill.

Disqualifying Criminal Offenses

It is the policy of our organization to provide our residents and our employees a safe and productive work and living environment.

Any conviction, pleas of guilty, no contest, or deferred adjudication of the following criminal offenses appearing on a criminal background check (CBGC) will disqualify an application for admission to the Nurse Aide Training Program, volunteer, internship or employment with any Columbine Health Systems facility except when the applicant has successfully completed the terms of a deferred adjudication agreement.

1. Any felony convictions.

2. Crime of violence (assault, sexual offenses, arson, kidnapping, any crime against an at-risk adult or juvenile, etc.)

3. Any offense involving unlawful sexual behavior.

4. Any crime, the underlying basis of which has been found by the court on the record to include an act of domestic violence.

5. Any crime of elder or child abuse.

6. Any crime related to the sale, possession, distribution or transfer of narcotics or controlled substances.

7. Any misdemeanor theft crimes in the 7 years immediately preceding the submittal of application.

8. Any offense of sexual assault on a client by a psychotherapist.

9. Crimes of moral turpitude (prostitution, public lewdness/exposure, etc.) in the 7 years immediately preceding the submittal of application.

10. Registered Sex Offenders

11. Any offense in another state, the elements of which are substantially similar to the elements of any of the above offenses.

12. More than one (1) D.U.I. in the 7 years immediately preceding the submittal of application.