National Healthcareer Association
Encyclopedia
The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) is a national professional certification
agency for healthcare workers in the United States
. Offering awards credentials in more than 10 allied health specialties, it is an organizational member of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA). Founded in 1989, by Jon S. Brandt, an American entrepreneur, the National Healthcareer Association has partnered with educational institutions nationwide with over 200,000 certified individuals and over 1200 certification testing sites. It is one of the largest certification, continuing education and curriculum developers. The National Healthcareer Association works with health training institutions, hospitals, unions, and the Defense Department through D.A.N.T.E.S.; it has approved over 1200 training/testing locations throughout the US and in several countries. These institutions offer health training programs, and use the national certification as their "End Of Program Credential
."
Healthcare professional certification is different from a license
such as an Registered Nurse
, or a licensed practical nurse
. Although certification is not state mandated and/or regulated in all 50 states, most employers and industry organizations prefer their employees to be certified.
, EKG technician, clinical medical assistant, patient care technicians, medical laboratory assistants, medical transcription
ists, medical administrative assistants, billing and coding specialists, mental health technicians, and surgical/operating room technicians. Many hospitals, private practices, and organizations throughout the country require national certification as a competence
standard. The National Healthcareer Association is a part of the National Organization for Competency Assurance. The National Healthcareer Association helps set performance ethics standards among health care professionals, establish education requirements, and set guidelines for national certifications. The National Healthcareer Association launched the magazine Health Career Connect in September 2008.
credits throughout the year, or the duration of their certificate's expiration date. These continuing education credits or units (CEUs) can be earned through the certification agency or through their employer and then verified by the National Healthcareer Association. Continuing education ensures competency standards throughout the duration of employment of the certified individual, and keeps them aware of changes and new regulations in the allied healthcare industry.
, as well as certificates for Clinical Medical Assistants (CCMA), Electronic Health Record Specialists (CEHRS) and Patient Care Technicians (CPCT). The CPT and CCMA certifications include the EKG Technician certification (CET) and Phlebotomy Technician certification in one general certification.
The State of New Jersey's program was the Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT) Program. It was an accelerated, three-week program for UH Nursing staff and shows the coordination that exists between the National Healthcareer Association and state and regional associations. The training and certification were sponsored by UMDNJ's Career Training and Advancement Center (CTAC), coordinated by the Department of Human Resources and grant-funded by the Bank of America
.
CTAC and nursing leadership at the University Hospital worked closely with the National Healthcareer Association to develop a comprehensive program specific to the needs of the university. The CPCT model advanced the skills and competencies of incumbent Nursing Assistants in entry level positions within the nursing career ladder while instituting a new, team-based, patient care model. The new skills developed were phlebotomy
, EKG/ECG, basic patient care and medical assisting skills.
The Department of Defense's agency, Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), offers the National Healthcareer Association's (NHA) certification exams at all 520 DANTES test sites worldwide. The National Healthcareer Association's partnership with DANTES offered new opportunities to the thousands of military trainees as well as experienced medical personnel stationed around the world.
for the Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program in 2008.
Jon S. Brandt was named one of the 25 most influential people in the career college sector by Career College Central Magazine in March 2008.
Professional certification
Professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation, often called simply certification or qualification, is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task...
agency for healthcare workers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Offering awards credentials in more than 10 allied health specialties, it is an organizational member of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA). Founded in 1989, by Jon S. Brandt, an American entrepreneur, the National Healthcareer Association has partnered with educational institutions nationwide with over 200,000 certified individuals and over 1200 certification testing sites. It is one of the largest certification, continuing education and curriculum developers. The National Healthcareer Association works with health training institutions, hospitals, unions, and the Defense Department through D.A.N.T.E.S.; it has approved over 1200 training/testing locations throughout the US and in several countries. These institutions offer health training programs, and use the national certification as their "End Of Program Credential
Credential
A credential is an attestation of qualification, competence, or authority issued to an individual by a third party with a relevant or de facto authority or assumed competence to do so....
."
Healthcare professional certification is different from a license
License
The verb license or grant licence means to give permission. The noun license or licence refers to that permission as well as to the document recording that permission.A license may be granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement...
such as an Registered Nurse
Registered nurse
A registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam. A registered nurse helps individuals, families, and groups to achieve health and prevent disease...
, or a licensed practical nurse
Licensed Practical Nurse
Licensed practical nurse is the term used in much of the United States and most Canadian provinces to refer to a nurse who cares for "people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled under the direction of registered nurses and physicians. The term licensed vocational nurses is used in...
. Although certification is not state mandated and/or regulated in all 50 states, most employers and industry organizations prefer their employees to be certified.
Where Certified Individuals Work
Certified technicians work alongside licensed nurses and/or doctors. These positions would include individuals working as a phlebotomistPhlebotomist
Phlebotomists are individuals trained to draw blood from a live person or animal.Phlebotomists collect blood primarily by performing venipuncture and, for collection of minute quantities of blood, fingersticks. Blood may be collected from infants by means of a heel stick...
, EKG technician, clinical medical assistant, patient care technicians, medical laboratory assistants, medical transcription
Medical transcription
Medical transcription, also known as MT, is an allied health profession, which deals in the process of transcription, or converting voice-recorded reports as dictated by physicians and/or other healthcare professionals, into text format.-History:...
ists, medical administrative assistants, billing and coding specialists, mental health technicians, and surgical/operating room technicians. Many hospitals, private practices, and organizations throughout the country require national certification as a competence
Skill
A skill is the learned capacity to carry out pre-determined results often with the minimum outlay of time, energy, or both. Skills can often be divided into domain-general and domain-specific skills...
standard. The National Healthcareer Association is a part of the National Organization for Competency Assurance. The National Healthcareer Association helps set performance ethics standards among health care professionals, establish education requirements, and set guidelines for national certifications. The National Healthcareer Association launched the magazine Health Career Connect in September 2008.
Continuing Education Requirements
Because of changes and updates in the healthcare industry, certified technicians are required to maintain their certification by completing continuing educationContinuing education
Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
credits throughout the year, or the duration of their certificate's expiration date. These continuing education credits or units (CEUs) can be earned through the certification agency or through their employer and then verified by the National Healthcareer Association. Continuing education ensures competency standards throughout the duration of employment of the certified individual, and keeps them aware of changes and new regulations in the allied healthcare industry.
Covered Certification Exams
The National Healthcareer Association writes, develops and publishes the certification exams for nine allied health professions: medical assistant, phlebotomy, EKG, mental health technician, pharmacy technician, medical billing and coding, administrative medical assistants, medical transcription and medical coding. 18 The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) offers a national certification for Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) aka a phlebotomistPhlebotomist
Phlebotomists are individuals trained to draw blood from a live person or animal.Phlebotomists collect blood primarily by performing venipuncture and, for collection of minute quantities of blood, fingersticks. Blood may be collected from infants by means of a heel stick...
, as well as certificates for Clinical Medical Assistants (CCMA), Electronic Health Record Specialists (CEHRS) and Patient Care Technicians (CPCT). The CPT and CCMA certifications include the EKG Technician certification (CET) and Phlebotomy Technician certification in one general certification.
The National Healthcareer Association's Partnerships
National Health Career association has partnered with governments, universities and federal agencies to promote certification opportunities for their employees. Two examples of these relationships occurred with a state medical university in New Jersey and the Department of Defense's agency, Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES).The State of New Jersey's program was the Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT) Program. It was an accelerated, three-week program for UH Nursing staff and shows the coordination that exists between the National Healthcareer Association and state and regional associations. The training and certification were sponsored by UMDNJ's Career Training and Advancement Center (CTAC), coordinated by the Department of Human Resources and grant-funded by the Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
.
CTAC and nursing leadership at the University Hospital worked closely with the National Healthcareer Association to develop a comprehensive program specific to the needs of the university. The CPCT model advanced the skills and competencies of incumbent Nursing Assistants in entry level positions within the nursing career ladder while instituting a new, team-based, patient care model. The new skills developed were phlebotomy
Phlebotomy
Phlebotomy is the process of making an incision in a vein.It is associated with the following concepts:* Venipuncture, the practice of collecting venous blood samples* The main practice of a phlebotomist, an individual trained to draw blood...
, EKG/ECG, basic patient care and medical assisting skills.
The Department of Defense's agency, Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), offers the National Healthcareer Association's (NHA) certification exams at all 520 DANTES test sites worldwide. The National Healthcareer Association's partnership with DANTES offered new opportunities to the thousands of military trainees as well as experienced medical personnel stationed around the world.
Global Expansion
The National Healthcareer Association (NHA), the largest Allied Health Certification Agency in the USA and the National Lutheran Health and Medical Board (NLHMB), Chennai, India, which is a leading NGO and sponsor of Two Universities have come together to offer the US employment National Healthcareer Association Certificate Examiion in India.Award Nominations
The National Healthcareer Association was a finalist at the Stevie AwardsStevie Awards
The Stevie Awards were created in 2002 to honor and generate public recognition of the efforts, accomplishments, and positive contributions of companies and business people worldwide...
for the Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program in 2008.
Jon S. Brandt was named one of the 25 most influential people in the career college sector by Career College Central Magazine in March 2008.