Nurse Aide and Orderly (Articulated)

Course Description

HCP0121 / HCP0121C – Nurse Aide and Orderly (Articulated) is a clock-hour Career and Technical Education (CTE) course in the Health Sciences taxonomy of Florida's Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). The course is the second Occupational Completion Point (OCP B) of the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Nursing Assistant Career Certificate Program, immediately following the Health Science Core (HSC0003 - Basic Healthcare Worker, OCP A). The course prepares students for employment as nursing assistants in long-term care facilities, hospitals, home health agencies, and other healthcare settings, and prepares them to challenge the Florida Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) examination administered by Prometric.

The course content is governed by standards published in the FLDOE Nursing Assistant Curriculum Framework (program code H170604 / Program of Study CTE-PSAV). The combined Health Science Core (HSC0003, 90 hours) plus Nurse Aide and Orderly (HCP0121, 75 hours) totals 165 clock hours, exceeding Florida's minimum of 120 hours required to sit for the state CNA exam (Florida Statute 464.201, Florida Administrative Code 64B9-15). HCP0121 is offered at 45 Florida public institutions, including Florida technical colleges, district technical centers, and Florida State Colleges with PSAV nursing assistant programs. Successful completers receive certification of training and are eligible to take the Florida CNA examination.

Learning Outcomes

The required outcomes below are derived directly from FLDOE Curriculum Framework standards 12.0-21.0 (the Nursing Assistant occupational standards that follow Health Science Core standards 1-11). All Florida institutions offering HCP0121 must address these standards.

Required Outcomes (FLDOE Nursing Assistant Standards)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Standard 12 — Communication Specific to Nurse Assisting: Use verbal and written communications specific to nurse assisting; obtain specified data from patient and family; utilize verbal and written information to assist with the patient's plan of care; demonstrate use of the communication system.
• Standard 13 — Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Specific to Nurse Assisting: Demonstrate legal and ethical behavior within the nursing assistant scope of practice including role limitations in Florida; describe the chain of communication; follow policies and procedures affecting health, safety, and well-being of patients; understand abuse and neglect reporting; report any crimes within 30 days per Florida law.
• Standard 14 — Safe and Efficient Work Practices: Practice safe and efficient work practices; demonstrate proper body mechanics for patient transfers, lifts, and positioning; recognize hazards in the patient care environment.
• Standard 15 — Personal Care Skills: Provide personal care including bathing, oral hygiene, perineal care, hair care, nail care, dressing/undressing, and grooming; promote patient independence.
• Standard 16 — Vital Signs and Measurements: Measure and record temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, height, weight, and intake/output accurately; recognize abnormal findings and report appropriately.
• Standard 17 — Nutrition and Elimination: Assist patients with eating and feeding; provide hydration; assist with toileting; provide bowel and bladder care; observe and report on intake, output, and elimination patterns.
• Standard 18 — Mobility and Restorative Care: Assist patients with ambulation; perform range-of-motion exercises; transfer patients safely (bed to chair, bed to wheelchair, mechanical lifts); position patients for comfort and pressure-injury prevention; promote restorative and rehabilitative care.
• Standard 19 — Care of the Geriatric Patient: Demonstrate understanding of aging processes; provide care for residents with dementia (Alzheimer's care); apply principles of person-centered care; recognize and respect resident rights in long-term care settings.
• Standard 20 — Care of Patients with Special Needs: Provide care for patients with chronic illnesses, mental health conditions, and end-of-life care; demonstrate cultural competence and sensitivity.
• Standard 21 — Practicum / Clinical Experience: Demonstrate clinical competencies under supervision in a long-term care or healthcare facility; apply professional behaviors; meet minimum required clinical hours.

Optional Outcomes

Depending on the institution, students may also:

• Complete preparation for the Florida CNA examination (administered by Prometric), including written and clinical skills review.
• Earn additional industry certifications, including American Heart Association BLS Provider (if not earned in HSC0003) and OSHA-10.
• Participate in specialized clinical experiences in geriatric, hospice, home health, or hospital settings.
• Complete preparation for advancement into Patient Care Technician (PCT), Home Health Aide, or Practical Nursing (LPN) programs.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Communication and Interpersonal Skills in Nursing Assisting: Therapeutic communication; communicating with patients across the lifespan; communicating with patients with sensory and cognitive impairments; documentation in the medical record; reporting changes to nursing staff.
• Legal and Ethical Issues in Long-Term Care: The Patient's Bill of Rights / Resident's Rights; HIPAA Privacy and Security; Florida nursing assistant scope of practice; mandatory reporting of abuse, neglect, and exploitation; Florida CNA registry; Florida Statute 464.201; Florida Administrative Code 64B9-15.
• Safe Patient Handling: Body mechanics; transfer techniques (bed to chair, sit-stand, mechanical lifts); ambulation assistance; gait belts; preventing falls; preventing musculoskeletal injuries.
• Personal Care: Bathing (bed bath, shower, tub); oral hygiene (including denture care, unconscious patients); perineal care; nail and foot care; hair care and shaving; dressing and undressing; grooming; back rubs.
• Vital Signs and Measurements: Temperature (oral, axillary, tympanic, temporal); pulse (radial, apical); respirations; blood pressure (manual and electronic); height and weight; intake and output; pulse oximetry; pain assessment.
• Nutrition and Elimination: Therapeutic diets; assisting with eating and feeding (including dysphagia precautions); hydration and dehydration; assisting with bedpan, urinal, commode, toileting; perineal hygiene after elimination; care of incontinent patients; observation and recording of bowel and bladder patterns.
• Mobility and Restorative Care: Range-of-motion exercises (active, passive, active-assistive); positioning (Fowler's, semi-Fowler's, supine, prone, side-lying); pressure injury prevention; ambulation with assistive devices (cane, walker, crutches); transferring techniques.
• Geriatric Care and Long-Term Care: Aging process changes by body system; common geriatric conditions; dementia and Alzheimer's care; person-centered care; resident rights and dignity; activities of daily living (ADLs).
• Care of Patients with Specific Conditions: Stroke (CVA); diabetes; congestive heart failure; respiratory conditions (COPD); cognitive impairments; mental health considerations; chronic pain; end-of-life care and hospice.
• Specimen Collection and Patient Observations: Collecting routine urine and stool specimens; observation of changes in patient status; recognizing and reporting emergencies.
• Clinical Practicum: Supervised clinical hours in a Florida-approved long-term care facility or healthcare setting; demonstration of competencies; documentation; professional conduct.

Optional Topics

• CNA Examination Preparation: Review of written and clinical skills components; sample test questions; mock skills examinations; Prometric registration.
• Specialized Care Areas: Pediatric care; maternal/postpartum care; mental health setting care; rehabilitation care.
• Advanced Skills (PCT preparation): Phlebotomy basics; basic EKG; advanced patient care.
• Disaster Preparedness: Florida hurricane preparedness in long-term care; evacuation procedures; emergency planning.
• Career Advancement: Pathways to Patient Care Technician (PCT), Practical Nursing (PN), Registered Nursing (RN), and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); financial-aid resources.

Resources & Tools

• Recommended Textbooks: Hartman's Nursing Assistant Care: Long-Term Care (Hartman Publishing, widely adopted); Mosby's Essentials for Nursing Assistants by Sorrentino (Elsevier); Nursing Assistant: A Nursing Process Approach by Hegner (Cengage); institution-specific custom texts aligned to FLDOE standards.
• Skills Lab Equipment: Patient beds (manual and electric); transfer equipment (gait belts, mechanical lifts); vital signs equipment; manikins for skills practice; PPE and infection control supplies.
• State Certification Resources: Florida Department of Health CNA Information (floridasnursing.gov); Prometric Florida CNA Test (prometric.com/test-takers/search/cna); Florida CNA Registry; Florida Statute 464.201 and Florida Administrative Code 64B9-15.
• Florida State Frameworks: FLDOE Nursing Assistant Curriculum Framework (program H170604) — fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/curriculum-frameworks; FLDOE Health Science Core PSAV/CC document.
• Industry Resources: National Council of State Boards of Nursing (ncsbn.org); American Health Care Association (ahcancal.org); LeadingAge Florida (state long-term care association).
• CNA Exam Prep: Prometric Candidate Information Bulletin (CIB); free practice tests; review books such as CNA Practice Test series.

Career Pathways

Completion of HCP0121 supports immediate entry into nursing assistant careers and serves as a foundation for nursing-career advancement:

• Florida Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) – After successful completion and passing the Prometric Florida CNA examination, students earn the CNA credential and may register on the Florida CNA Registry. Florida CNAs are in high demand statewide, particularly in the long-term care industry.
• Long-Term Care Settings – Skilled nursing facilities; assisted living facilities; memory care units; rehabilitation centers; major Florida operators including Brookdale, Five Star, Genesis HealthCare, and many regional providers.
• Hospital Settings – Patient care assistant positions in acute-care hospitals (AdventHealth, HCA Florida Healthcare, BayCare, Memorial Healthcare, Baptist Health South Florida, Tampa General).
• Home Health Care – Home health agencies serving Florida's aging population.
• Career Advancement Pathways – Patient Care Technician (PCT) certification; Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program; Registered Nurse (RN) Associate Degree program; eventual Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Florida public universities. Many Florida State Colleges offer articulation pathways from CNA to LPN to RN.
• Florida Industry Demand – Florida's aging population creates strong sustained demand for CNAs. Florida Department of Economic Opportunity projects 15-20% growth in nursing assistant employment through 2030, with median wages rising. Sign-on bonuses are common in long-term care due to chronic staffing shortages.

Special Information

Career Certificate Program (PSAV) Designation

HCP0121 is a Postsecondary Adult Vocational (PSAV) course measured in clock hours rather than college credits. The state-defined length is 75 clock hours for HCP0121 alone, or 165 clock hours combined with the prerequisite HSC0003 (Health Science Core, 90 hours). Career Certificate (CC) credit is awarded on the student's transcript per Florida Statute 1004.92 and Section 1004.93.

Prerequisite — Health Science Core

HCP0121 requires successful completion of HSC0003 (Basic Healthcare Worker / Health Science Core) as a prerequisite or co-requisite. Students must complete the Health Science Core (FLDOE standards 1-11) before or alongside the nurse assisting standards (12-21).

Florida CNA Examination Eligibility

Per Florida Statute 464.201 and Florida Administrative Code 64B9-15, candidates for the Florida CNA exam must complete a state-approved training program of at least 120 hours, of which at least 40 hours must be hands-on clinical training in a long-term care facility. The combined HSC0003 + HCP0121 program (165 clock hours) exceeds these minimums. Candidates must also pass a Level 2 background check (Florida Statute 435), submit a TB screening, and complete required immunizations.

Clinical Practicum Requirements

Students must complete a supervised clinical practicum in a Florida-approved long-term care facility. Most institutions require completion of skills competency check-offs before clinical placement begins. Background checks, drug screening, and immunizations (Hepatitis B series, MMR, Tdap, varicella, influenza, TB screening) are required prior to clinical placement.

Industry Certifications and Credentials

Successful completers are eligible for:

• Florida Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) – After passing the Prometric Florida CNA examination, candidates are placed on the Florida CNA Registry and may practice as CNAs in Florida.
• American Heart Association BLS Provider – CPR/AED certification (typically earned in HSC0003 and maintained current).
• OSHA-10 General Industry – workplace safety credential.