Nursing

Nursing Assistants are in high demand by employers in Whatcom County!

Choose BTC’s Nursing Assistant program to train for nursing assistant jobs in a wide variety of medical settings. The knowledge and skills you’ll gain are highly valued by healthcare industry employers such as hospitals, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and home health agencies.

Nursing Assistant training meets the Healthcare Experience requirement for entry into the BTC Registered Nursing Program. Students who complete the Nursing Assistant program will be eligible to take their WA State certification exams.

The Nursing Assistant Program at Bellingham Technical College is approved by the State of Washington, Department of Health, Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission.

Note: BTC has not made a determination that the Nursing Assistant curriculum meets educational requirements for licensure/certification outside of Washington State. We encourage students who plan to work out-of-state to check relevant local licensure/certification requirements.

Nursing Video

Employment Information

Data are provided on a program (not credential) level

85% BTC graduate placement rate¹

$30,243 starting annual wage²
$34,216 average annual wage²
$38,958 potential annual wage²

Employment and Wage Data Sources and Information

¹Employment data come from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and reflect WA/OR employment for students enrolled at BTC between 2016-17 and 2018-19. Students are included in the employment rate if they left with a credential. Rates are not shown for programs with fewer than 10 students meeting the above criteria.

²Wage data come from Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) 2020 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates (Washington State wage) and reflect 2015-2018 employment. Wage data represent occupations that BTC faculty have identified as the most relevant career paths for program graduates. Note that these wages reflect employees with varying educational levels/credentials. For cases in which multiple occupations have been identified by faculty, a weighted percentile is calculated using each occupation’s percentile wage and employment size estimate. Wages are not shown for programs for which occupations do not meet the ESD’s minimum thresholds for publishing. If the program has wage data from the Washington SBCTC that involves shift work, these ESD wages reflect the same number of hours used in the annual wage calculation. Starting wage = 25th percentile, median wage = 50^th percentile, wage potential = 75th percentile.

³Additional employment data are provided for programs with faculty who maintain their own employment records of students who graduated between 2016-17 and 2018-19. The rates reflect employment within 9 months of graduation within their field of study. This additional, faculty-provided rate is particularly important for programs that tend to have graduates employed outside of WA and OR, as the Washington State ESD does not provide data on those graduates. Note that due to lack of available data, rates may represent fewer than 3 years of graduates.

Estimated Program Costs

Estimated Books, Tools and Supplies Costs

Tuition Fees and Rates

Entry Information

When Can I Start?

Students interested in the Nursing Assistant program should apply to the college and contact Admissions at 360.752.8345 or at admissions@btc.edu for assistance with getting started at BTC. A college application and your score on assessment testing and/or previous transcripts will determine where you begin your course sequence.

Nursing Assistant Program Information Sheet

Students are admitted in Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer quarters on a space available basis.

The BTC Nursing Assistant Program looks forward to educating our students in-person again for the 21-22 academic year. Please be aware that this is not an online program.

Students will be required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. To be considered fully vaccinated, two weeks must have passed since the date of the second dose or first dose for the one-dose vaccine. The program’s clinical partner agencies will not accept any exemption to full COVID-19 vaccination.

CPR class (AHA BLS Healthcare Provider) is included in the Nursing Assistant Program! Students do NOT need to register for these in addition to NA 101 & NA 102. Email nursing@btc.edu if you have questions.

Summer Quarter 2022 Course Calendar

What are the Minimum Entry Requirements?

Admissions application and assessment testing in Reading, Math and Writing is required. Your score on the test and/or your previous transcripts will determine where you begin your course sequence. Contact Admissions at 360.752.8345 or at admissions@btc.edu for assistance with academic planning.

Physical Requirements

AFTER admissions acceptance into the program and prior to beginning program classes students must submit proof of all Clinical Placement Requirements.

Documentation of a two-step tuberculin skin test (TB) completed within the last year. TB must be current through Nursing Assistant enrollment. This may be completed while starting the program (not an entry requirement, but encouraged to get started before starting the program) Student Tuberculosis (TB) Test Form
This program requires a criminal history background check prior to attending the clinic practicum. Criminal History Background Check Information Sheet
COVID-19 vaccination is required for clinical placement starting Fall Quarter 2021. Students must be fully vaccinated prior to the start of clinical rotations. To be considered fully vaccinated, two weeks must have passed since the date of the second dose or first dose for the one-dose vaccine. Proof of vaccination will need to be provided to the program. Religious or philosophical exemptions cannot be accepted for clinical placement.

What are My Next Steps?

1. Apply to BTC and Financial Aid
2. Take the ACCUPLACER/Placement Test
3. Meet with Nursing Student Navigator, Jennifer Tachiyama, for advising. Contact her at
jennifer.tachiyama@btc.edu or 360.752.8345 to make an appointment.
4. Prepare to Attend

Classes

Total Program Credits: 12

Current Students: Learn how to use this page to register for classes
You are now able to sign up for classes in ctcLink using the class list below. It requires certain steps to work smoothly. Please read and follow the instructions:
Once at the beginning of each session:
- Follow the link below which will open the ctcLink login screen in a new browser tab
- In the new tab login to ctcLink
- Return back to this tab
These steps log you into ctcLink and keep you logged in until you log out manually or close your browser. If you or a public computer it is good security practice to logout and close all browser windows when you are done.
Proceed to ctcLink login in new window
For each class:
- Click on the name of the class below to show future offerings
- Click the 'Find in ctcLink' button below the class you wish to find
- A new tab with the ctcLink Class Search tool will open
- Click the 'Search' button
- Only the specific class you selected will show. If logged in following the steps above, you will be able to register for the class.

Quarter 1

NA 101

Nursing Assistant Essentials

6 CR

Provide the student an opportunity to study the essential theoretical content necessary to meet the OBRA nursing assistant objectives. Fundamental caregiving skills are taught with an emphasis on safety and activities of daily living. While studying the care necessary for an individual of any age, a primary focus is placed on the care of the elderly, including rehabilitation and death and dying.

Future Offerings:

Spring 2022
	04/05/2022-06/23/2022	MTWTh	1:00 PM-3:30 PM	Clardy
Summer 2022
	07/06/2022-08/30/2022	MTWTh	1:00 PM-3:30 PM	Clardy
Fall 2022
	09/20/2022-12/09/2022	MTWTh	1:00 PM-3:00 PM	Clardy
Winter 2023
	01/04/2023-03/24/2023	MTWTh	1:00 PM-3:30 PM	Clardy
	01/04/2023-03/24/2023			Clardy
Spring 2023
	04/05/2023-06/23/2023	MTWTh	1:00 PM-3:30 PM	Clardy

Icon Key

Online Asynchronous
Online Synchronous
Hybrid Asynchronous
Hybrid Synchronous
Face-to-Face
Self-Support

Definitions
Online Asynchronous - The class is taught completely online. There are no scheduled class times that are required; all online work is completed asynchronously. There is no face-to-face instruction.
Online Synchronous - The class is taught completely online; attendance at scheduled online class meetings at specific times is required. There is no face-to-face instruction.
Hybrid Asynchronous - This is a hybrid class. The class meets face-to-face for scheduled classes at specific times; all online work is completed asynchronously.
Hybrid Synchronous - This is a hybrid class. The class meets both face-to-face and online for scheduled classes at specific times.
Face-to-Face - This class meets face-to-face for scheduled classes at specific times. There is no online instruction, although an online learning platform may be used supplementally.

Self Support - Self-Support classes have different fees and refund policy than state-supported classes. See the Tuition and Fees page for more details.

Synchronous - Online class meetings are scheduled to occur in real time.
Asynchronous - No required online class meetings are scheduled.

Note: All modalities include regular coursework due dates and require class participation.

NA 102 Nursing Assistant Clinical 6 CR
During the clinical practicum the student is given the opportunity to put into practice those skills learned in the classroom and lab settings. The clinical experiences include orientation to the extended care facility and a clinical final exam which is conducted in the college lab.
Future Offerings:
Spring 2022
04/05/2022-06/23/2022 Clardy
Summer 2022
07/06/2022-08/30/2022 Clardy
Fall 2022
09/20/2022-12/09/2022 MT Clardy
Winter 2023
01/04/2023-03/24/2023 MT Clardy
Spring 2023
04/05/2023-06/23/2023 MT Clardy
Icon Key
- Online Asynchronous
- Online Synchronous
- Hybrid Asynchronous
- Hybrid Synchronous
- Face-to-Face
- Self-Support
- Definitions
  Online Asynchronous - The class is taught completely online. There are no scheduled class times that are required; all online work is completed asynchronously. There is no face-to-face instruction.
  Online Synchronous - The class is taught completely online; attendance at scheduled online class meetings at specific times is required. There is no face-to-face instruction.
  Hybrid Asynchronous - This is a hybrid class. The class meets face-to-face for scheduled classes at specific times; all online work is completed asynchronously.
  Hybrid Synchronous - This is a hybrid class. The class meets both face-to-face and online for scheduled classes at specific times.
  Face-to-Face - This class meets face-to-face for scheduled classes at specific times. There is no online instruction, although an online learning platform may be used supplementally.
  
  Self Support - Self-Support classes have different fees and refund policy than state-supported classes. See the Tuition and Fees page for more details.
  
  Synchronous - Online class meetings are scheduled to occur in real time.
  Asynchronous - No required online class meetings are scheduled.
  
  Note: All modalities include regular coursework due dates and require class participation.

View past class requirements for this program.
Select the year closest to the year started, without going over, to see program requirements for a student who started the program that year:

Program Outcomes

Demonstrate clinical competencies defined in WAC 246-841
Identify and apply nursing knowledge necessary in the nursing assistant role

Employment Outlook

Employment of nursing assistants is expected to increase. Employment of nursing assistants is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations in response to an emphasis on rehabilitation and the long-term care needs of a rapidly aging population.

The average annual wage in this field is, $30,969 with an earning potential of about $35,464 per year.*

Criminal convictions may restrict or prevent student participation with internships and employment in this industry.

Most program graduates work as nursing assistants in extended care facilities, hospitals, clinics and home health agencies. Others work in residential care facilities, such as halfway houses and homes for the elderly or disabled, or in private households. Nationally, about one-half of all nursing assistants work in nursing homes, and about one-fourth work in hospitals.

Faculty & Support

Rika Winquist

Jennifer Tachiyama

Nursing Support Specialist - Advising for all Nursing and Pre-Nursing Master of Education Bachelor of Science – Mathematics I am a dedicated, goal oriented, team player with eight years’ experience teaching and four years teaching Middle School Summer School, three years running an After School Homework Center, and four years as an Accounting Clerk. I have been a Site Team Chair, Mathematics Head Chair, and the Middle School and High School Curriculum Director for Mathematics. I like challenges and finding solutions to them. I thrive on providing excellence in all areas of my job. My undergraduate schooling was completed at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama where I earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Mathematics and was awarded one of four of the University’s top awards, the George S. Benson Citizenship Award for Outstanding Contribution in Academics and Athletics. I have completed my Master of Education Degree and Teaching Certification in Secondary Education at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington

Todd Clardy

Todd Clardy has been with Bellingham Technical College as an Adjunct Instructor since Spring of 2021. He has more than a decade of experience at direct bedside care. Initially completed his NAC program in January 2009. Later completing his LPN Certificate in March 2013. Started working with dementia residents at an assisted living facility then, a flu vaccine clinic and then at a Pediatric clinic. Later he transferred down to St. John Medical Center working as Patient Team Support. In March of 2015 he completed his RN Associates in AAS-T degree from Lower Columbia College. Todd joined on in Spring of 2015 at St. Joseph’s Medical Center on a surgical floor. He has enjoyed precepting nursing students as they begin the next step in their nursing career. Todd was a member on the Safe Staffing Committee and a strong advocate for safe staffing. He soon completed his Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Western Washington University in Summer of 2017.