Basic Healthcare Worker (Health Science Core)

Course Description

HSC0003 / HSC0003C – Basic Healthcare Worker is a clock-hour Career and Technical Education (CTE) course in the Health Sciences taxonomy of Florida's Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). Also known as the Health Science Core, this course is the first Occupational Completion Point (OCP) in the majority of Florida's Career Certificate Program (PSAV) health science programs. It introduces students to entry-level concepts and skills required for safe, effective work in healthcare settings, and is a portable credential — students who complete the Health Science Core do not need to repeat it when entering subsequent health science programs (Nursing Assistant, Home Health Aide, Patient Care Technician, Phlebotomy, Medical Assisting, EKG, Pharmacy Technician, Medical Coding, and others).

The course content is governed by standards published in the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Career and Technical Education Curriculum Frameworks (Standards 1-11 of the Health Science Core). Standard total program length is 90 clock hours at the Career Certificate level. The course is delivered at Florida technical colleges, district technical centers, and Florida State Colleges with PSAV health science programs (62 institutions in the SCNS inventory). Students who complete HSC0003 receive a digital badge or certificate of completion at many institutions and are eligible to continue into specialized health science training.

Learning Outcomes

The required outcomes below are derived directly from the FLDOE Health Science Core Standards (1-11). All Florida institutions offering HSC0003 must address these standards.

Required Outcomes (FLDOE Health Science Core Standards)

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

• Standard 1 — Healthcare Delivery System: Demonstrate knowledge of the organization of the U.S. healthcare delivery system and identify health occupations and their roles.
• Standard 2 — Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrate the ability to communicate verbally and non-verbally; apply transcultural communication and interpersonal skills appropriate for healthcare settings.
• Standard 3 — Legal and Ethical Responsibilities: Demonstrate legal and ethical responsibilities of healthcare workers, including HIPAA confidentiality requirements, patient rights, scope of practice, and professional boundaries.
• Standard 4 — Wellness and Disease Concepts: Demonstrate an understanding of wellness, illness, and disease concepts, including factors influencing health and the prevention of disease.
• Standard 5 — Safety and Security Procedures: Recognize and practice safety and security procedures, including body mechanics, ergonomics, fire safety, and OSHA workplace safety requirements.
• Standard 6 — Emergency Response: Recognize and respond to emergency situations; demonstrate basic first aid and CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), typically with American Heart Association BLS certification or equivalent.
• Standard 7 — Infection Control: Recognize and practice infection control procedures, including standard precautions, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment (PPE), and the chain of infection.
• Standard 8 — Information Technology in Healthcare: Demonstrate an understanding of information technology applications in healthcare, including electronic health records (EHR) and HIPAA-compliant data handling.
• Standard 9 — Employability Skills: Demonstrate professional employability skills, including punctuality, professional appearance, work ethic, teamwork, and conflict resolution.
• Standard 10 — Bloodborne Pathogens: Demonstrate knowledge of bloodborne diseases, including HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requirements, and post-exposure procedures.
• Standard 11 — Medical Terminology, Anatomy, Math, and Science: Apply basic math and science skills used in healthcare; demonstrate proper use of medical terminology and basic anatomy and physiology concepts.

Optional Outcomes

Depending on the institution, students may also:

• Earn an industry-recognized credential through external certifying bodies (e.g., American Heart Association BLS Provider, OSHA-10, National Healthcareer Association credentials).
• Complete additional preparation for a specific Occupational Completion Point (OCP) — Nursing Assistant, Phlebotomy, Patient Care Technician, etc.
• Participate in community-based learning experiences or healthcare facility tours.
• Complete additional simulation-based learning using mannequins and skills lab equipment.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Healthcare Delivery System: Hospitals, long-term care, ambulatory care, home health, hospice; healthcare team members; financing models (Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, ACA); regulatory bodies (CMS, Joint Commission, AHCA in Florida).
• Communication in Healthcare: Verbal and non-verbal communication; transcultural communication; patient interviewing techniques; therapeutic communication; communicating with patients across the lifespan and with cognitive impairments.
• Legal and Ethical Responsibilities: HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules; Patient's Bill of Rights; informed consent; advance directives; mandatory reporting; scope of practice; professional ethics.
• Wellness and Disease: Holistic health (physical, mental, social, spiritual); risk factors and prevention; common diseases and conditions across body systems; health promotion across the lifespan.
• Safety and Security: Body mechanics and patient transfer techniques; ergonomics; fire safety (RACE, PASS); workplace violence prevention; environmental safety.
• Emergency Response and CPR/First Aid: American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers — including adult, child, and infant CPR, AED use, choking response; basic first aid (bleeding control, burns, fractures, shock).
• Infection Control: Chain of infection; standard and transmission-based precautions; hand hygiene; donning/doffing PPE; medical asepsis; sharps and biohazard handling.
• Information Technology in Healthcare: Electronic health records (EHR) basics; HIPAA-compliant computing; common healthcare software; computer literacy in clinical workflows.
• Employability Skills: Resume preparation; interview skills; professional appearance and conduct; time management; teamwork; conflict resolution; lifelong learning in healthcare.
• Bloodborne Pathogens: HIV/AIDS, HBV, HCV; OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard; exposure control plan; post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP); needlestick prevention.
• Medical Terminology and Basic Anatomy: Word roots, prefixes, suffixes; abbreviations; introduction to body systems (skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, digestive, endocrine, integumentary, urinary, reproductive); basic clinical math (dosage calculations, vital signs).

Optional Topics

• Specialized OCP Preparation: Bridge content into specific health science programs (Nursing Assistant patient care skills, Phlebotomy specimen collection, EKG basics, etc.).
• Mental Health First Aid: Recognizing and responding to mental health and substance-use crises.
• Disaster Preparedness: Florida-specific guidance on hurricane preparedness in healthcare settings.
• Cultural Competency Modules: Extended practice with diverse patient populations; LGBTQ+-inclusive care; care for older adults; pediatric considerations.

Resources & Tools

• Recommended Textbooks: Diversified Health Occupations by Simmers; Introduction to Health Care by Mitchell and Haroun; institution-specific custom texts aligned to FLDOE standards
• Required Certifications: American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider course; OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens training
• Skills Lab Equipment: Patient beds, transfer equipment, vital signs equipment (BP cuffs, thermometers, pulse oximeters), CPR mannequins, AED trainers, PPE supplies
• Florida State Frameworks: FLDOE Health Science Core PSAV / CC Curriculum Framework — fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/curriculum-frameworks; Health Science Core Standards (1-11)
• Florida Regulatory References: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA); Florida Department of Health; Florida Statutes Chapters 400-499 (healthcare regulation)
• Industry Resources: American Heart Association (heart.org); CDC infection control guidelines (cdc.gov); HHS HIPAA resources (hhs.gov/hipaa); National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Career Pathways

Completion of HSC0003 supports entry into a wide range of Florida healthcare occupations and serves as the foundational step for further specialization:

• Nursing Assistant / Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) – Continue into the Nursing Assistant OCP and sit for the Florida CNA exam through Prometric. CNA shortages persist statewide.
• Home Health Aide – Continue into the Home Health Aide OCP for in-home patient care.
• Phlebotomist – Continue into the Phlebotomy OCP and pursue national certification (NHA CPT, ASCP PBT).
• Patient Care Technician (PCT) – Continue into the PCT OCP for advanced bedside care including EKG and basic lab skills.
• Medical Assistant – Continue into Medical Assisting program for clinical and administrative duties in physician offices.
• Pharmacy Technician, EKG Technician, Medical Coder – Continue into specialized OCPs in these growing Florida health career areas.
• Florida Industry Demand: Florida is the nation's third-largest healthcare market. Major employers include AdventHealth, HCA Florida Healthcare, BayCare, Orlando Health, Memorial Healthcare, Baptist Health South Florida, Tampa General Hospital, and the Cleveland Clinic Florida system. Demand is projected to grow 15-20% over the next decade due to Florida's aging population.

Special Information

Career Certificate Program (PSAV) Designation

HSC0003 is a Postsecondary Adult Vocational (PSAV) course measured in clock hours rather than college credits. The state-defined length is 90 clock hours. Career Certificate (CC) credit is awarded on the student's transcript per Florida Statute 1004.92 and Section 1004.93. PSAV credit does not generally transfer to college-credit (A.S./A.A.) programs but is portable across all Florida technical colleges and Florida State Colleges with PSAV health science programs.

Portability Across Health Science Programs

Per FLDOE Curriculum Framework: "Secondary and Postsecondary students completing the health science core will not have to repeat the core in any other health science program in which it is a part." Successful completion of HSC0003 is recognized by all Florida health science Career Certificate programs as satisfying the Health Science Core requirement.

Industry Certifications and Credentials

Course content prepares students for the following credentials, often awarded as part of the course or available immediately after:

• American Heart Association BLS Provider – CPR/AED certification, valid for 2 years
• OSHA-10 General Industry – workplace safety credential
• HIPAA Compliance – institutional certificate of training
• Digital Healthcare Foundations Badge (offered by FSCJ and other institutions)

Background Checks and Health Requirements

Most clinical placements in subsequent OCPs require Level 2 background checks (per Florida Statute 435), drug screening, and current immunizations including the Hepatitis B series, MMR, Tdap, varicella, influenza (annual), and TB screening. Students should plan for these requirements early in the program.