Nursing students in Instructor Michele Mengert’s Mental Health and Community Concepts course recently completed their community advocacy projects as part of our Fall, 2019 service learning opportunities. Michele said, “students are purposefully working to learn community oriented nursing. We want to target prevention as a priority. Nurses need to understand how to advocate for specific populations of people and have knowledge of the resource programs in your community that you can partner with to help your patients.”

This semester 20 students spent over 100 hours researching and collaborating with community partners to learn more about parenting, fostering, opioid addiction, poverty, developmental disabilities, domestic violence, sexual assault, and more. Students formulated detailed advocacy plans to address how a nurse could help a community identify and address these issues, providing education, awareness, advocacy and resources. Students gathered data to help determine strengths and weaknesses in their own communities. Project presentations were held on December 20.

Congratulations on all of this great work on important community issues!

Moraine Park Technical College is committed to community engagement and student success.  The College supports these commitments through the opportunity for students to participate in student community impact and apply their classroom knowledge to an applicable, real world environment. 

In 2018, MPTC started a community impact awards program where students can track their service hours, submit their reflections, and earn a Bronze Award for 25 hours, Silver Award for 50 hours, Gold Award for 100 hours, or Presidents Award for 200 hours of service learning or volunteering. In the 2019 fall semester, 17 students earned awards and logged over 800 hours of service!

Congratulations to the fall 2019 award winners!

Bronze Award Winners

Completing 25-49 hours of service learning.

• Brielle Aylesworth, Medical Assistant
• Merinda Chamberlin, Medical Assistant
• Kylie Cody, Medical Assistant
• Ashley Despres, Medical Assistant
• Stephanie Dobek, Medical Assistant
• Brittany Enderle, Medical Office
• Erika Kaatz, Medical Assistant
• Amy Kaminski, Medical Assistant
• Sarah Lemmenes, Medical Assistant
• Heather Pieper, Medical Assistant
• Rhonda Roehl, Medical Assistant
• Olivia Sharp, Medical Assistant
• Kayla Wagner, Medical Assistant
• Rebecca Wenninger, Medical Assistant
• Haley Ilkenhans, Medical Assistant
• Tania Torres, Graphic Communications
• Meghan Griswold, Marketing and Social Media     

Moraine Park Technical College’s nursing program earned an eight-year accreditation status, the maximum time frame that can be granted.

The Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) completed an on-site visit in February of 2019, and the College was notified of their award on October 15, 2019.

To earn this accreditation, Moraine Park had to meet the standards set by the ACEN and demonstrate compliance by having policies that support the College and mission, students, faculty, curriculum, resources, and outcomes.

“We are extremely proud that Moraine Park’s nursing program has achieved the highest level of accreditation possible,” Kelly Shafaie, associate dean of nursing at Moraine Park, said. “Earning this accreditation means our students are receiving an exceptional education in nursing. We are grateful for our communities and their continued support that promotes the success of our program.”

In 2018, Moraine Park’s nursing program pass rates were an impressive 99 percent, and currently, the program ranks in the top 10 for nursing programs in Wisconsin. For more information on Moraine Park’s nursing program, visit morainepark.edu/nursing

On Wednesday, October 16, the Moraine Park Student Nurses Association (SNA) sponsored their annual Healthcare Career Fair.

Students and community members were invited to network, see what careers are available in the healthcare field, and research continuing education opportunities.

In total, the event had 20 different booths and 12 door prize winners.

The SNA is already preparing for next year’s fair, which is being planned for mid-October. Stay tuned for more information on the date and details.

morainepark.edu

Starting for Spring 2020, students interested in attending the College’s Nursing Assistant Technical Diploma program (Moraine Park Technical College course 543-300) will be able to apply for Admission to the College online. Students can access the application by navigating to www.morainepark.edu/apply. The online application became available September 3, 2019. Students will need to have completed the application, paid the one-time, non-refundable $30 application fee, and completed the Criminal Background Check process in order to be accepted to the Nursing Assistant program. There is no placement testing or transcript required for admission to this program.

Once students are accepted to the Nursing Assistant program, they will have a program code that will allow them to register for a section of 543-300. Students without this program code will be unable to register for course 543-300 beginning with registration for Spring 2020. (Fall 2019 registration is not impacted). More information about the Nursing Assistant program can be found on our website at https://www.morainepark.edu/programs/nursing+assistant/.

Two Moraine Park students were recently recognized for their heroic and life-saving actions.

This spring, Scott Lieburn, Moraine Park’s dean of students, received a notification that a 911 call was placed on campus. Upon his arrival at the scene, he immediately identified that it was near the nursing classroom. Natasha Sokoloff, a second-year nursing student, and Andres Morales, a first-year respiratory therapy student, were providing care to an unresponsive person. They were supported by instructors and classmates and administered life-saving care until EMS arrived.

“It is clear that these students are in the right field,” Scott said. “They showed a sense of urgency and remained calm during the intense situation.”

This person was within minutes of death, but because of Natasha and Andres’s teamwork, they are alive today.

It is because of these heroic measures that the Fond du Lac Fire Department presented Natasha and Andres with a Lifesaving Award at Moraine Park’s June 19 board meeting.

Additionally, the person sent a message.

“To the person or people who found me, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I literally owe you my life, and I hope you know how grateful I am for that.”

Graduates from Moraine Park’s Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) class are beginning new careers as certified Medical Laboratory Technicians!

This year, nine students graduated from the program and have begun working in the field. All of the students successfully passed the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) National Certification Exam on their first attempt to become official MLT (ASCP) employees. This is quite the accomplishment, since the national average for passing the ASCP Board of Certification Exam on the first attempt is 83 percent.

Medical Laboratory Technicians play a main role in the diagnosis and treatment of patients through evaluation of patient specimens and reporting accurate results to physicians and other health care team members. The need for skilled professionals is in high demand as the field of laboratory science continues to expand and a large number of the current workforce is retiring. Employment opportunities are abundant throughout the United States.

For more information about this career, contact Linda Bau, MLT Program Director at lbau@morainepark.edu or (920) 924.3314. 

I hope to hear from you soon!

Last month, first semester Moraine Park nursing students helped residents get ready for their annual prom at the Fond du Lac St. Francis Home.

The students used their clinical time to provide hair and nail care, and dress the residents for their big event! The students enjoyed the one-on-one time to pamper the residents and give personalized care.

St. Francis Home hosts the resident prom each spring with a live music from a local high school band and invites family members to participate. So much fun!

For more program information, visit morainepark.edu/programs.

Nursing students in Instructor Michele Mengert’s Mental Health and Community Concepts course recently completed their community advocacy projects as part of our Spring, 2019 service learning opportunities. Michele said, “students are purposefully working to learn community oriented nursing. We want to target prevention as a priority. Nurses need to understand how to advocate for specific populations of people and have knowledge of the resource programs in your community that you can partner with to help your patients.”

This semester 17 students spent over 80 hours researching and collaborating with community partners to learn more about planned parenthood, poverty, women & infants, suicide, domestic violence, opioid abuse, water quality, and more. Students formulated detailed advocacy plans to address how a nurse could help a community identify and address these issues, providing education, awareness, advocacy and resources. Students gathered data to help determine strengths and weaknesses in their own communities. Project presentations were held on May 17.

Congratulations on all of this great work on important community issues!