BLUEFIELD, W. Va. -Thanks to grant funding and a partnership with the Granada Theater, New River Community and Technical College is offering no-cost, six-week Certified Nursing Assistant training classes at the Raleigh Street Cinemas in downtown Bluefield, West Virginia.
“It’s just a wonderful opportunity for students to get to learn to interact with patients…” explains Dr. Angela Strickland, interim dean, Allied Health Nursing and Natural Sciences for the college, “…They learn how to take vital signs, they learn how to properly lift and take care of patients, they learn patient bathing and dressing and those simple activities of daily living that sometimes elude us as we get older.”
Earning this certification will give students the ability to work in long-term care facilities, hospitals, or rehab centers. With these classes being fully paid for, along with books, uniforms, and the certification exams, Dr. Strickland says this a great no-risk entry point for those who are considering going nursing.
“Some of our best success stories are students who are using the Certified Assistant Nursing classes to scaffold into the Practical Nursing program…” says Dr. Strickland, “…They’re able to come and take classes and build their career from the entry-level caregiver to mid-level, and, ultimately, registered nursing.”
Dr. Strickland says this is a “fantastic way” for the college to expand its presence in Mercer County, with the community also benefiting from the additional nursing education.
“It’s for the health of our community. We’re really proud here at New River of our healthcare programs and we have a lot of them, and I think that every time that we put someone out there that we have trained and given that specialty training, we make a healthier and stronger community,” says Dr. Strickland.
Dr. Strickland encourages those interested in the program to go for it, calling it an honorable profession to go into, adding you may even learn more about yourself while you take care of others.
The next classes are set to begin March 19th. Space is limited to ten students, so early registration is encouraged.
You can go to the New River Community and Technical College website for more information.
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