Overview and Award Outcomes
Overview
The Nursing Station Technician diploma program is designed for Health Unit Coordinator (HUC) students who wish to obtain the skills necessary to assist nurses with hands on patient care and/or advanced administrative duties. A Nursing Station Technician (NST) is responsible for coordination of communications and procedures to the nursing unit, processing admissions, discharge and transfers, transcribing orders and updating patient records. NST’s work under the direction of a nurse to assist in delivery of patient care including personal hygiene, clients nutritional requirements, daily activities, monitoring of patient vital signs, transporting patients and equipment, setting up and maintaining patient rooms, reordering and stocking supplies.
The Nursing Station Technician is an important member of the professional health care team. NST’s provide a crucial role in disseminating communication throughout the nursing unit and assisting the nursing staff. The professional responsibilities include answering the telephone and intercom, initiating records for new patients, performing patient admission, transfer and discharge procedures, operating unit equipment, ordering daily diets and laboratory tests, scheduling diagnostic studies, recording patient data from departmental records into the patient’s record and ordering of unit supplies. In the work place, the NST communicates with various departments within the facility via the telephone, fax machine, pagers, pneumatic tube systems and computers
This program will include two clinical experiences. Required coursework will focus on practices and procedures, health care core concepts, processing of physician’s orders, communication skill development, team building skill development, medical terminology and Nursing Assistant skills.
Personal qualities considered essential for this occupation are the ability to be detail oriented with a high degree of accuracy while managing the workload in a very busy environment. The NST should be able to solve problems logically and critically, be self-motivated, conscientious, flexible, and demonstrate good customer service skills. Health care workers are expected to protect the confidentiality of patient information, demonstrate a high degree of ethics, and exhibit professionalism.
Award Outcomes
Manage clerical duties on the nursing unit
Demonstrate team building and effective communication skills
Function as a member of the health care team
Demonstrate knowledge of medical terms needed to perform job duties
Operate unit equipment
Utilize computer software effectively
Exhibit professionalism
Differentiate between hospital departments
Perform patient care duties safely and effectively
Demonstrate skills and knowledge needed to process physician orders
Understand HIPAA and patient confidentiality requirements
Career Opportunities
Positions are available as Health Unit Coordinators (HUC), Patient Care Technicians (PCT), Nursing Station Technician (NST) and Unit Coordinators (UC) in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, doctor’s offices, insurance companies and other healthcare settings. Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Association of Health Unit Coordinators (NAHUC) certification exam and the Nursing Assistant state examination.
Semester Sequence
Offered at Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie
Graduation (35 Credits)
Criminal Background Studies:
Minnesota law requires that any person who provides services that involve direct contact with children, patients, and residents at a health or child care facility licensed by the State of Minnesota must have a background study conducted by the state. Individuals with specified felony convictions are prohibited from having direct contact with children, patients, and residents of licensed facilities. Anyone refusing to cooperate in the criminal background study cannot participate in coursework that requires direct contact with children, patients or residents. Students who are disqualified from having direct patient/resident/child contact will not be able to participate in coursework which includes a practical experience. Therefore, completion of coursework for the program major will not be possible without documentation of a cleared background study.
Semester listings reflect the recommended sequence. Due to circumstances beyond our control, the information herein is subject to change without notice.
4/5/2023 : BP 7308 / EP 7309