Course Syllabus

Fall 2025 | AHS-1045-VU01 - Introduction to Health Care

In Person Class

Standard courses meet in person at CCV centers, typically once each week for the duration of the semester.

Faculty

Betsy McLane
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View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Jen Guarino

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course provides students with an introduction to the professional health care workplace. Students explore current trends in healthcare as well as the legal and ethical responsibilities of healthcare professionals. Students gain knowledge and practical skills in communication, workplace safety, physical assessment, and caregiving. Basic concepts in medical math, medical terminology, human biology, and human development are introduced.

Essential Objectives

1. Identify fundamental components of the health care delivery system, including current trends and challenges.
2. Identify biases in healthcare, including discrimination, implicit bias, and systemic racism, and the impact they have on the health outcomes of individuals and groups.
3. Describe professional conduct in the healthcare workplace, including expected attitudes, behaviors, standards of dress and hygiene, and teamwork in the care of others.
4. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication techniques for a healthcare setting to include communication with patients, co-workers, and supervisors, including diverse populations.
5. Dramatize interactions with patients, including telephone conversations, appointment scheduling, patient reception, and patient education.
6. Describe ethical and legal responsibilities in a health care setting, including a full understanding of HIPAA regulations.
7. Demonstrate personal and workplace safety techniques, including infection control procedures, body mechanics and safe lifting, and environmental hazards in a health care setting.
8. Employ knowledge of basic body systems and human development to discuss wellness and disease states.
9. Demonstrate math skills and recording standards associated with common measurements, conversions, and calculations in a healthcare setting.
10. Demonstrate and practice physical assessment skills, including obtaining vital signs, height and weight measurements, and general assessment, such as pain evaluation and psychosocial observations.
11. Explore the scope and diversity of career opportunities in health care, establish professional goals, and outline steps to achieve those goals through assignments such as informational interviews, job shadows, or other career-exploration activities.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Methods

Assigned Readings (all are FREE and include NHA's PersonAbility courseware), Lecture, Group Discussions and Individual Reflections, Hands-on Activities, Group Work, Research, Presentations

Evaluation Criteria

50% Homework and in-class activities

A variety of homework and in-class activities will be assigned for each unit. This includes (but is not limited to), readings with written responses,worksheets, reflections, in-class quizzes and “lab” activities.

20% Projects

Two projects will be given during the semester. These projects are designed to strengthen your understanding of course material and its connection to health care.

20% Patient Assessment Lab Practical

This grade will consist of in-class practice and a final assessment of your ability to perform one randomly selected vital sign test. Both practice and the final test will contribute to your lab practical grade.

10% Professionalism

We will work together during weeks 1-4 to explore professionalism and define expectations regarding professional behavior. The professionalism grade will cover weeks 5-15

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

A significant portion of your grade depends on your class attendance and participation. Expectations:

• Complete assigned readings and homework before class
• Arrive to class on time and ready to participate. Most classes will include an out-of-class assignment that is due, a short lecture, in-class discussions as well as graded, hands-on activities
• A portion of your grade includes professionalism which typically includes being punctual, communicating professionally (including notifying instructor of lateness or class absence) andtreating classmates and materials with respect

Missing & Late Work Policy

Please read this late work policy carefully and contact me immediately if you know there will be times during the semester when you will not be able to participate in class.

• All work is due at the start of class on the date specified unless otherwise noted.
• Graded assignments turned in after the due date & time will incur a 25% deduction for each day they are late (please note that Saturday and Sunday each count as one separate day).
• Each student will receive one “life happens” pass, which entitles them to drop one homework/in-class activity grade or quiz grade.
• Assignments that are not turned in during class can be submitted via Canvas
• If you know you are not able to complete an assignment before the due date please contact me BEFORE the due date to discuss the possibility of an alternative schedule. I realize that there may be a rare situation when you are unable to message me prior to the due date and will make exceptions as necessary while still maintaining equity and consistency with course policies.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.