April 14, 2014
04/15/14 Health care careers are not limited to doctors and nurses. A wide variety of jobs in hospitals, nursing homes and clinics are done by nursing assistants. Ancilla College is offering a Nursing Assistant training program this July that will prepare students to become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs).
“The CNA program is designed to prepare someone with the basic skills needed to help nursing staff and assist patients with activities of daily living,” said Ann Fitzgerald, head of the college’s Nursing program.
“People need health care, that fact is not dependent on the economy. If you are considering returning to school to change direction, or are thinking about a new professional path; healthcare careers are a growing and well- paid field,” Fitzgerald said.
The new classes start June 30th and run through August 9th at Ancilla College. Registration for the program is now open to anyone over the age of 18.
CNAs are in high demand and thus healthcare salaries are rising according to Indiana’s Workforce Development. This office published figures in 2013 that indicated Nursing Assistant and Licensed Practical Nurse jobs are in the top ten “hot job” category.
The CNA program is the basic path to health-related occupations. “Ancilla College is offering a state approved course for CNA training that you can complete in just two months—in 108 classroom and clinical hours you can prepare for new opportunities in a fast growing, high employment field,” said nursing faculty member Elizabeth Bailey.
Nursing assistants work in a range of healthcare settings supporting other nursing staff in patient care, safety and basic healthcare tasks, Bailey said.
“The CNA program is designed for people who want an introduction to healthcare careers and the skills needed to provide safe, effective care in a variety of settings. It can be a great way to get started in the field. With a CNA you can launch a career and work in clinics, hospitals and long-term care facilities. You can also come back for more training and education at Ancilla like health sciences or nursing,” Bailey said.
“Ancilla College offers a range of educational options that expand on the CNA. We have an Associate’s Degree in several healthcare related fields, with nursing being one of the most popular. Our Nursing program helps students develop knowledge and professional skills to prepare students to take the National Council on Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) to earn a license as a Registered Nurse (RN),” Fitzgerald said. “The CNA is a great first step to enter the profession.”
“Ancilla prides itself on interacting with our students, small class sizes and personal learning support including free tutoring including a free nursing tutor. Students learn hands-on skills right here in our own community. Students engage in clinical experiences at various area hospitals, long-term care facilities and other healthcare facilities in Plymouth, Knox, Rochester, South Bend, and elsewhere,” Fitzgerald said.
“In today’s job market an LPN earns more than many jobs but career options may be limited,” Fitzgerald said. “Ancilla College offers a one-year LPN to RN Bridge Program for bridging the gap between the educational and professional requirements of LPNs and RNs. The bridge program begins each summer and lasts for one year. Classes and clinical experiences at local and regional health care facilities are combined to provide a solid educational program in less time to support working healthcare professionals.”
The college offers more details at Ancilla’s website at www.ancilla.edu/cna/