In this career major you’ll master the skills that employers need in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living centers, hospice centers and home health agencies. In this hands-on program you’ll learn proper techniques to assist patients of all ages as they perform basic daily tasks that range from hygiene and grooming to helping patients walk, assisting wheelchair-bound patients, and transferring and transporting patients using safe assistive devices. You’ll also learn vital signs and CPR. Upon completion of this career major, you will be eligible to become certified as a nurse aide and a home health aide.

This career major is also a platform for those individuals who plan to enter the nursing field and meets all of the prerequisite requirements for Meridian’s practical nursing program. Completion may give students points on applications to higher education health care programs, and/or meet some prerequisite requirements. High school students can earn high school science credit upon successful completion of the anatomy course. This career major is a prerequisite for Health Careers 2.

How You’ll Learn Hands-On

Get out of the classroom and into the real world with projects such as:

• Practicing simulated patient care in a classroom laboratory
• Gaining real-world health care experience with health care professionals

Where it Can Take You

Use the skills you’ll learn in this program to find a career you’ll love. Possibilities include:

• Nurse
• Therapist(Physical, Speech, etc.)
• Doctor
• Radiographer

Possible Certifications you can earn

• Heartsaver First Aid
• CPR – BLS Provider
• Home Health Aide – (Oklahoma Department of Health)
• Long-Term Care Nurse Aide – (Oklahoma Department of Health)

What You’ll Learn

Career Readiness Certificate

WorkKeys®, an assessment tool from the ACT® organization, measures skills employers have identified as critical to job success in their industry and are used in hiring and promoting employees. Students are able to earn the ACT®-issued National Career Readiness Certificate by meeting the score requirements for their job field on three WorkKeys® assessments.

Matching the right employees with the right job creates employee job satisfaction, increased self-confidence and the best wages possible for the employee. The employer benefits with reduced turnover and training, increased productivity and overall company success. To learn about the WorkKeys® scores needed for your future career field visit Job Profiles.

The required WorkKeys scores for this career major are:

Applied Math – 3
Workplace Documents – 3
Graphic Literacy – 3

Graduation Requirements

In order to be successful in a career, students will need to meet all technical and academic standards related to their career of choice at Meridian. Meridian offers rigorous programs of study designed in cooperation with business and industry to ensure students are fully prepared for the demands of the workplace.

Meridian’s Career Ready Credential

When a student completes all standards as set forth in their program of study, they will be considered a graduate of Meridian and receive the Career Ready Credential. Students who do not meet these standards will not be considered graduates of Meridian. Students should have:

• Completed all courses in a career major with a grade of “C” or above and achieved required industry-based certifications for the career major
• Achieved WorkKeys® scores at or above the level required for the career major or earned an ACT® composite score of 19 or greater (Students may substitute equivalent scores on SAT, ACCUPLACER or other approved assessments.)

Additional Endorsements

Students earning a Career Ready Credential may also earn the Postsecondary Ready Endorsement, Citizenship Ready Endorsement and the National Career Readiness Certificate (CRC).

Postsecondary Ready Endorsement

• Earned, or was on track to earn, a high school diploma or GED at the time of Meridian graduation
• Achieved a subscore of 19 or greater on the ACT® in math, English, reading and science (Students may substitute equivalent scores on SAT, ACCUPLACER or other approved assessments.)

Citizenship Ready Endorsement

• Completed employment profile, résumé, job application, cover letter, mock interview and job search training through OKJobMatch.com
• Documented active membership in a CareerTech Student Organization or professional association related to the program of study
• Documented 20 hours of volunteerism or service in a community activity

National Career Readiness Certificate (CRC)

• Completed WorkKeys® assessments in Applied Math, Graphic Literacy and Workplace Documents and received a silver, gold or platinum National Career Readiness Certificate through the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.

Get Started

Apply for admission as a high school student. Apply for admission as an adult. Contact the Career Planning Center with questions at 405.377.3333.