Less than 6 months:
The EKG certificate and phlebotomy certificate are designed to teach hands-on skills and prepare graduates for national credentialing exams in a short amount of time - just 15 weeks for EKG, and 21 weeks for phlebotomy.
A certificate in gerontology will expand your knowledge and understanding of the health and well-being of older adults - one of the fastest growing segments of the population. As elder-care continues to be major focus of the healthcare industry, a background in gerontology is an attractive add-on to hands-on skill certification, or a jumping off point into a career in long-term care administration, support, and operations.
6 - 12 months:
A certificate in neurodiagnostic technology (NDT) can be completed in 12 months and opens the door to a wide variety of careers in neurodiagnostics. Graduates of the program are eligible to earn the entry-level credential and start working, while continuing education is encouraged and available in the industry.
For neurodiagnostic techs who are interested in the operating room, Labouré offers a certificate program in intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) which can be completed in just 8 months. IONM is an advanced area of neurodiagnostic technology, so this is the perfect example of a certificate that can be stacked onto a prior NDT certificate, credential, or degree.
2 - 4 years or more:
If you started with a certificate program, an associate degree in health science can help you round out your education, adding courses in healthcare delivery, public health, ethics, and more. Typically, this associate degree would take about 2 years to complete, but if you're stacking it onto a certificate (or more than one) you've already earned, you can finish in less time.
Associate degrees in nursing are stackable with bachelor's degrees, helping you break up your nursing education into two manageable parts. This two-part system allows you to earn your license and start working as a Registered Nursing in 2 years, meaning you can be working as an RN while you finish your BSN.
While nurses typically choose their specialty over time through continuing education (think wound care, pediatrics, ICU, hospice, nurse practitioner, and more), the associate degree in radiation therapy includes 2 full years of clinical, and prepares you to become part of an oncology team specifically focused on treating patients with cancer.
Similarly, the associate degree in respiratory care includes 2 years of clinical training and allows you to help a variety of patients suffering from chronic or acute breathing problems. Respiratory therapists not only help treat chronic conditions like asthma and COPD; they're also seeing an increase in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome - a condition that can happen as a result of COVID-19.
For those who want to take the extra step into management, a bachelor's degree in healthcare administration can be the perfect add-on after working your way through certificates and associate degree skills and education. This bachelor's completion program builds on your prior education with courses in legal, financial, managerial, and industry foundational courses.
