Personal Care Home Continuing Education
Northampton Community College is conducting free statewide training for Personal Care Home staff and administrators and staff licensed agencies serving individuals with intellectual disabilities. The training is funded by the Department of Human Services Bureau of Human Services Licensing and each continuing education class is equal to three (3) annual training hours, unless otherwise noted. Participation is limited to staff persons working in Pennsylvania’s licensed personal care homes, assisted living residences, community homes for individuals with intellectual disabilities, family living homes, adult training facilities and vocational facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
This course will be offered to personal care home staff as an update and review of the care of residents with diabetes, as required by 2600.190b., and will be provided by a Certified Diabetic Educator. It will include diabetes updates; care and treatment options for residents with diabetes; instruction on the proper technique for administering insulin and oral medications; and instruction on recognizing signs and symptoms, and taking corrective actions for, hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Prior experience administering oral medications and insulin in a personal care home setting within the last year is required.
View program requirements (PDF)
Please email the Healthcare Education dept. to schedule a course.
Students will learn the fundamentals of infection control, with a focus on the personal care facility resident. Content includes transmission of infections and blood borne pathogens, role of immunizations, and practices to keep residents and staff safe.
Tues., April 30, 9am-Noon
Resident and staff can experience stress during verbal and non-verbal interactions related to social or physical care activities. Identifying a set of techniques and programs can help staff and residents deal more effectively with stress by analyzing the specific stressors and taking positive actions to minimize their effects.
Please register for only one session:
This course will review basic principles of pharmacology including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and adverse drug events and provide an overview of the following classes of medications used in the PCH setting: neuropsychiatric medications (antidepressants, antipsychotics, anti-anxiety, sedative-hypnotics, mood stabilizers, lithium, stimulants, non-stimulants used for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], drugs for dementia, drugs for Parkinson’s disease, and an overview of substance use disorders and their management), anti-infectives (overview of antibiotic stewardship, class of antibiotics, topical antifungals, and antivirals), respiratory agents (medications used to manage asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]), and cardiovascular medications (medications for hypertension, stroke, atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and atrial fibrillation).
Mon., May 6, 9am-Noon
Pharmacology in Common Health Conditions Part 2
This course will provide an overview of the following classes of medications used in the PCH setting: endocrine (antidiabetic agents, medications for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism), genitourinary medications (drugs for urinary incontinence, benign prostatic hypertrophy [BPH], chronic kidney disease), gastrointestinal medications (management of anorexia, constipation, C difficile infection, and gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD]), rheumatological agents (drugs for osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and gout), ophthalmic agents (medications for glaucoma and dry eyes), medications for HIV/AIDs, and cancer pharmacotherapy.
Mon., May 6, 1-4pm
This course will expand the knowledge of personal care home staff in understanding events that are considered violations and, using root causes analysis, prepare action plans that prevent such violations.
Please register for only one session:
Personal Care Home Administrator Program
Northampton Community College's "Personal Care Home Administrator" program is officially approved by the Department of Human Services - under 55 PA Code 2600.64 (a)(2). This program satisfies the Pennsylvania requirements for obtaining (100 hrs) training for certification as a Personal Care Home Administrator. It consists of 20 individual modules, covered in 30 evenings of training.
Please visit this DHS website for information regarding the Personal Care Home Administrator Program Scholarship or call the Director of Training at 866.503.3926. Scholarship must be applied for and approval received PRIOR to beginning the 100-hour Personal Care Home Administrator Course. If you are a Nursing Home Administrator wanting to take the Personal Care Home Administrator exam, please contact healthcare@northampton.edu to make arrangements. At the time of the exam, you will need to bring the following documents:
- Copy of your current Nursing Home Administrator License
- Two (2) forms of ID: a photo ID and one other form of ID
- $100 check made out to Northampton Community College
This program will not be offered for the Spring 2024 semester. To be notified when the program is scheduled and open for registration, please email healthcare@northampton.edu.
