The Texas Principles of Health Science course was developed by the state’s department of education to teach high school students basic healthcare concepts and skills.
The Texas Department of Education has developed course requirements called Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for each CTE health science course.
Because Principles of Health Science is one of the most important health science courses in Texas, teachers must adhere to those requirements.
But how do you know if you’re teaching the right information?
The Principles of Health Science TEKS include a two-part structure:
- “Knowledge statements” refer to the overarching concepts students must learn
- “Skills statements” are the specific objectives students are expected to meet when taking the class
For the purpose of this page, we'll discuss the TEKS requirements for Principles of Health Science that were adopted in 2015 (Course 130.222), as it's the current version at time of publication.
With that, what are the actual Principles of Health Science TEKS requirements?
What Are the Texas Principles of Health Science TEKS Requirements?
The Texas Principles of Health Science course includes 12 knowledge statements with a total of 50 skills statements among them:
- The student demonstrates professional standards / employability skills as required by business and industry.
- The student applies mathematics, science, English language arts, and social studies in health science.
- The student uses verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
- The student implements the leadership skills necessary to function in a democratic society.
- The student assesses career options and the preparation necessary for employment in the health science industry.
- The student identifies academic preparation and skills necessary for employment as defined by the health science industry.
- The student identifies the career pathways related to health science.
- The student examines the role of the multidisciplinary team in providing healthcare.
- The student interprets ethical behavior standards and legal responsibilities.
- The student recognizes the rights and choices of the individual.
- The student recognizes the importance of maintaining a safe environment and eliminating hazardous situations.
- The student identifies the technology used in the diagnostic, therapeutic health informatics, support services, and biotechnology research and development systems.
In the following sections, you’ll see an overview of each standard. You can also refer to the Texas DOE’s official document for official information on the TEKS for every course in the health science pathway.
Standard 1. Professional Standards and Employability Skills
The Professional Standards and Employability Skills standard notes three statements that help students learn crucial career readiness concepts.
Specifically, students must be able to:
Though these skills are relatively general, they are crucial for any student entering the healthcare industry.
Standard 2. Math, Science, Language, and Social Studies Skills
Math, Science, Language, and Social Studies Skills includes 17 statements that apply academic knowledge and skills into a healthcare context.
This includes a variety of skills:
- Converting units between measurement systems
- Applying data to provide solutions to health-related problems
- Interpreting technical material
- Organizing, compiling, and writing ideas into reports and summaries
- Describing processes that maintain homeostasis
- Identify and analyze principles of body mechanics and movement
- Identify human needs according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs
- Describing stages of development related to life span
- Identifying concepts of health and wellness throughout the lifespan
- Analyzing and evaluating communication skills for maintaining healthy relationships
- Researching the history of health care
- Describing the impact of health services on the economy
- Analyzing the impact of government on the health science industry
- Identifying diverse cultural influences that impact health care delivery
- Comparing practices used by various cultures and societies to address health problems
These Principles of Health Science TEKS standards ensure that students can use general skills learned in academic courses to understand healthcare skills and concepts better.
Standard 3. Communication Skills
Communication Skills features four statements related to communication concepts every healthcare employee must understand.
These statements focus on the students’ knowledge of:
- Effective and ineffective communication
- Communicating with individuals in a diverse society
- Conflict resolution techniques
- Medical terminology
Honing these skills help new healthcare workers better communicate with both other healthcare professionals and patients.
Standard 4. Leadership Skills
Leadership Skills includes three skills statements related to leadership skills and concepts.
Students must be able to:
- Identify leadership traits
- Demonstrate leadership skills like goal-setting and team-building
- Effectively conduct and participate in meetings
In the healthcare industry, many professionals must demonstrate leadership skills regularly when collaborating with others to provide effective patient care.
Standard 5. Career Seeking
The Career Seeking standard has two skills statements that help students understand concepts related to choosing a career in healthcare.
Students must be able to:
- Locate and evaluate career opportunities
- Recognize the impact career decisions, including changing careers
These skills are essential for any student to learn before entering the workforce, especially on a focused CTE track like health science.
Standard 6. Academic Requirements
The Academic Requirements standard has one specific skills statement related to understanding academic requirements for healthcare careers.
This standard includes common requirements for advancement in the healthcare industry, such as:
- Certifications
- Licensures
- Registration
- Continuing education
- Advanced degrees
By learning the requirements for various healthcare careers, students will better understand what’s on the horizon if they plan to pursue a more advanced position.
Standard 7. Health Science Career Pathways
Health Science Career Pathways includes two skills statements that help students learn about the five health science career pathways.
Students must be able to:
- Compare career options across the five healthcare pathways
- Understand how team members can collaborate across paths to deliver quality healthcare
Ultimately knowing these details about the health science pathways will help students make more informed decisions when choosing a health career down the road.
Standard 8. Healthcare Teams
Healthcare Teams includes two skills statements pertaining to how individuals work as part of the healthcare team.
This includes knowledge of:
- The concept of working as a team to provide quality health care
- How professional organizations are involved in healthcare education and credentialing
Standard 9. Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
The Legal and Ethical Responsibilities standard comprises five skills statements that teach students about the legal aspects of being a healthcare professional.
Students must understand these concepts and topics:
- Codes of ethics and scope of practice
- Ethical behavior and confidentiality
- Common ethical issues related to healthcare, including implications of technology
- Matters related to malpractice, negligence, and liability
- Laws governing the healthcare industry
Understanding these concepts and laws is critical for anyone entering the healthcare industry, as they ensure safety and privacy rights for all clients.
Standard 10. Client Rights
Client Rights includes five skills statements related to the rights of patients receiving medical care.
This includes knowledge of these concepts:
- Identifying situations related to autonomy
- Wellness strategies and disease prevention
- The effects of relationships on physical and emotional health
- Patient rights and choices
- Cultural diversity among patients
Understanding these concepts can help healthcare workers provide better care for clients daily.
Standard 11. Safety Precautions and Hazardous Situations
The Safety Precautions and Hazardous Situations standard has three skills statements that teach students about common safety procedures for healthcare professionals and patients.
Students must learn about:
- Regulatory agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Industry safety standards like standard precautions, fire prevention, and emergency care
- Connecting safety practices to work in the health science industry
Knowing regulations — like how to respond in an emergency — ensure healthcare professionals are ready to take action in hazardous situations if necessary.
Standard 12. Healthcare Technology
Healthcare Technology includes three skills statements related to the use of information technology in the healthcare environment.
This requires students to have a basic knowledge of:
- Technological equipment used by various healthcare professionals
- Potential malfunctions of equipment
- Processes to report equipment malfunctions
With the increased use of technology in every aspect of healthcare, every employee must know the basics of their work tools.
Now that you know the details of the Principles of Health Science TEKS standards, how do you actually teach them to your students?
How Do You Teach Principles of Health Science in Texas?
Teaching Principles of Health Science may seem straightforward when you’re familiar with the TEKS requirements.
Many teachers purchase a Principles of Health Science textbook to use as the driving force for teaching their lessons. But there’s no guarantee that a textbook is the right option for you and your students.
After all, textbooks quickly become outdated as the healthcare industry changes from year to year. Even if you find a brand-new book, it may not hit all of your TEKS requirements!
That’s why so many Texas health science teachers have implemented digital curriculum to teach Principles of Health Science.
