VGCC schedules Health Unit Coordinator training course


Area residents interested in starting a new career in health care can pre-register now for a Health Unit Coordinator course offered by Vance-Granville Community College. The program is scheduled to be offered on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 1 until 4 p.m., Aug. 22 through Dec. 12, on the college’s main campus in Vance County. Classes will meet in Building 7, room 7136, with Tonia Starling as the instructor.

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to understand medical terminology, process medical records, take a leadership role in a health care environment, and handle basic administrative tasks.

“Although health unit coordinating began as a clerical job as an assistant to the nurse, today it is a position that consists of many responsibilities, such as coordinating the activities of the nursing staff, the doctors, the hospital departments, the patients and the visitors of the nursing unit,” said VGCC Computer Center coordinator Laura Peace. “More and more, health unit coordinating is becoming recognized as a good entry-level position to start your way up the non-clinical career ladder.”

Students taking this course should have a high school diploma or GED. Additionally, students should be aware that most hospitals and health care facilities require employees to pass a criminal background and/or drug screen check before being hired.

The cost of the course includes a registration fee of $175 plus a $3 campus security/access fee.

For more information and to pre-register for the course, call Laura Peace at (252) 738-3417.