Students will have the opportunity to participate in the Patient Care Technician career pipeline program free of cost. Within the first ten days of the pilot program, five students already had job offers.
The creation of the Patient Care Technician career pipeline from Nashville State Community College, in partnership with HCA Healthcare Foundation, Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), and TriStar Health, was a response to the increased demand brought about by COVID-19. The development of the program also aims to encourage diversity in healthcare professions and promote the expansion of healthcare service availability in underserved areas in and around Nashville. Students can attend at no cost and will take a certification exam after completing the course.
With a pilot program launched in April, more opportunities are expected to open up throughout the summer and fall, according to a press release from Nashville State Community College. The new program aims to fill a need in the region for healthcare professionals while helping more graduating high school students transition quickly to careers. The press release also points out that becoming a patient care technician can serve as a launching point into a career as an LPN or RN.
The NSCC press release also provided reactions from representatives of the partnering institutions on the establishment of the Patient Care Technician career pipeline program, and the impact that it is expected to have on students and on the region as a whole. Nashville State Community College President Dr. Shanna L. Jackson explained, "Through this strategic partnership, we are creating a direct and accelerated pathway to careers for those as young as 18 years of age in a high-demand field and industry. As a workforce solution partner, Nashville State is excited to work alongside TriStar Health and Metro Nashville Public Schools to present opportunities that did not exist previously."
Dr. Adrienne Battle, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools, focused on the benefit to students. "The patient care technician program creates a new career pathway for our students into an essential and growing industry. We always want to see our graduates moving into good jobs that make a difference in our community and fulfill a need in Nashville's workforce, and this program does just that," Battle said, adding, "Thank you to our dedicated teams of educators at Pearl-Cohn and Maplewood and to Nashville State Community College, TriStar Health, and our other partners for all the work they've done to make this opportunity possible."
Career opportunities for patient care technicians are available in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and outpatient care facilities. Bryan Sisk, Chief Nursing Executive at TriStar Health, said, "Patient care technicians are valued members of the healthcare team and play an important role in providing quality patient care. This new program will open the door to motivated individuals looking to step into a career in healthcare."
Eligibility for the program requires that students be at least 18 years old and pass background and drug screenings, according to NSCC. Students will receive instruction in the classroom and in the simulation lab at NSCC's White Bridge campus. Students will also be assigned to a healthcare facility for supervised clinical training. Upon completion, students must pass a certification exam. At that point the program promises opportunities to apply for full-time positions.
Cindy Waller, Ph.D., RN, MSN, Nashville State Dean of Healthcare Professions, said of the first group of students in the pilot program, "Our first cohort of students from Pearl-Cohn and Maplewood have shown a tremendous level of curiosity and drive. They know this is a wonderful chance to get ahead and start working toward a career while still in high school."
The cost of the program is being funded by the HCA Healthcare Foundation with the Nashville State Community College Foundation and funding from the federal CARES Act.