Ozarka College - Melbourne will be offering Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) courses for non-credit Oct. 24 - Nov. 18. Classes will meet Monday - Friday each week from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with two days of clinicals to be assigned the first week.

The cost to attend is $325 and the class is limited to the first 16 paid students. Books needed for the course will be loaned to students.

The Certified Nursing Assistant Program at Ozarka College follows the curriculum and meets the requirements as set by the Office of Long Term Care in the state of Arkansas.

Certified Nursing Assistants are increasingly being hired by health care facilities of all types as these facilities seek ways to provide top-quality nursing care. CNAs work under the supervision of Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses. The focus of the program is for the students to be able to provide competent, skilled care in a compassionate way. The program also teaches the student the importance of the CNA as a member of the health care team - instilling in the student that the patient is the primary focus of the health care team's efforts and that the chain of health care is only as strong as its weakest link.

Anyone interested in attending is encouraged to contact Karen Overturf as soon as possible at 870-368-2005 or by email at koverturf@ozarka.edu to receive the Continuing Education application to fill out and return.

For more information about the course, contact CNA Coordinator Tamra Bevill, RN, at 870-368-2079 or by email at tbevill@ozarka.edu.