HIGH-STEP (HEALTH SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP)

Direct Experience: Certified Nursing Assistant

Students throughout south central Minnesota who have an interest in healthcare are being offered an incredible opportunity to take a unique stepping stone in the world of work through a course entitled ‘Certified Nursing Assistant’ (CNA). The demand for Certified Nursing Assistants in this region is incredibly high. By implementing a new CNA program we can assure local nursing homes, assisted living facilities and home health care agencies future employees and skilled workers, as well as preparing students for future careers in direct patient care. Future opportunities in direct patient care could be nursing, doctors of medicine, physical/occupational therapy, and many more. In Minnesota, LPN and RN programs require the CNA course as a prerequisite to enter into their programs. It is a wonderful “stepping stone” into any direct patient care profession as well as filling an enormous void in our workforce.

The CNA program will allow students from the region to take this course and do clinicals at health care facilities in their own community. CNA’s can work in long term care facilities (local clinical sites), hospitals and home health care agencies among other areas. Research has shown that people who get experience (even entry-level) in their community healthcare facility, like a nursing home, are more likely to come back after college and work in their community.

The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program provides classroom and clinical training for students interested in pursuing direct patient care. Students are also prepared for the state exam and are then eligible to obtain full-time work within the health care industry. The course includes orientation, basic skills assessment tests, classroom training and hands-on clinical training. Upon completion of all class hours, students will be eligible to take the state exam offered at South Central College and upon passing, will be recognized by the state of Minnesota in its registry of Certified Nursing Assistants.

Local nursing homes are eager to support such a program in the schools as the demand in their facilities is so high. South Central College offers a CNA program, but the program is consistently filled, difficult to get into and is not currently filling the need for skilled workers in our area. The new CNA program would run cooperatively with SCC as they have offered concurrent enrollment and to be a testing site for regional high school students. This is an opportunity to get students into a work-based learning environment that will gain them certification in a field that continues to be in high demand and provides students a valuable “stepping stone” to future post-secondary educational opportunities in direct patient care.

For further information, contact Kim Mueller, (507) 382-6541 or Glenn Morris, (507) 389-5106, or visit the High-STEP web site at http://mnscsc.org/high_step/highstep.html.

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