AHEA 101 - Introduction to Health Care Science

3 Credits: 3

Course Description
This course will familiarize students with health care organizations, the health care system, and the clinical environment in relationship to the student’s role as a future health care provider. Topics will include functions of hospital systems, documentation and medical records, professionalism, communication in the health care environment.

Text
Haroun, Lee. Dakota Mitchell. Introduction to Health Care. 5th ed. Boston: Cengage, 2020.

Objectives
The student will be able to:
A.    Explain the basic structure and organization of the health care organization, the health care system, and the clinical environment.
B.    Discuss the legal and ethical responsibilities of the health care provider.
C.    Discuss proper safety and emergency responses and procedures

D.  Explain the importance of infection control practices in maintaining the safety of the health care provider, patients, and others. 
E.  Discuss the concept of professionalism and its impact on patient care. 
F.  Identify professional societies for health professions. 
G.  Discuss elements that constitute effective communication in health care. 
H.  Describe proper methods of medical documentation. 
I.   Identify current and future employment opportunities in health care.

Content
Through integration of classroom lectures, reading assignments, group discussions, and individual presentations, the following content will be presented: 

A.    Basic structures of health care, health care systems, and clinical environments.
B.    Legal and ethical responsibilities of health care providers.
C.    Basic safety and emergency responses.
D.    Infection control and maintaining safety for providers, patients, and others.
E.    Concepts of professionalism and its impact on patient care.
F.    Professional societies for health care providers.
G.    Effective forms of communication in health care and health care systems.
H.    Effective forms of medical documentation and medical records.
I.    Future employment opportunities in health care, interview techniques, and positioning for advancement.

Student Evaluation
A.    A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I: examinations and quizzes
B.    A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I: workbook
C.    A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I: case study
D.    A-B-C-D: simchart