Nursing Assistant

The Office of Long-Term Care approves the Nursing Assistant Program.  Graduates are eligible to apply to take the Written and Skills Assessment Exams for certification.  Graduates should be aware that violation of any federal, state, or local drug law or conviction of a crime may prohibit the student from entering a clinical agency to care for patients.  In addition, clinical facilities also may require a criminal background check and/or drug test as a condition of clinical practice in the respective facility.  Inability to complete the clinical course because of failure to meet these requirements will result in course failure.  Applicants also should be aware that violation of any federal, state, or local drug law or conviction of a crime may preclude certification as a nursing assistant.  The Office of Long-Term Care may be contacted at: Post Office Box 8059, Slot S409, Little Rock, AR  72203-1437, (501) 682-6789 or by e-mail at https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/about-dhs/dms.

Admission

The Nursing Assistant Program may be offered every semester. Since enrollment in NA/ISHP courses is limited to 12 students, interested individuals are encouraged to register early. Enrollment in the NA/ISHP courses are on a first-come, first-served basis. No late enrollment is allowed.

Students who enroll in the Nursing Assistant Program must meet the following criteria:

1. Fulfill all college admission requirements.
2. Be at least 18 years of age.
3. Submit official high school transcript documenting graduation from high school or official Arkansas High School Diploma GED certificate to the Registrar’s Office.
4. Document a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average in all courses taken at PCCUA.
5. Provide SAT, ACT, NG ACCUPLACER, scores taken within the last four (4) years that meet the minimum skill level in reading, math, and English or have an 8th grade reading level on the TABE test.
6. Students who speak English as a second language must also take the NG ACCUPLACER ESL to prove proficiency in English. The following scores are required in each category.
   • Listening: minimum score of 106
   • Reading: minimum score of 116
   • WritePlacer ESL: minimum score of 5

Students who meet the minimum criteria may enroll in NA/ISHP courses.  Enrollment is first-come, first-served until the class is filled.

After Enrollment 

The student must provide the following documents before going to an assigned clinical agency for clinical practice: 

1. Completed Health Statement
2. Proof of immunization compliance
   • Current Td or Tdap
   • Two (2) Varicella or a positive titer
   • Two (2) MMRs, if born after 1957, or positive titers
   • Initiation of Hepatitis B series or a positive titer
3. Proof of TB skin test (Must be valid for the entire semester.)
4. Signed Communicable Disease Statement
5. Current US federal or state issued photo ID, examples include:
   • US passport
   • US military ID
   • State driver’s license
6. Comply with drug testing
7. Proof of professional liability insurance (Must be valid for the entire semester enrolled.)
8. Complete a criminal background check
9. Provide proof of current flu immunization

No late enrollment is allowed. Students are expected to furnish their own transportation to school and to and from the clinical area.