Last week, Berlin High School opened its new Nursing Assistant Lab in cooperation with Moraine Park. The lab was made possible by a donation from ThedaCare and a generous grant from the ThedaCare Foundation. The lab includes two hospital beds, nursing supplies and curriculum materials for up to ten students per semester to become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA).

The partnership between Moraine Park and Berlin High School creates opportunities for students and assists health care employers in Green Lake County with finding certified employees.

“As the demand for qualified health care professionals, including certified nursing assistants, grows, we respond to that demand,” Moraine Park associate dean of health, Katie Hughes, said. “Offering the course at Berlin High School benefits the students as they can earn college credit and not have to travel, but it also benefits the community in that these students will complete their clinicals at Juliette Manor just across the street and many undoubtedly will be hired to work there or at other local agencies.”

Moraine Park Nursing Instructor and program director, Anne Deacy, provided guidance to Berlin High School on the required equipment and supplies for the room and for the students. Moraine Park also assisted in finding the instructor for the course, finding a clinical site location, having the room approved by the state, and registering the students for the program; which included helping the students to complete the clinical site’s required paperwork such as background checks, immunization paperwork and applications. 

“The Nursing Assistant program provides the students with an opportunity to get a sneak peek into the health care field,” Moraine Park K12 partnership coordinator, Beth Roehl, said. “Students can use this certification and be employed as a nursing assistant or they can use this certification as a building block to prepare them for a future career in health care.”

Moraine Park has several health care programs that a student can move on to after becoming a CNA such as Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Radiography, Nursing – with an exit point of LPN or RN, Surgical Technology, Medical Assistant or Respiratory Therapy. 

“There is a high demand for health care workers, and Moraine Park’s role is to bridge the gap between employers and high school students by viewing them as future employees,” Roehl said. “We will continue to work with high schools to assist students who foresee a future for themselves in health care.”

Moraine Park partners with 27 district high schools to offer a variety of coursework in health care, business, information technology, trades and manufacturing. To learn more about dual credit opportunities, visit www.morainepark.edu/academics/k-12-resources/.