FORMAL CLINICAL TRAINING SYLLABUS
1. Executive Program Overview
Course Title: Advanced Clinical Caregiver Competency & Patient Care Program
Target Audience: Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), Home Health Caregivers, Clinical Support Workers, and Patient Care Technicians.
Total Program Hours: 120 Hours (Didactic Instruction: 40 Hours | Skills Laboratory & Simulation: 80 Hours)
Instructional Methodologies: Interactive Lectures, Skill Demonstration/Return Demonstration, Low/High-Fidelity Simulation, Clinical Scenario Debriefing.
Assessment Framework: Written Knowledge Examination (Minimum 80% to pass) and Practical Clinical Competency Checkoffs (100% mastery required on Critical Safety Items).
2. Module & Competency BreakdownModule
Module 1: Infection Contol, Asepsis & Sterile Technique
Hours: 4 Didactic | 8 Lab
Learning Objectives: Master chain-of-infection interruption, maintain sterile boundaries, and execute biohazard waste safety.
Core Procedures:
1.1 Performing Hand Hygiene: Decontaminating hands using soap and water or alcohol-based rub to break the chain of infection.
1.2 Establishing Sterile Field: Setting up an uncontaminated working area free of microorganisms for sterile clinical procedures.
1.3 Adding Items to Sterile Field: Introducing sterile packaged supplies onto a sterile field without breaching its border or contaminating the area.
1.4 Pouring Sterile Solution: Transferring sterile liquid into a field basin without contacting basin edges or splashing fluid.
1.5 Donning and Doffing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Sequentially applying and removing gowns, masks, eye protection, and gloves to prevent cross-contamination under Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions.
1.6 Disposal of Biohazardous Waste & Sharps Safety: Operating needle-safety devices, managing puncture-resistant sharps containers, and segregating clinical waste according to biohazard protocols.
Module 2: Vital Signs & Physical Health Assessment
Hours: 5 Didactic | 10 Lab
Learning Objectives: Execute accurate physiological measurements, recognize baseline deviations, and conduct systemic head-to-toe screenings.
Core Procedures:
2.1 Assessing Radial Pulse: Palpating the radial artery at the wrist to evaluate cardiac rate, rhythm, and arterial pulse quality.
2.2 Obtaining Blood Pressure by Two Step Method: Palpating systolic pressure first to avoid underestimation from an auscultatory gap before stethoscopic measurement.
2.3 Obtaining Blood Pressure by One Method: Measuring blood pressure via cuff inflation and stethoscopic auscultation in a single continuous cycle.
2.4 Assessing Apical Pulse: Auscultating the cardiac apex at the 5th intercostal space for one full minute to determine central heart rate.
2.5 Assessing Apical-Radial Pulse: Concurrently measuring apical and radial rates with two clinicians to identify a pulse deficit.
2.6 Obtaining Oxygen Saturation: Monitoring capillary blood oxygen levels via a photoelectric sensor on a finger, toe, or earlobe.
2.7 Head-to-Toe Assessment Music Video: Executing a complete physical examination of all body systems following systematic IPPA principles.
2.8 Auscultation of the Lungs: Listening to anterior and posterior lung fields with a stethoscope to evaluate breath sounds and airflow obstruction.
2.9 Heart Auscultation: Listening to cardiac valves to identify normal S1/S2 sounds, extra heart sounds, or murmurs.
2.10 Measuring Body Temperature: Assessing core and surface body temperature using oral, tympanic, temporal artery, and axillary methods.
2.11 Assessing Respiration Rate and Rhythm: Counting full respiratory cycles per minute, evaluating effort, depth, and identifying abnormal patterns (e.g., Cheyne-Stokes, Kussmaul).
2.12 Assessing Pain Level: Evaluating intensity, location, duration, and quality using validated clinical tools (e.g., Numeric Rating Scale, PQRST framework, FACES scale).
2.13 Performing Basic Neurological Screening: Evaluating pupillary light reflex and symmetry (PERRLA), level of consciousness (AVPU or Glasgow Coma Scale), and basic motor response.
2.14 Measuring Weight and Height: Obtaining accurate baseline and ongoing patient body mass and stature measurements for clinical nutritional assessment and medication dosage calculation.
Module 3: Personal Hygiene, Grooming & Environmental Care
Hours: 3 Didactic | 7 Lab
Learning Objectives: Provide dignified personal care while preserving skin integrity, preventing infection, and maintaining ergonomic patient environments.
3.1 Assisting Patient in Tub or Shower: Assisting a patient with bathing in a tub or shower while ensuring privacy, hygiene, and fall safety.
3.2 Hair Care & Shampooing: Cleansing and grooming a patient’s hair and scalp to maintain skin integrity and personal dignity.
3.3 Oral Hygiene for Unconscious Patient: Cleansing the mouth and gums of an unresponsive patient using suction swabs to prevent aspiration.
3.4 Cleaning Dentures: Removing, brushing, and rinsing removable dental prostheses over a padded sink basin.
3.5 Bed Making in Occupied Bed: Replacing bed linens while the patient remains in bed, ensuring comfort and avoiding shear injury.
3.6 Shaving a Male Patient: Trimming or shaving facial hair using a safety razor or electric shaver while preserving skin integrity.
3.7 Performing Nail & Foot Care: Cleaning, inspecting, and filing nails straight across to prevent skin breakdown and soft tissue infections.
3.8 Assisting with Gown Change: Removing and replacing patient clothing while preserving modesty and accommodating lines or injuries.
3.9 Performing Perineal Care Male / Performing Perineal Care Female: Cleansing mucosal tissues and external genitalia from clean to dirty areas to prevent contamination and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs).
3.10 Providing Eye Care: Cleaning secretions from the inner to outer canthus using separate sterile wipes to prevent cross-contamination in dependent or sedated patients.
3.11 Giving a Complete or Partial Bed Bath: Cleansing dependent patients in bed while preserving privacy, maintaining proper skin integrity, and preventing shear injuries.
3.12 Performing a Sitz Bath: Administering warm perineal soaking therapy to relieve discomfort, enhance circulation, and promote healing following perineal or rectal surgical procedures.
3.13 Giving a Back Massage: Executing comforting cutaneous stroke maneuvers to reduce muscular tension, enhance systemic relaxation, and promote localized circulation.
3.14 Assisting with Dressing & Undressing: Helping patients remove and don personal attire safely while accommodating mobility limitations and maintaining personal dignity.
3.15 Changing the Gown of the Person with an IV: Removing and replacing patient apparel without disrupting continuous intravenous lines, fluid bags, or infusion access sites.
3.16 Making a Closed Bed: Preparing an unoccupied bed with fresh linens and neat corner tucks to maintain environmental hygiene between patient admissions.
3.17 Making a Surgical Bed: Arranging open, accessible bed linens to facilitate smooth, safe lateral transfers directly from stretchers post-operatively.
Module 4: Patient Safety, Body Mechanics & Mobility
Hours: 4 Didactic | 9 Lab
Learning Objectives: Apply ergonomic transfer techniques, operate mechanical assist devices, implement fall reduction, and prevent pressure injury.
Core Procedures:
4.1 Applying Restraints: Securing authorized physical restraint devices to prevent patient self-harm or dislodgement of life-sustaining tubes.
4.2 Transferring From Bed to Stretcher: Moving a patient horizontally between a bed and stretcher using friction-reducing slide boards.
4.3 Using Hydraulic Lift: Operating a mechanical sling lift to safely transfer non-weight-bearing patients between surfaces.
4.4 Using Sequential Compression Device (SCD): Applying inflatable leg sleeves to promote venous blood return and prevent deep vein thrombosis.
4.5 Alternative Restraints: Implementing environmental modifications and safety strategies to prevent harm without physical restraint.
4.6 Assisting with Moving and Positioning the Patient: Realigning or turning a bedbound patient to maintain alignment and prevent pressure injuries.
4.7 Assisting with Ambulation Using a Gait Belt: Supporting unsteady or weak patients during walking to maintain balance and prevent falls.
4.8 Logrolling a Patient: Turning a patient as a single unit while maintaining rigid anatomical alignment of the head, neck, and spine.
4.9 Performing Passive Range of Motion (PROM) Exercises: Moving joints through their full physiological range without patient exertion to maintain flexibility and prevent contractures.
4.10 Assisting a Falling Patient: Using a safe stance to control a patient’s descent to the floor during syncopal or weakness episodes.
4.11 Transferring the Person to a Chair or Wheelchair: Utilizing proper caregiver body mechanics and transfer safety protocols to move weight-bearing or partial-weight-bearing patients between beds and seating.
4.12 Moving the Person Up in Bed: Repositioning a patient toward the head of the bed using friction-reducing slide sheets or multi-person ergonomics to prevent shear and skin breakdown.
Module 5: Medication Safety, Preparation & Administration
Hours: 6 Didactic | 12 Lab
Learning Objectives: Demonstrate strict adherence to medication administration rights, dosage calculations, parenteral injection routes, and error mitigation.
Core Procedures:
5.1 Administering Ear Drops: Instilling prescribed liquid medication into the external ear canal using proper pinna alignment.
5.2 Administering Intradermal Injection: Injecting a small dose into the dermal skin layer at a 5–15° angle to create a skin wheal.
5.3 Applying Topical Medications: Spreading creams, ointments, or transdermal patches onto clean skin for local or systemic absorption.
5.4 Administering Subcutaneous Injection: Injecting medication into adipose tissue below the dermis at a 45° or 90° angle.
5.5 Preparing Injections From a Vial: Withdrawing liquid or reconstituted powder medication from a sealed glass or plastic vial.
5.6 Preparing and Administering Insulin: Calculating, drawing up, and subcutaneously injecting insulin using specialized insulin unit syringes.
5.7 Preventing Medication Errors: Cross-checking medication labels against the MAR using the “Rights” of medication administration.
5.8 Preparing Injections from an Ampoule: Snapping a glass ampoule neck and aspirating medication using a filter needle to trap glass particles.
5.9 Administering Oral Medications: Verifying swallow capability, crushing or splitting allowed oral formulations, and measuring liquid doses at eye level.
5.10 Administering Ophthalmic Drops and Ointments: Instilling drops or applying a thin ribbon of ointment into the lower conjunctival sac without touching the ocular surface.
5.11 Administering Intramuscular (IM) Injections: Identifying ventrogluteal, deltoid, or vastus lateralis landmarks and using the Z-track technique to minimize tissue irritation.
5.12 Administering Inhaled Medications (MDI & Nebulizers): Operating metered-dose inhalers with spacers and compressor-driven nebulizers to deliver aerosolized bronchodilators.
Module 6: Respiratory Care & Airway Management
Hours: 4 Didactic | 8 Lab
Learning Objectives: Maintain upper airway clearance, perform tracheostomy care, administer oxygen therapy, and promote pulmonary expansion.
Core Procedures:
6.1 Performing Oropharyngeal Suctioning: Clearing secretions from the mouth and pharynx using a Yankauer suction tip to clear the airway.
6.2 Performing Nasotracheal Suctioning: Inserting a suction catheter through the nose into the trachea to clear deep pulmonary secretions.
6.3 Collecting a Sputum Specimen: Obtaining expectorated deep-lung mucus into a sterile container for microbiological culture.
6.4 Providing Tracheostomy Care: Cleansing the stoma, changing tracheostomy ties, and cleaning or replacing the inner cannula.
6.5 Administering Low-Flow Oxygen Therapy: Setting up oxygen sources, flow meters, humidifiers, and applying nasal cannulas or simple face masks at prescribed rates.
6.6 Coaching Incentive Spirometry: Guiding patients through sustained maximal inspiration exercises to promote alveolar expansion and prevent post-operative atelectasis.
6.7 Assisting with Deep Breathing and Coughing Exercises: Guiding post-operative or immobile patients through voluntary pulmonary expansion routines to mobilize pulmonary secretions and prevent atelectasis.
Module 7: Gastrointestinal Care, Nutrition & Elimination
Hours: 4 Didactic | 7 Lab
Learning Objectives: Manage enteral nutrition delivery, perform ostomy hygiene, manage aspiration risk, and assess GI diagnostics.
Core Procedures:
7.1 Pouching a Colostomy: Cleaning an abdominal bowel stoma and applying a secure collection pouching system.
7.2 Assisting with Bed Pan: Positioning a standard or fracture bedpan under an immobilized patient for bowel or bladder elimination.
7.3 Performing Gastric Occult and pH Testing: Testing enteral fluid pH to confirm tube placement and screening aspirate for hidden blood.
7.4 Removing Feeding Tube: Withdrawing a nasogastric tube smoothly while the patient holds their breath to avoid aspiration.
7.5 Performing Fecal Occult Blood Testing: Applying a stool sample to a guaiac developer card to screen for hidden gastrointestinal bleeding.
7.6 Cleansing Enema Administration: Instilling fluid into the rectum to stimulate bowel peristalsis and evacuate stool.
7.7 Administering Enteral Tube Feeds: Delivering bolus or continuous nutritional formulas through nasogastric or gastrostomy (G-tube) ports, including checking gastric residual volume and flushing lines.
7.8 Assisting Patients with Dysphagia: Implementing aspiration precautions, chin-tuck positioning, and fluid thickening protocols during meals.
7.9 Measuring and Recording Intake and Output (I&O): Quantifying total oral/enteral fluid intake against urinary, wound drain, and gastrointestinal output over a 24-hour period.
7.10 Feeding the Person: Assisting dependent patients with oral intake using safe positioning, patient-paced feeding, and choking risk mitigation.
7.11 Serving Meal Trays: Verifying prescribed patient dietary orders, delivering meals at proper temperatures, and setting up eating utensils for maximum patient independence.
7.12 Helping the Person to the Commode: Safely transferring and supporting patients during elimination on a bedside commode while maintaining privacy and fall safety.
Module 8: Urinary System & Ostomy Care
Hours: 3 Didactic | 7 Lab
Learning Objectives: Execute aseptic urinary catheterization, perform catheter care, maintain closed drainage systems, and manage urostomies.
Core Procedures:
8.1 Assisting with a Urinal: Helping a bedbound male patient position a handheld collection container for voiding.
8.2 Obtaining Specimen From Indwelling Catheter: Aspirating sterile urine from a closed urinary catheter sampling port using a needleless syringe.
8.3 Assisting with Mid-Stream Urine Collection: Instructing a patient on clean-catch perineal hygiene and collecting a mid-stream urine sample.
8.4 Pouching a Urostomy (Pouching a Uterostomy): Cleansing a urinary diversion stoma and applying a leak-proof pouch to continuously collect urine.
8.5 Inserting and Removing Indwelling Urinary Catheters FEMALE / MALE: Applying sterile technique to insert a Foley catheter, inflate the retention balloon, and safely deflate/remove it when discontinued.
8.8 Collecting a 24-Hour Urine Specimen: Managing the continuous, quantitative collection and storage of all voided urine over an exact 24-hour cycle for metabolic and renal diagnostic evaluation.
8.6 Maintaining Indwelling Catheter & Drainage Systems: Cleansing catheter tubing, securing anchors to the thigh, and maintaining an unobstructed, closed drainage system positioned below bladder level.
8.7 Applying a Condom Catheter: Selecting the correct size, applying non-invasive external urinary sheath containment, and securing it to prevent skin maceration.
Module 9: Wound Care & Tissue Integrity
Hours: 3 Didactic | 6 Lab
Learning Objectives: Assess tissue beds, perform aseptic dressing changes, manage open/closed wound irrigation, and operate surgical drains.
Core Procedures:
9.1 Assessing Wounds: Measuring wound dimensions, evaluating tissue bed status, exudate, and surrounding skin integrity.
9.2 Changing Wound Dressing: Removing soiled dressings, cleansing the wound bed, and applying new sterile protective coverings.
9.3 Caring for Pressure Ulcers: Cleaning, staging, treating, and offloading pressure from localized ischemic tissue injuries.
9.4 Irrigating Wound: Flushing a open wound bed with sterile fluid under controlled pressure to remove exudate and debris.
9.5 Emptying and Re-establishing Closed Surgical Drains: Draining, measuring exudate from Jackson-Pratt (JP) or Hemovac reservoirs, and compressing the device to re-establish negative suction pressure.
9.6 Applying Anti-Embolism Stockings (TED Hose): Measuring leg dimensions and applying sequential or compression stockings to prevent venous stasis and deep vein thrombosis.
9.7 The Surgical Skin Prep—Shaving the Skin: Preparing operative sites through aseptic hair removal and skin cleansing according to pre-operative surgical orders.
9.8 Performing a Hot or Cold Soak: Immersing targeted body extremities in therapeutic temperature-controlled liquid solutions to reduce swelling or increase tissue perfusion.
9.9 Applying Hot or Cold Pack / Ice Bag / Collar / Glove: Applying localized thermal devices safely to target tissue areas while preventing skin thermal injury or frostbite.
9.10 Applying a Hot or Cold Compress: Positioning moist, temperature-regulated dressings over localized body areas for targeted pain relief or inflammation reduction.
9.11 Using an Aquamatic or Aquathermia Pad: Operating electric temperature-regulated water circulation heating pads safely with protective barriers to prevent skin burns.
Module 10: Diagnostic & Point-of-Care Testing
Hours: 2 Didactic | 4 Lab
Learning Objectives: Conduct accurate bedside diagnostic testing, perform instrument quality controls, and record multi-lead ECG tracings.
Core Procedures:
10.1 Performing Blood Glucose Testing: Obtaining capillary blood via skin lancet puncture to measure real-time blood glucose on a glucometer.
10.2 Performing Urine Dipstick Reagent Testing: Reagent strip testing of fresh urine to evaluate pH, specific gravity, protein, glucose, ketones, and leukocytes.
10.3 Obtaining a 12-Lead Electrocardiogram (ECG): Placing limb leads and precordial chest electrodes (V1–V6) accurately to record a diagnostic cardiac rhythm tracing.
Module 11: Emergency Response & Post-Mortem Care
Hours: 2 Didactic | 2 Lab
Learning Objectives: Execute emergency airway clearance for choking victims and demonstrate respectful post-mortem preparation.
Core Procedures:
11.1 Managing Foreign Body Airway Obstruction: Executing abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) or chest thrusts on conscious and unconscious choking victims.
11.2 Providing Post-Mortem Care: Performing hygienic body cleansing, aligning anatomy, placing identification tags, and preparing the body respectfully for family viewing or transport.
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