KENOSHA, Wis. – Carthage College is teaming with the Elmbrook school district to offer a Certified Nurse Aide training program for high school students age 16 and older.
The first group of 20 students began the certification program in October. In less than a month, they can acquire the essential skills needed for an entry-level healthcare position while earning dual credit.
The CNA program is delivered in a hybrid format, combining online instruction with in-person clinical experience. Supervised by expert Carthage faculty members, the students will refine their skills in the lab at Brookfield East High School and in the field at Oak Ridge Care Center, a skilled nursing, long-term care, and rehabilitation facility in Union Grove.
Primarily working in nursing homes or other long-term care settings, CNAs assist residents with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and eating and perform other tasks under nurses’ supervision. With a foot in the door, many aides pursue additional coursework to become a registered nurse, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or physician.
“CNAs are vitally needed today,” says Nancy Reese, director of nursing at Carthage, citing the significant number of job vacancies across Wisconsin. “Grounded in compassionate, holistic care, our program will equip these students to enter a noble and rewarding profession.”
Students from both Brookfield Central and Brookfield East are enrolled in the initial cohort. Among the many experiential learning options available to those interested in healthcare, school administrators say none can match the relevance of the new CNA program.
The Carthage nursing curriculum emphasizes human-centered care for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. By providing early clinical experience in high-demand positions, the college helps these high school students to determine if a patient care role is the right fit for them.
“Our caring, intelligent, and highly skilled students are exactly who anyone would want caring for their loved ones,” says Amie Farley, director of college, career, and life experiences for Elmbrook Schools. “We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with Carthage College, which has expanded opportunities for students to earn their nursing assistant certification and gain valuable hands-on experience in the healthcare field.”
Participating students will qualify to take the state competency exam, the final step to be listed on the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry. They’ll also earn two general education credits that can be applied toward a bachelor’s degree at Carthage, where nursing is the most popular area of study.
Others interested in offering on-site CNA courses for their students or employees should contact Nancy Reese at nreese@carthage.edu for more information.
In addition to the Elmbrook collaboration, Carthage offers several CNA sessions each year for the wider community at its lakefront campus in Kenosha. Applications for the next session in January 2025 are still being accepted.
Learn more about Carthage’s Certified Nurse Aide training options at www.carthage.edu/cna.