Catholic Central offers CNA course

Certification introduces students to health careers

Karen Mahoney
Special to Parenting

BURLINGTON - Visitors to Memorial Hospital in Burlington or Lakeland Hospital in Elkhorn may spot Bridget Horter sporting colorful scrubs and pushing patients in wheelchairs this summer.

The high school senior from Catholic Central High School is taking a course to become a certified nursing assistant and to jumpstart her career in health care.
Horter and nine classmates in the school's health program will learn first hand about assisting patients at the two community hospitals for their clinical rotation.
 
New to the school this year, the nursing assistant course will prepare students to earn CNA certification at the end of the school year. The focus of the course will be to train students entering a medical field by giving practical care to patients. Each student will complete 120 hours of instruction. Gateway Technical College and the two hospitals are partnering with Catholic Central in this endeavor.

The class, which began Jan. 28, is offered to juniors and seniors, and is the first of its kind in any private school in Racine, Kenosha, or Walworth counties, said development coordinator Georgean Selburg.

"I believe CCHS would benefit by adding more specialized classes such as this to the curriculum, thereby helping the community," she said. "I recently had a conversation with an instructor at UW-Oshkosh, and she had mentioned that within a year or two, many colleges will require their students to have their CNA license before entering certain schools, such as the school of nursing, the school of medicine, X-ray technicians, and for physical therapists. The CNA license rates you as more competitive when applying to these schools."

The CNA program is held 7:20 through 8:50 a.m. each school day in the biology lab, and in April, clinicals will begin at 6:30 a.m. at Gateway in Burlington or at one of the two hospitals. Classroom instruction will include basic nursing skills, anatomy and physiology, nutrition, infection control, and clinical activities. The course will not only allow students to become licensed, but they will earm three college credits.
 
The hospitals are enthusiastic about students taking the course, Selburg said, and students are looking forward to working alongside medical professionals.

"Students will be training with nurses and will be involved in bathing, bowel and urinary elimination, comfort needs, catheter care, etc.," she said. "They are looking forward to the hands-on clinical care."

For junior Swapnil Patel, participating in the course is an opportunity to prepare for college classes.
 
"I hope to become a doctor, so this will help me because it will get me familiar to the medical terminology and the atmosphere in the hospital," she said. "After high school, I plan on doing my undergrad and then I plan on continuing to medical school and doing my residency and fellowship."

With the certification, students will put their training to use by working after school and during the summers to raise money and prepare for their college years.

"I plan on working over the summers, hopefully familiarizing myself with the patients and the atmosphere that surrounds the health care profession," Patel said. "My parents feel that I am very lucky to get this opportunity. They did not have that opportunity when they were going to school to be able to start (their) career education in high school."

Selburg is hopeful that through the hands-on care students will glean a better understanding and attitude toward the elderly and disabled.
 
"Burlington Memorial Hospital has taken students from our anatomy and physiology classes and let them observe in the operating room and in the imaging area," Selburg said, adding, "Now we are taking another step with our neighboring hospitals in allowing our students to hold some of their clinicals at their sites. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and it is an opportunity for the hospitals to try and draw these students into a possible working relationship."

For Horter, becoming a CNA is preparation for her future in nursing. Her post-high school plans include choices such as Marquette University, Milwaukee School of Engineering or The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

"I would possibly like to be a Flight for Life nurse, and thought this would be a perfect opportunity for me to become acquainted with the nursing field," she said.
 
"Although the idea of offering a CNA course at a public high school is not new, it is very rare in the private sector and it's the connection with the hospital that will make a difference," said Selberg. "Partnerships between local businesses and organizations connect our students to the community. Since service to others is a vital component in our school's mission, we feel this new program will be a positive step in increasing students' awareness and involvement in their community."

Unlike public school counterparts, costs for the program are not taxpayer funded, but absorbed by the students' parents - a fact that Selburg hopes to change with private donations to offset the extra fees.
 
"The public schools do offer an apprenticeship program which students can take for free," she said. "Some private school kids take the courses over the summer, but that is separate from the school. The advantage to this program is that even though parents are paying for it, the kids are receiving college credit, high school credit and they are able to find a job after completion. They also have the convenience of not having to go outside the school for the classes."

With the baby boomers entering retirement years, the need for CNAs will increase, according to Selburg, who maintains that job prospects are excellent.

"It is important to remember that after a student completes the course and earns his or her certification, they can begin working as a certified nursing assistant and eventually earn anywhere from $23,000 to $29,000 per year, she said.

For Horter and her mom, the opportunity is too good to pass up.

"My mom is very proud and excited for me to start this course," she said "She thinks this is a great thing that I am doing and is happy that I chose this field to go into."

Tuesday, February 12, 2008