Nursing Support Technician

This course equips participants to provide essential care and support to patients under the supervision of licensed nursing staff in settings such as hospitals, doctor's offices, surgery centers, and home healthcare. Participants develop an understanding of dementia and best practices for providing safe, respectful, and person-centered support. Participants build the knowledge and practical skills to work as a nursing support technician-certified (NST-C), including emergency response and first aid, infection control, safety measures, vital signs monitoring, bedside care, mobility assistance, nutrition and elimination, and bedside testing. The training also covers the NST-C scope of practice, communication, patient rights, confidentiality, documentation, professionalism, ethics, and cultural competence. Participants practice hands-on duties such as making beds, positioning patients, providing preventative care and bed baths, assisting with ambulation, foot, mouth, and peri-care, applying hot and cold therapies, and performing basic range-of-motion exercises. Participants who successfully complete the theory and hands on lab for this course earn an ACCS credential. Academic Pathways: This non-credit workforce training course may also help participants earn college credit through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) or articulation opportunities toward select certificate or degree programs at participating Alabama community colleges. Credit awards are granted solely at the discretion of the receiving institution in accordance with its academic policies.