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HIGH S TAKE S L E A RNING < < < Paving Pathways to Promising Futures Howard Community College introduced a to offer an accelerated nursing program, registered nursing program in 1972, just which consists of 14 months of continu- Q. What distinguishes the health sciences areas of study? two years after opening its doors, that has ous course work that prepares a student to a. HCC offers a wide range of programs grown into one of the largest in the state. become a registered nurse (RN). Our tra- that we are constantly updating and Today, the college's health sciences division ditional nursing program prepares students enhancing in order to respond to workplace offers 12 credit programs in addition to to be registered nurses over a two-year requirements and needs. For example, registered nursing. Dr. georgene Butler, period. Both programs utilize classroom we're in the process of expanding division chair and professor of nursing, experience, simulated laboratory activities, cardiovascular technology (CVT) to shares information about these programs and clinical assignments, and are equally include electrical physiology. All of our and what contributes to their success. rigorous. Graduates are eligible for direct programs offer a variety of support options transfer to selected baccalaureate nursing to help our students be successful, such programs in Maryland. as group and individual tutoring sessions, Q. How does HCC determine what health sciences programs to offer students? a. As a community college, we prepare our students to meet workforce needs and career goals in a very affordable and expedient way. We conduct surveys to assess the needs of the local community, study Maryland's forecast for the health care industry, tap into the U.S. Department of Labor's workforce projections, and consider recommendations from the Commission on the Future of HCC to determine which programs we will focus on at a particular time. For example, we are addressing projected workforce shortages as we prepare to offer four additional programs when our new health sciences building opens in 2013: medical diagnostic sonography, medical laboratory technician, dental hygienist, and physical therapist assistant. We offer an 11-month certificate program for students who want to be use of holistic relaxation techniques at our licensed practical nurses (LPN) as well as Kaiser Permanente Wellness Center. a bridge program for LPNs who want to be An innovation that will be used RNs. We even created an innovative career throughout our programs as we move ladder program, RENEW, for those who want to become a nurse but may not have the means to do so. Another aspect of our program that is unique for a community college is our emphasis on encouraging students to learn how to get involved in policy making. When I was a practicing nurse and then began teaching, I found that nurses were not trained to represent themselves when state and federal governments were developing health care and employment policies. We train our students in leadership, Q. There is a continuous waiting list to get into HCC's nursing program. What makes HCC such a great place to study nursing? delegation, a. In nursing, we are forerunners in cre- to make effective ative programming and scheduling options for students. We were the first in the state 4 faculty mentoring, and experience in the advocacy, and teach them how presentations. Pathways | Howard Community College Fall 2011 Dr. Georgene Butler.