Skip to content

Personal Direct Care Specialist – Level 4

Who Should Attend:

This FREE course is for direct care workers seeking advanced skills in personal care and clinical support. The 36-hour hybrid course covers topics from mobility assistance to leadership, plus three in-person skills labs where students demonstrate hands-on competency. Through a combination of virtual instruction with qualified trainers and supervised hands-on practice, participants will master complex care skills, including safe transfers, infection control, hygiene assistance, and specialized support for various conditions.

Course Structure

Program Format

  • Twenty live, instructor-led, virtual classes. See Class Descriptions.
    • One hour per class, totaling a twenty-hour virtual training program.
  • Three in-person skills labs. Select virtual classes in Level 1 and Level 4 must be completed before attending each lab, learn more about prerequisites at Class Descriptions.
    • Lab A: Mobility and Infection Control (4 hours)
    • Lab B: Bed Skills (6 hours)
    • Lab C: Hygiene Skills (6 hours)
  • Flexible, self-scheduling class offerings to fit your availability.

Certification

  • Upon completion of all twenty classes, and three labs, you’ll earn your “Personal Direct Care Specialist” certificate.

 

Admission Criteria

  • Online Registration Form
  • Age of 16 years or greater.
  • Eligible to work in the United States.
  • Access to computer and internet for virtual training.

 

  • We would like to advise interested participants that:
    • NO high school diploma or equivalency is required.
    • While we do not require proof of English language proficiency, all programming is currently offered only in English, including written materials.

Flexible Scheduling

Our courses are designed to accommodate the busy and varying schedules of direct care workers. You can complete any program level at your own pace, choosing class times that fit your availability. While we recommend taking classes in sequence for the best learning experience, you have the flexibility to take them in a different order if needed. To earn certification for any program level, you’ll need to complete all required classes within that level.

Don’t worry if you can’t finish all your classes at once – you can pause your training and resume whenever you’re ready. We also welcome students who want to take individual classes, whether for a skills refresher or to focus on specific topics. The choice is yours: work toward full certification or enhance your skills one class at a time.

 

Class Descriptions

Class 401: Mobility   

Direct care workers assist older adults and people with disabilities to get around. In this class, students will learn about mobility devices, the application of person-entered thinking to assisting with transfers, and best practices for safe transfers. This class is a prerequisite for Skills Labs A and B where students will be demonstrating competency in transfer and mobility skills.  

Class 402: Infection Control II 

 This course builds on Introduction to Infection Control (class 108), with additional learning activities designed to protect direct care workers and the individuals they support from infectious disease. Topics include: the chain of infection, cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting as well as cleaning up blood and body fluid spills. This class is a prerequisite for Skills Lab A.   

Class 403: Advanced Critical Thinking and Problem Solving   

Direct care workers must be prepared to respond to changes and problems. In this class, we describe a model to approach thinking critically about direct care work and solving problems. By the end of the class, students will apply a critical thinking model to problems they are likely to encounter in their real work. This class is a prerequisite for Skills Lab A. 

Class 404: Elimination   

Direct care workers provide essential personal care assistance, including assisting individuals with bodily functions. In this class, students will learn essential knowledge about bowel and bladder elimination. Learning objectives include approaches to assisting individuals with using the bathroom, foods that help with elimination, recognizing symptoms of dehydration, and understanding urinary incontinence. This class is a pre-requisite for Skills Labs B and C where students will demonstrate competency in relevant skills. 

Class 405: Bathing 

Direct care workers provide essential hygiene assistance, and instruction on a person-centered approach to the task I helpful to skill performance. In this class, students will learn how to talk to an individual about their bathing preference, suggestions for protecting an individual’s dignity while bathing, and the best practices for assisting with bathing. This class is a pre-requisite for Skills Labs B and C where students will be demonstrating competency in bathing-related skills.

Class 406: Skin Assessment and Protection   

Direct care workers support individuals at risk for skin breakdown. In this class, students will learn about the elements that contribute to skin breakdown, including pressure, moisture, and friction/shearing. Students will then identify measures direct care workers can take to protect skin, observations that indicate breakdown, and strategies for communicating changes in skin condition. This class is a prerequisite for Skills Lab B.

Class 407: Eating   

Direct care workers provide essential personal care assistance, including supporting individuals to eat. In this class, students will learn risk factors for poor nutrition, how to identify person-centered preferences, best practices for preparing to eat, and the use of adaptive equipment used while eating. This class is a prerequisite for Skills Lab C.

Class 408: Dressing and Grooming   

Direct care workers assist with essential personal care skills. In this class, students will describe approaches to assisting with dressing, hair care, shaving, and oral care. Activities will cover different ways to assist a person, observations to make, and best practices for delivering services. This class is a prerequisite for Skills Lab C where students will demonstrate competency in relevant skills.

Class 409: Healthy Living 

“Healthy living” is defined differently by every individual and impacts their relationship with direct care workers. In this class, students will discuss the different understandings of “healthy living,” including a person-centered approach. Students will then describe how to evaluate an individual’s preferences for healthy living, select direct care activities that support those goals, and advocate for a healthy-living service plan.  

Class 410: Body Systems (pre-recorded) 

As an essential member of the healthcare team, direct care workers must build their knowledge of the expected functions of the human body. In this class, each body system is reviewed including what each system does, conditions related to each body system, and common symptoms to each body system the direct care worker must report.  

Class 411: Chronic Conditions 

The individuals direct care workers often have one or more chronic health conditions. In this class, students will become more familiar with the common chronic illnesses, learn about the impact of lifestyle factors on chronic disease, and learn more about specific chronic diseases. The diseases covered in this course are abnormal heartbeat (atrial fibrillation), lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and diabetes (diabetes mellitus).

Class 412: Physical Disabilities 

Direct care workers support people with disabilities. In this course, students will discuss types of disabilities, describe the life changes accompanying a disability, and scenarios direct care workers may encounter when working with people with disabilities. Finally, this course connects the role of the direct care worker when supporting a person with a disability.  

Class 413: Assistance with Medications  

Depending on their role and job responsibilities, direct care workers may have responsibilities related to the medication regimens of the individuals they support.  In this class, essential knowledge for medication safety usable by every worker is covered. This includes topics related to safe storage of medication, safe disposal of medications, different roles and tasks related to medication assistance, and how to interpret medication labels.  

Class 414: Dementia II   

Direct care workers support individuals with dementia. Building on the introductory topics from Level 2, students in this class will learn more about addressing challenges encountered while providing assistance to people with dementia. Learning objectives include identifying cues in a challenging situation, environmental factors impacting dementia, approaches for positive interactions, and strategies for making tasks easier.

Class 415: Mental Illness II 

Building on the introductory course in Level 2, direct care workers develop the knowledge and skills necessary to support individuals with mental health conditions. In this class, students are introduced to the topics of mental health crisis and challenging behavior. Course activities include person-centered responses to these scenarios. Finally, students will discuss the direct care worker’s responsibilities for identifying further professional development activities for expanding skills necessary for their workplace.

Class 416: Intellectual/ Developmental Disabilities II 

Building on the introductory course in Level 2, direct care workers can further enhance their readiness for supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In this class, students will expand on specific disabilities and identify health care supports commonly provided by direct care workers. This course includes preparation for working with a person with a seizure disorder.

Class 417: Trauma-Informed Care II 

Building on the introductory class in Level 2, direct care workers can advance their knowledge about working with individuals who have had traumatic experiences. In this class, students will review the principles of trauma-informed care, describe strategies for supporting the person who has experienced trauma, and apply the principles to supporting individuals in their work. 

Class 418: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion II 

Building on the introductory topics reviewed in Level 2, direct care workers can benefit from knowledge of implicit bias and the social determinants of health. In this class, students will define implicit bias and the social determinants of health, describe the impact on direct care work, and apply examples of improving practice for direct care workers in response to implicit bias and the social determinants of health.  

Class 419: Addressing Reluctance to do ADLs 

In addition to learning how to perform assistance with ADLs, direct care workers need to know how to respond to the individual who declines to participate in those supports. In this class, students will discuss the reasons for reluctance and the meaning of independence. Also, class time will cover strategies for assisting a reluctant person and best practices for documentation.

Class 420: Leadership 

Developing leadership skills is essential for advancement in any profession. In this course, students will be introduced to the concepts of education, training, and self-development of professional DCWs and DCW leaders. Discussions will examine activities for their individual career and strategies for participating in organizational life in their workplace, community, and across the profession.

Lab A: Mobility and Infection Control 

In this 4-hour, in-person lab course, students will work with certified instructors to learn, practice, and demonstrate competency in skills related to mobility and infection control.  

Pre-Requisites: 

  • 108:  Introduction to Infection Control (level 1)  
  • 110:  Introduction to Body Mechanics (level 1)  
  • 401:  Mobility  
  • 402:  Infection Control II (complete class 108 first) 
  • 403:  Advanced Critical Thinking and Problem Solving  

 Skills Reviewed: 

  • Safe lifting of an object  
  • Washing your hands  
  • Washing your hands with hand sanitizer  
  • Putting on/taking off gloves  
  • Putting on/taking off mask, gowns, face shields, or goggles  
  • Applying and ambulating with a gait belt  
  • De-weighting techniques  
  • Assisting a person from sitting to standing  
  • Assisting a person to transfer from bed to wheelchair, chair, or commode  
  • Assisting a person to the edge of the bed, to sit, and to stand
  • Assisting a person into and out of a vehicle

Lab B: Bed Skills 

In this 6-hour, in-person lab course, students will work with certified instructors to learn, practice, and demonstrate competency in skills related to mobility, hygiene, and personal care for individuals who need assistance with bed mobility.  

Pre-Requisites: 

  • 110:  Introduction to Body Mechanics (level 1)  
  • 401:  Mobility  
  • 404:  Elimination  
  • 405:  Bathing  
  • 406:  Skin Assessment and Protection  

 Skills Reviewed: 

  • Assist a person to move to the side of the bed  
  • Assisting a person to turn in bed  
  • Assisting a person to sit up on the edge of the bed  
  • Assisting a person to move up in the bed  
  • Assisting with a bed bath  
  • Making an occupied bed  
  • Assisting a person to use a bedpan  
  • Changing a brief  
  • Assisting a person with hair washing

Lab C: Hygiene Skills Lab 

In this 6-hour, in-person lab course, students will work with certified instructors to learn, practice, and demonstrate competency in skills related to providing hygiene and personal care.   

Pre-Requisites: 

  • 110:  Introduction to Body Mechanics (level 1)  
  • 404:  Elimination  
  • 405:  Bathing  
  • 407:  Eating  
  • 408:  Dressing and Grooming 

 Skills Reviewed: 

  • Assisting a person with taking a shower  
  • Assisting a person with hair washing  
  • Assist a person with hair care  
  • Assisting a person with mouth care  
  • Assisting person with denture and partial denture care   
  • Assisting a person to shave  
  • Assisting a person to dress  
  • Assisting a person with elastic stockings  
  • Assisting a person with eating  
  • Preparing a thickened liquid and assisting a person with difficulty swallowing  
  • Assisting a person to use a portable commode  
  • Providing peri-care  
  • Assisting persons with external catheters  
  • Changing a brief  
  • Assisting a person to use a urinal  
  • Cleaning catheter leg bags

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Courses are designed with DCWs of all types in mind. Our curriculum covers information DCWs need in every setting working with adults.

Yes. DCWs with any type of previous training, credentials, or experience are welcome in the course. Our trainings are designed with stackable certificates, with the opportunity to select only the certification(s) of interest. For example, CNAs without training or experience in the instrumental activities of daily living might wish to take the level 3 courses.

Right now, all of our training programs are covered under our generous grant funding administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; one through FY23 General Funds and one through American Rescue Plan Act/Home and Community Based Services Spending Plan funds. In the future, we intend to use a fee-for-service model for students to enroll in our training courses

DCW turnover is a challenge for employers and the field. DCWs frequently cite inadequate training as a source of dissatisfaction. Similarly, unsupportive employers are a large motivator of intention to leave. Employers can offer training to their employees to fill this need and demonstrate support for their employees to accomplish their professional goals and increase confidence in the workplace. Additionally, training contributes to professional development opportunities and a workplace culture that is based on collaboration, skill-building, and quality.

IMPART Alliance recognizes the impact engaged employers have on training outcomes. Interested employers can support their employees by signing up for classes offered by IMPART Alliance or by encouraging an expert DCW from their organization to complete our Train-the-Trainer course. If you would like to learn more about our training offerings, please email us at training.IMPART@msu.edu

 


Funding: This project is supported by grants to MSU IMPART Alliance, administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; one through FY23 General Funds and one through American Rescue Plan Act/Home and Community Based Services Spending Plan funds.