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Cinematic Health
Essential Soft Skills & Special Patient Populations
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Cinematic Health

Essential Soft Skills & Special Patient Populations

This course is part of Exploring the Role of the Certified Nursing Assistant Specialization

Melissa Mills

Instructor: Melissa Mills

Included with Coursera Plus

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5 modules
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level
No prior experience required
5 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

5 modules
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level
No prior experience required
5 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
  • About
  • Outcomes
  • Modules
  • Recommendations
  • Testimonials

Skills you'll gain

  • Communication
  • Empathy
  • Professionalism
  • Mental Health
  • Communication Strategies
  • Stress Management
  • Cultural Sensitivity
  • Caregiving
  • Mental and Behavioral Health
  • Social Skills
  • Patient Education and Support
  • Developmental Disabilities

Details to know

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Recently updated!

March 2025

Assessments

3 assignments

Taught in English

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Exploring the Role of the Certified Nursing Assistant Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 5 modules in this course

This course deepens your knowledge of the skills you need to be a successful caregiver. You'll learn about working with special patient populations, such as those with developmental disabilities and mental health conditions. You'll also improve your communication skills and explore strategies you can use on the job.

This module follows Helen, a dedicated caregiver, as she navigates the challenges of supporting a loved one with mental illness. Participants will learn about mental health conditions, effective communication strategies, and soft skills techniques for caregivers, empowering them to provide meaningful support while maintaining their own well-being.

What's included

1 video1 reading

1 video•Total 3 minutes
  • Nurse Spotlight: Introduction to Soft Skills and Special Patient Populations •3 minutes•Preview module
1 reading•Total 3 minutes
  • Vocabulary and Abbreviations •3 minutes

This module follows Helen, an older adult who has lived most of her life with bipolar disease and HIV. Participants will learn about mental health conditions, effective communication strategies, and soft skills techniques for caregivers, empowering them to provide meaningful support while maintaining their own well-being.

What's included

20 videos12 readings1 assignment

20 videos•Total 111 minutes
  • In Focus: Mind Over Matter•10 minutes•Preview module
  • Episode: Polar Bear's Disease•3 minutes
  • Nurse Spotlight - Beyond Words: The Art of Active Listening•6 minutes
  • Life is Art•4 minutes
  • In Focus: Selections of Helen's Care Plan•5 minutes
  • In Focus: Addressing Discrimination•9 minutes
  • Episode: Discrimination•1 minute
  • Close Up: Compromised Immune System•1 minute
  • In Focus: The Immune System•12 minutes
  • In Focus: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus•8 minutes
  • Episode: Depression•2 minutes
  • Episode: Helen - Signs of Infection•1 minute
  • Nurse Spotlight: Time Management - The Secret Weapon for Success•5 minutes
  • Nurse Spotlight: What is Compassion•3 minutes
  • Episode: Ghost Bird•2 minutes
  • In-Focus: Riding the Emotional Roller Coaster•7 minutes
  • In-Focus: Anxiety and Substance Abuse•11 minutes
  • In-Focus: Suicide•3 minutes
  • Episode: Long Lost Sisters•2 minutes
  • Nurse Spotlight: Working with Combative Residents•7 minutes
12 readings•Total 57 minutes
  • Understanding and Responding to Behaviors•3 minutes
  • Connecting with Care: The Power of Interpersonal Skills•3 minutes
  • Redirection for Challenging BehaviorsNew Reading•3 minutes
  • Helen’s Journey: Understanding and Implementing a Care Plan•3 minutes
  • Caring Across Cultures•3 minutes
  • Unconscious Bias: Recognizing and Addressing Hidden Prejudices in Caregiving•3 minutes
  • HIV and AIDS: Providing Compassionate Care in a Changing World•3 minutes
  • Eyes and Ears of the Care Team: Observing and Reporting•3 minutes
  • Supporting People Living with Mental Illness•10 minutes
  • Seeing the Person, Not the Diagnosis: People First Language•10 minutes
  • A Guide to Trauma-Informed Care•10 minutes
  • Understanding Defense Mechanisms•3 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
  • Caring for Someone with Mental Illness•10 minutes

This module focuses on enhancing communication skills for caregivers, emphasizing essential soft skills needed to effectively interact with special patient populations. It covers strategies for building rapport, understanding patient needs, and providing compassionate, person-centered care.

What's included

4 videos5 readings1 assignment

4 videos•Total 22 minutes
  • Nurse Spotlight: Introduction to Communication Skills •5 minutes•Preview module
  • In Focus: Positive Thinking•2 minutes
  • In Focus: Respectful Communication •10 minutes
  • In Focus: Cross Cultural Communication•3 minutes
5 readings•Total 16 minutes
  • Vocabulary and Abbreviations•3 minutes
  • Speaking and Listening: A Guide to Communication •3 minutes
  • Navigating Challenging Conversations•3 minutes
  • Breaking Down Barriers: Overcoming Communication Challenges•4 minutes
  • Professionalism and Boundaries for CNAs•3 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
  • Communication Skills•10 minutes

Through Michelle's story, learners will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and rewards of caring for someone with developmental disabilities, while exploring effective caregiving strategies, communication techniques, and the importance of self-care. This module aims to empower caregivers with the knowledge and tools they need to offer compassionate, person-centered care.

What's included

13 videos7 readings1 assignment

13 videos•Total 52 minutes
  • Nurse Spotlight: Introduction to Development Disabilities•3 minutes•Preview module
  • In Focus: Development Disabilities •6 minutes
  • Episode: Michelle and Her Brother •2 minutes
  • Nurse Spotlight: Coping Mechanisms•4 minutes
  • Episode: Incontinence•3 minutes
  • Episode: Michelle's Special Diet•1 minute
  • Episode: Dialysis•1 minute
  • Close Up: Kidney Disease and Dialysis•3 minutes
  • Episode: Bruises•1 minute
  • Close Up: Neglect and Abuse•3 minutes
  • In Focus: There's No Excuse for Resident Abuse•11 minutes
  • Consequences •4 minutes
  • In Focus: Abuse - Legal Recourse and Obligation to Report•4 minutes
7 readings•Total 22 minutes
  • Vocabulary and Abbreviations •3 minutes
  • Building Bridges of Trust•4 minutes
  • Attention to Details•3 minutes
  • CNA Superpowers: Flexibility & Adaptabilty •3 minutes
  • Empathy: Stepping Into Their Shoes•3 minutes
  • Teamwork Makes the Dream Work•3 minutes
  • Drawing the Line: Boundary Setting•3 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
  • Caring for Someone with Development Disabilites•10 minutes

This project aims to provide you with practical experience in researching and evaluating local employment opportunities as a CNA.

What's included

1 ungraded lab

1 ungraded lab•Total 10 minutes
  • Employment Opportunities•10 minutes

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

Melissa Mills
Melissa Mills
Cinematic Health
3 Courses•593 learners

Offered by

Cinematic Health

Offered by

Cinematic Health

Cinematic Health is at the forefront of caregiver training, addressing the critical need for soft skills development in patient-facing roles. By leveraging the power of storytelling, we deliver immersive online training programs that equip students with both technical skill knowledge and essential interpersonal skills. Our unique approach transforms learning into an engaging experience, leading to improved job performance, higher retention rates, and enhanced patient satisfaction. Through comprehensive, affordable, and effective training solutions, Cinematic Health aims to revolutionize the allied health industry.

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Frequently asked questions

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

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When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

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