The apprenticeship class works on patient care, including how to change linens, with instructor Nora Gillespie.
The second class of Care Assistant apprentices began classroom skills work this week at Virginia Health Services’ Employment, Enrichment and Education Center (EEE).
The six apprentices are part of the Healthcare Apprenticeship Extension Program, which is partially funded by a grant from the Department of Labor.
The apprentices spend three weeks at the EEE before moving onto clinical units and skills lab training at York Convalescent and Rehabilitation Center for two weeks.
The EEE training in Virginia Health Services’ Newport News campus is led by Nora Gillespie. Within the first two days, participants said they already are learning a lot. They learned hygiene, proper hand washing, how to properly move a patient and change bed linens, and other fundamentals of patient care.
Before the skills work in the EEE, their training focused more on non-clinical skills such as feeding and waste collection.
Completion of the five-week earn-as-you-learn training program prepares apprentices for the exam to be a Certified Nursing Aide. The program includes covering the cost of the certification exam.
The first class of Nurse Aides graduated April 22, and those six apprentices are working as Nursing Assistants at several facilities, including those within VHS, as they prepare for the certification exam.
Apprenticeship classes are ongoing throughout the year. Click here for the latest application.
VHS has a continual need for CAs, CNAs, LPNs and RNs. Visit the Careers page for details.
