Nationally, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are ever changing to meet the country’s education and skill needs. These programs are creating an educational environment that combines core academics with real-world application. This month, Medical News takes a closer look at what’s going on in career colleges around our state.

Career changers can earn master’s degree in nursing at UofL
Career changers with a baccalaureate degree in another field can make the transition into healthcare through the University of Louisville School of Nursing’s Master’s Entry  into Professional Nursing (MEPN) program beginning in summer 2015. Upon completion of the two-year program, students will receive both a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing. They will be prepared as entry level professional nurses and eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) for registered nursing licensure.

Nurse education initiatives at Beckfield
Beckfield C o l l e g e ’ s n u r s i n g department, in Florence, Ky., has focused on maintaining nurse education programs that meet today’s ever-changing industry standards. Recently, the National League of Nursing (NLN) put out a news release about the need for partnership between academic and clinical practitioners to “strengthen the educational foundation for providing safe, effective quality care.” Beckfield College has been actively evolving every aspect of nurse education, including faculty and curriculum, to ensure graduates are armed with the most recent and
valued education to provide safe quality patient care in the field.

Beckfield College is updating its mission, purpose and core values statements, developing a new Beckfield College Nurse Organizational
Framework and creating a revised philosophy based on Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN). Beckfield is also offering a course on disaster management in nursing and has invested heavily in patient simulators.

CTE focuses on educational barriers
With the set goal of educating students who may be overcoming barriers to employment, the College for Technical Education, a nonprofit technical college with the main campus located in Lexington, Ky., has worked with students with socioeconomic barriers, as well as historical education deficiencies. The Medical Assistant program stands out because students are assured of receiving information from instructors who
have spent time in the field and continually strive for their own education.

Daymar College goes HITECH
HITECH stands for Health Informat ion Technology for Economic and Clinical Health, and it means a person not only has to be trained, but also properly credentialed. Medical Assistants have found themselves affected by the implementation of this new rule, because clinics must comply by 2015 or face Medicare payment penalties. When Graves Gilbert Clinic in Bowling Green, Ky. was in this situation, they collaborated with Daymar College, with campuses in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee and Barren River Area Development District (BRADD). This collaboration allowed the Graves Gilbert Clinic employees to enroll in a Medical Assisting diploma program which will qualify them to take the Registered Medical Assisting exam.

National offers new bachelor degrees
National College offers career training in healthcare, business and technology with six campuses around the state. The Florence campus recently celebrated its move to a new 14,000 square foot facility. National College offers associate degree programs in medical assisting, surgical technology and health information management, bachelor’s degree programs — including the new medical and health services management bachelor’s degree — are also available. The College, which has offered an associate’s degree program in nursing at the Pikeville Campus for several years, recently began offering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing online program as well.

Spencerian posts outstanding first-time pass rates
Spencerian College, with campuses in Louisville and Lexington, posted outstanding first-time pass rates on their Certification and Licensure Examinations. Students in these programs posted 100 percent in nursing (Associate Degree), surgical technology, medical laboratory technology, radiologic technology and respiratory therapy. Students posted 97 percent in practical nursing and 95 percent in phlebotomy. Spencerian has added two new Bachelor of Science degrees to its Patient Care program: Radiographic Science Administration and
Clinical Laboratory Science.

Sullivan University launches PA program
Sullivan University launched its Physician Assistant program in June. Graduates of the program receive a Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MSPA). Students prepare for a professional role as clinicians with an emphasis on care in the primary care setting and preventive
healthcare, as well as acute and chronic disease management. The Sullivan University College of Pharmacy has also developed two simulation labs that give Pharmacy Technician students practical experience working in both a community and an institutional setting.