Wrangell Medical Center (WMC), part of the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC), recently received notice of the successful certification of six new Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) from the Wrangell CNA Training Program. The six-week program, instructed by WMC Registered Nurse and state certified CNA Training Instructor Katrina Ottesen, prepped the half-dozen Wrangell locals for the state exam and an opportunity for employment at WMC.
A graduation ceremony will take place in early November.
"WMC is making the concerted effort to cultivate talent from the local workforce," said SEARHC Vice President and WMC Hospital Administrator Leatha Merculieff.
"With WMC having the capacity to offer a full-service training program in-house, our ability to educate and train competent, certified staff will decrease our reliance on traveling CNA's and help locals realize their potential in the healthcare field."
The training program consisted of five weeks of classroom instruction along with 48 hours of clinical training. The clinical training required the trainees to work four, twelve-hour shifts on the floor at WMC under the guidance of Ottesen. The program offered paid training time, in addition to the opportunity for employment upon course completion and successful state certification.
"This was an amazing group to teach," said Ottesen. "The students worked hard and took full advantage of all the program had to offer. The State of Alaska was very excited and supportive about what our CNA Training Program can provide to a facility like WMC."
WMC recently announced a second CNA Training Program, with a goal of a 100 percent local CNA staffing by February 2020.
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