Spokane Community College plans to start two new courses for certification as a nursing assistant, known as an NAC.

Jane Branda, NAC program director at SCC, says the school will offer the medical assistant certified and home care aide certified bridge courses, and the courses will enable students to take the national nursing assistant certified examination.

The home care aide course involves 24 hours of instruction and is intended to prepare students to work in nursing homes, hospitals, assisted-living facilities, and home health, opening up new career opportunities. The medical assistant bridge course also follows the 24-hour curriculum and addresses material not covered in traditional medical assistant programs.

The programs will include eight hours of lecture, eight hours of lab that will be offered at SCC, and eight clinical hours.

Branda says the classes haven't been scheduled and tuition rates aren't set.

"We are approved, and will begin as soon as we have enough interest," she says. "It is such a new thing that most people haven't heard of it."