2021 - 2022
Florida Department of Education
Curriculum Framework 

Program Title:	Healthcare Support Specialist
Career Cluster:	Health Science

CCC	
CIP Number	0351081401	
Program Type	College Credit Certificate (CCC)	
Program Length	21 credit hours	
CTSO	HOSA	
SOC Codes	31-9099 Healthcare Support Workers, All Other
	
CTE Program Resources 	http://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml	

Purpose

This certificate program is part of the Medical Assisting Advanced AS degree program (1351080103).   

A College Credit Certificate consists of a program of instruction of less than sixty (60) credits of college-level courses, which is part of an AS or AAS degree program and prepares students for entry into employment (Rule 6A-14.030, F.A.C.).

This program offers a sequence of courses that provides coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in the Health Science career cluster; provides technical skill proficiency, and includes competency-based applied learning that contributes to the academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of the Health Science career cluster. 

This program is designed to prepare students for employment as healthcare support workers SOC 31-9099. 

The content includes but is not limited to assisting management by expediting and facilitating the maintenance and production of routine administrative and clinical tasks; performing medical administrative activities such as preparing and updating of patients’ medical histories and discharge summaries; learn the special terminology and procedures associated with medicine and assist in the administration of policy. Emphasis is placed upon students’ theoretical and clinical proficiency so they will be well prepared for employment as medical office support staff and healthcare support workers in medical offices, hospitals and other healthcare settings. 

Additional Information relevant to this Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is provided at the end of this document.

Standards

After successfully completing this program, the student will be able to perform the following:

01.0	Demonstrate the ability to communicate and use interpersonal skills effectively.
02.0	Demonstrate an understanding of and apply wellness and disease concepts.
03.0	Recognize and practice safety and security procedures.
04.0	Recognize and practice infection control procedures.
05.0	Demonstrate knowledge of blood borne diseases, including HIV/AIDS 
06.0	Apply basic math and science skills.
07.0	Demonstrate an understanding of anatomy and physiology concepts in both illness and wellness states. 
08.0	Describe the cardiovascular system. 
09.0	Recognize and identify collection reagents supplies, equipment and interfering chemical substances
10.0	Practice infection control following standard precautions.

2021 - 2022
Florida Department of Education
Student Performance Standards

Program Title:	Healthcare Support Specialist
CIP Number:	0351081401
Program Length:	21 credit hours
SOC Code(s):		31-9099

This certificate program is part of the Medical Assisting Advanced AS degree program (1351080103). At the completion of this program, the student will be able to:
	
01.0	Demonstrate the ability to communicate and use interpersonal skills effectively. – The student will be able to:	
01.01	Develop basic speaking and listening skills.	
01.02	Develop basic observational skills and related documentation strategies in written and oral form.	
01.03	Identify characteristics of successful and unsuccessful communication including communication styles and barriers.	
01.04	Respond to verbal and non-verbal cues.	
01.05	Compose written communication using correct spelling, grammar, a formatting, confidentiality, and specific formats of letter writing.	
01.06	Use appropriate medical terminology and abbreviations.	
01.07	Recognize the importance of courtesy and respect for patients and other healthcare workers and maintain good interpersonal relationships.	
01.08	Recognize the importance of patient education regarding healthcare.	
01.09	Adapt communication skills to varied levels of understanding and cultural orientation including diverse age, cultural, economic,, ethnic, and religious groups.	
01.10	Adapt elements of communication using sender-receiver model.	
01.11	Distinguish between and report subjective and objective information.	
01.12	Report relevant information in order of occurrence. 	
02.0	Demonstrate an understanding of and apply wellness and disease concepts. – The student will be able to:	
02.01	Describe strategies for prevention of disease including health screenings and examinations. 	
02.02	Identify personal health practices and environmental factors which affect optimal function of the major body systems. 	
02.03	Identify psychological reactions to illness including defense mechanisms.	
02.04	Identify complementary and alternative health practices. 	
03.0	Recognize and practice safety and security procedures – The student will be able to:	
03.01	Recognize safe and unsafe working conditions and report safety hazards. 	
03.02	Demonstrate the safe use of medical equipment.	
03.03	Identify and practice security procedures for medical supplies and equipment. 	
03.04	Demonstrate personal safety procedures based on the Occupations Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regulations including standard precautions. 	
04.0	Recognize and practice infection control procedures. – The student will be able to:	
04.01	Define principles of infection control including standard and transmission based precautions.	
04.02	Demonstrate knowledge of medical asepsis and practice procedures such as hand-washing and isolation.	
04.03	Describe how to correctly dispose of biohazardous materials according to appropriate government guidelines such as OSHA.	
05.0	Demonstrate knowledge of blood borne diseases, including HIV/AIDS. – The student will be able to:	
05.01	Recognize emerging diseases and disorders.	
05.02	Distinguish between fact and fallacy about the transmission and treatment of diseases caused by blood borne pathogens including Hepatitis B.	
05.03	Identify community resources and services available to the individuals with diseases caused by blood borne pathogens. 	
05.04	Identify “at risk” behaviors which promote the spread of diseases caused by blood borne pathogens and the public education necessary to combat the spread of these diseases. 	
05.05	Apply infection control techniques designed to prevent the spread of diseases caused by blood borne pathogens to the care of all patients following CDC guidelines. 	
05.06	Demonstrate knowledge of the legal aspects of HIV/AIDS, including testing.	
06.0	Apply basic math and science skills. – The student will be able to:	
06.01	Draw, read, and report  on graphs, charts, and tables.	
06.02	Measure time, temperature, distance, capacity, and mass/weight.	
06.03	Make, use, and convert using both traditional and metric units. 	
06.04	Make estimations and approximations and judge the reasonableness of the result.	
06.05	Convert from regular to 24 hour time.	
06.06	Demonstrate the ability to evaluate and draw conclusions. 	
06.07	Organize and communicate the results obtained by observation and experimentation. 	
06.08	Ask appropriate scientific questions and recognize what is involved in experimental approaches to the solution of the such questions. 	
06.09	Calculate ratios.	
07.0	Demonstrate an understanding of anatomy and physiology concepts in both illness and wellness states. – The student will be able to:	
07.01	Define the terms Anatomy and Physiology.	
07.02	Define both medical terms and abbreviations related to all body systems.	
07.03	Define the principle directional terms, planes, quadrants and cavities used in describing the body and the association of body parts to one another. 	
07.04	Define the levels of organization of the body inclusive of, but not limited to, cells, organs and body systems.	
07.05	Describe the function of the 11 major organ systems of the body (1) Integumentary, (2) skeletal, (3) muscular, (4) nervous, (5) endocrine, (6) circulatory (cardiovascular) (7) lymphatic, (8) respiratory, (9) digestive, (10) urinary, and (11) reproductive. 	
07.06	Describe symptoms and common disease pathology related to each body system and the relationship of the disease process to other body systems.	
07.07	Discuss diagnostic options to identify common disease pathology and corresponding basic treatment. 	
07.08	Compare structure and function of the body across the life span. 	
08.0	Describe the cardiovascular system. – The student will be able to:	
08.01	Locate the heart and surrounding structures.	
08.02	Diagram and label the parts of the heart and list the functions of each labeled part.	
08.03	Trace the flow of blood through the cardiopulmonary system.	
09.0	Recognize and identify collection reagents supplies, equipment, and interfering chemical substances. – The student will be able to:	
09.01	Identify and discuss proper use of appropriate types of equipment needed to collect various clinical laboratory blood specimens by venipuncture.	
09.02	Define and utilize correct medical terminology and metric measurement needed for specimen collection.	
10.0	Practice infection control following standard precautions. – The student will be able to:	
10.01	Describe and practice procedures for infection prevention including hand washing skills.	
10.02	Discuss transmission based precautions. 	
10.03	Identify potential routes of infection and their complications.	

Additional Information

Laboratory Activities

Laboratory investigations that include scientific inquiry, research, measurement, problem solving, emerging technologies, tools and equipment, as well as, experimental, quality, and safety procedures are an integral part of this career and technical program/course. Laboratory investigations benefit all students by developing an understanding of the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work, as well as the skills required to manage, operate, calibrate and troubleshoot equipment/tools used to make observations. Students understand measurement error; and have the skills to aggregate, interpret, and present the resulting data. Equipment and supplies should be provided to enhance hands-on experiences for students.

Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO)

HOSA: Future Health Professionals is the intercurricular career and technical student organization providing leadership training and reinforcing specific career and technical skills. Career and Technical Student Organizations provide activities for students as an integral part of the instruction offered

Accommodations

Federal and state legislation requires the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities to meet individual needs and ensure equal access. Postsecondary students with disabilities must self-identify, present documentation, request accommodations if needed, and develop a plan with their counselor and/or instructors. Accommodations received in postsecondary education may differ from those received in secondary education. Accommodations change the way the student is instructed. Students with disabilities may need accommodations in such areas as instructional methods and materials, assignments and assessments, time demands and schedules, learning environment, assistive technology and special communication systems. Documentation of the accommodations requested and provided should be maintained in a confidential file.

Additional Resources

For additional information regarding articulation agreements, Bright Futures Scholarships, Fine Arts/Practical Arts Credit and Equivalent Mathematics and Equally Rigorous Science Courses please refer to:
http://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml.