GHC Foundation Offers Full Scholarship to Certified Nursing Assistant Course

Posted on: May, 16, 2023

This summer, the Grays Harbor College Foundation will offer a full scholarship to individuals enrolled in the Nursing Assistant - Certified (NA-C) course. This scholarship is funded by the Kelsey Foundation and the Ken Millen Memorial Scholarship, allowing individuals in Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties to pursue a career in healthcare without financial barriers. The summer NA-C course begins on July 5. Classes are held on Monday and Tuesday with additional clinical hours throughout the week.

"We are grateful for the continued support of the Kelsey Foundation and the Ken Millen Memorial Scholarship, which enables us to provide this incredible opportunity for students in Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties,” said Lisa J. Smith, Executive Director of the Grays Harbor College Foundation. “These scholarships not only support the education and career goals of our students, but they also help to address the critical shortage of Certified Nursing Assistants in our region.”

GHC’s NA-C course introduces basic nursing care, resident rights, safety, and emergency procedures. Principles of therapeutic relationships and client care are presented as well as the legal and ethical issues related to nursing assistant practice. NA-C students have the opportunity to learn and practice their skills in a variety of settings including classroom lectures, lab, and hands-on work in a nursing home under the guidance of an instructor.

Upon successful completion of the NA-C course, students are eligible to take the Washington State licensure exam for NA-C. The Associate Dean of Nursing at GHC, Carol O'Neal, shared that all 15 students from the NA-C winter cohort who took the licensure exam in April passed, highlighting the effectiveness of the program's curriculum and instructors. This licensure opens doors to numerous employment opportunities in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, and home healthcare agencies.

“We are proud to be able to offer scholarships to another summer cohort of Nursing Assistant students and we look forward to the positive impact they will have on our local healthcare workforce,” said Smith.

To learn more about GHC’s NA-C course and to apply, please visit ghc.edu/nac or contact Karen Carriker, Nursing Program Assistant, by phone at 360-538-4244 or by emailing karen.carriker@ghc.edu.

Scholarship Eligibility and Workforce Funding Information

Residents of Grays Harbor and Pacific counties are eligible for the NA-C scholarship. In order to receive the scholarship, individuals must complete the online questionnaire available at forms.ghc.edu/wfs-application.

After completing the questionnaire, individuals who qualify for Workforce Funding will receive financial assistance through those programs and will not be eligible for the NA-C scholarship. Individuals who do not qualify for Workforce Funding programs will be awarded the NA-C scholarship from the Grays Harbor College Foundation. Students who were previously awarded the NA-C scholarship are not eligible for the scholarship again but are encouraged to apply for Workforce Funding to determine eligibility for those programs.

In order to receive financial assistance, through either Workforce Funding or the NA-C scholarship, individuals must have a social security number (or equivalent) on file with their student profile, known as a ctcLink profile. Individuals who do not have a social security number on file can bring a hard copy of their Social Security card (or equivalent) to the Welcome Center in room 2314.

The Workforce Funding Department can be reached by emailing wfspinfo@ghc.edu or by visiting the front desk in the 800 building.