Cowley Allied Health Department Newsletter Summer 2006

Cowley Allied Health Department Newsletter

Summer 2006

Chris Cannon, Department Chair -- 620.229.5985 -- e-mail
Cindy Branscum, Lead MICT Instructor -- 620.229.5986 -- e-mail
Joyce Holloway, Coordinator of Support Services -- 620.229.5981 -- e-mail
Bruce Irwin, AIT Coordinator -- 800.296.3633 -- e-mail
Connie Schaefer, Nursing Coordinator -- 620.229.5982 -- e-mail

Allied Health Department Overview
The department is now a year old and has experienced great change and growth. We have made changes in existing classes and programs, and have developed many new classes and several programs - not for the sake of simply expanding but rather in an attempt to better help students, employers and ultimately the patients we all serve. Please visit our website to view many of the new classes that we have developed and also let us know if you desire any specialized education and training. We will listen. We will provide. We will meet your needs.

EMS Education

Cowley Paramedic
2006 Day Class The 2006 daytime paramedic program students have completed the didactic portion of their education and have entered into their clinical endeavor. There are currently 12 students learning from nursing staff, physicians, assorted allied health professionals and patients in the hospital and clinical settings of the Via Christi hospitals in Wichita, the Cedar Vale clinic, South Central Kansas Regional Medical Center and William Newton Hospital. These students have also successfully completed a PALS course, a PEPP course and an NRP course. Later this summer they will take ACLS and PHTLS. They are all looking forward to this fall when they start field internship!

EMS Education

Cowley Paramedic
2006 Evening Class The 16 students in Cowley's evening MICT program are still in the intensive didactic portion of class. They are close to completing the Pre-Hospital Pharmacology class.

The students have started practicing critical patient management in the laboratory utilizing the new 2005 AHA ECC guidelines. They are learning to apply their knowledge of patient assessment, ECG interpretation and pharmacology that they have gained throughout the program to treat simulated patients in an educational scenario. These laboratory experiences help prepare the students to treat real patients in the clinical and field settings later in the program.

Congratulations to Matt Orr
Matt is a Cowley MICT graduate and adjunct instructor, who was recently appointed as EMS Director at Arkansas City Fire Department.

Long Term Adult Health Care Administrator
Twenty-four students in the Spring and Summer 2006 classes are working through practicums in long term care facilities under the guidance of preceptors who are licensed long term care administrators. Since this program serves students statewide, current students come from cities and towns all over eastern Kansas, from Cherryvale to Andover to Sabetha.

CNA and Related Education
Cowley College's Certified Nursing Assistant program is growing at an incredible rate. In the two semesters since adding Connie Schaefer, RN, as the new Nursing Coordinator for the program, enrollment has increased by more than 50%.

Welcome to New Adjunct Instructors
Paula Andrew, Patti Hoover, and Lisa Swanson

The addition of these instructors will make it possible to offer additional CNA/CMA/HHA classes in Mulvane, Winfield and Arkansas City. Additional daytime classes, evening classes, and odd hour classes which are becoming more popular have been scheduled.

The three new instructors join the nursing instructor team of Sharon Logan, Jonny Thompson, Linda Voth, and Connie Schaefer.

Thank You
The advisory committee for the Certified Nursing Assistant program is currently active and meeting each semester. A special thanks goes to each volunteer serving on this important team:
Dr. Daniel Hein, Medical Advisor, Winfield Medial Arts
Dr. Robert Bean, CEO, Sumner Regional Medical Center, Wellington
Darlene Cooney, DON, SRMC
Carl Noyce, Administrator of Villa Maria Nursing Home, Mulvane
Amber Bryant, Human Resource Consultant, SCKRMC, Arkansas City
Jill Capron, RN, supervisor of William Newton Hospital's skilled nursing unit, Winfield
Juli Hickenbottom, RN, DON of Cowley County Health Department
Tisha Catlin, RN, Staff Development Coordinator, Good Samaritan Village, Winfield
Mark Thomas, PA-C, SCKRMC, Arkansas City
Cheryl Foster, RN, supervisor of WNH Home Health Care
Dawn Warren; past CNA student from Cowley College program
Darla Williams, CNA, current practicing CNA at Good Samaritan Village , Winfield
Marla Nispel, Regional VP of Medicalodges of Kansas, Parsons
Slade Griffiths, Allied Health Dept. Chair for Cowley College
Joyce Holloway, Coordinator of Allied Health for Cowley College
Connie Schaefer, RN, Nursing Coordinator for Cowley College CNA program

CNA Pinning Celebration
This summer the first annual CNA Pinning Celebration ceremonies for the Cowley College CNA program will take place on Saturday, August 12, 2006 at 2:00 PM in the Brown Center on the main campus. All Certified Nursing Assistant students and their families are invited to honor the CNAs. We will hear from advisory board members and instructors regarding this year's classes, and each student will receive a memorable gift to honor his or her success.

New Class
An IV Therapy class has been developed and is ready for student enrollment. The three credit hour class will meet July 31st through August 4th from 8 AM until 4 PM, and on August 7th & 8th for two days of clinicals in the hospitals in Arkansas City and Winfield. Sharon Logan and Connie Schaefer will be the instructors.

Remodeling of Allied Health Center
The main hallway and two lower level classrooms for CNA instruction and Pratt's 2nd year nursing students are currently being remodeled and will be ready for fall classes.