Online Asthma Educators' Certificate

This is a program for Health Professionals who wish to acquire the academic education and clinical experience to function as an Asthma Educator.

The Thompson Rivers University and The Alberta Asthma Centre in a collaborative partnership provide an online asthma educators' program. Go to the website here.

As a successful graduate of the Online program, the participant will be eligible to sit the CNAC exam for national certification as an asthma educator.

Program Description

Thompson Rivers University, the University of Alberta and The Alberta Asthma Centre in a collaborative partnership offer this multidisciplinary, CNAC-approved, online, asthma educators' program. Upon successful completion of the 3 courses comprising the program, you will have the necessary background to optimally educate clients with asthma in the area of prevention, health promotion and disease self-management. You will also be eligible to sit the CNAC exam for national certification as an asthma educator. This program is currently assigned 6 upper level credits in the distance-delivered Bachelor of Health Science degree through Thompson Rivers University.

Entry into the program requires the interested individual have (minimally) a 2 year diploma or degree in a health related field of study (eg. RN, RRT, PT, RPh, MD).  Note: Prior to online registration, you are required to contact the program facilitator, Janine Chan, via email: jchan@tru.ca with your professional designation to ensure you meet program entry requirements.  After you receive an email confirmation of your eligibility, proceed to the "Web Registration" link listed on this page.

Activities in the program focus on promoting and enhancing interdisciplinary partnerships and collaboration. Internet access is required as this is the primary means of communication in the program. The participant will be required to mail-in 5 video assignments that include 3 client interviews, a client teaching session and a public teaching session.

Profession specific "choice" assignments in the 2nd and 3rd course allow health professionals to pursue various areas of interest related to asthma and receive credit for their assignments. Assignment design occurs between the participant and the facilitator for these "choice" assignments.

Online discussions are asynchronous in nature. Internet access is the primary means of communication in the program and should be convenient to access by the participant. 

Successful completion of the program requires a grade of 70% or greater in each video assignment, the final exam and overall in the program.

Course Descriptions

ASHS 461 Client-Centred Approach to Asthma

This course concentrates on the knowledge and skills an asthma educator requires to establish good rapport and lay the foundation for a therapeutic client/professional relationship. Being cognizant and considerate of client abilities, beliefs and issues that influence a client's health care activities affect the course and outcome of clinical encounters. Two client interviews will occur during this course.

The cost of this course is $425.

The fee includes a course manual, the CNAC Pre-Study Module, a copy of the Canadian Consensus Guidelines and a content video for the course. 

Required Textbook
The Manual of Asthma Management by O'Byrne and Thomson , W.B. Saunders Company Ltd., June 2000, ISBN: 0-7020-2529-1 (approx. $183.00)

ASHS 462 Concepts in Asthma 

This course discusses the chronic nature of asthma in terms of cost to the health care system, pathophysiology, diagnosis, defining and assessing control, appropriate treatment and prognosis. Assessing client monitoring strategies and goals for asthma management begin along with developing, practicing and videotaping your teaching skills with a client.

The cost of this course is $425.

The fee includes a course manual and 3 content videos.

ASHS 463 Asthma Management Planning 

This course has two components that together, focus on understanding, communicating, and practicing the principles of guided self-management. The goal is to help clients accept responsibility for their own health and acquire the information and skills they need to detect, assess, prevent and manage their asthma in a confident, competent manner. Upon completion of this course, the participant will write a final exam for the program.

PART I
In this part of the course, the participant will have an opportunity to search out various resources that can help a client overcome barriers to achieving and maintaining self-management strategies. Basic components of delivering optimal education will be discussed and developed. A need in the community will be identified by the participant and the appropriate educational tools needed to fulfill that need will also be developed. A lesson in understanding the barriers to adherence, care plan development and the opportunity to hone client history taking skills through a videotaped client interview will also occur.

PART 2
This concluding section of the course concentrates on (a) the collaborative development and basic use of an action plan (b) evaluating the results of client actions taken when utilizing the data collected in an action plan and (c) the importance of follow-up visits to allow ongoing adjustments to occur to 
both action and care plans. A final videotaped client interview and development of a working action plan will occur during this part of the course and the participant will deliver and videotape an asthma-related teaching session in their community.

The cost of this course is $375.

The fee includes a course manual and a content video for the course.

To download the Adobe Acrobat version of this course brochure, click here.