Students must complete a 75-hour course consisting of classroom instruction, skills lab and clinical experience. Upon completion, students are eligible to take the state test to become STNAs.
The program coordinator and instructor is Jennifer Koge, RN, BSN, who has 26 years of experience in long-term care. She completed the train-the-trainer course and had a minimum of 3,200 hours of nursing experience, including 1,600 of those hours being in long-term care.
STNAs play a critical role on the healthcare team, delivering basic care to residents in care communities. STNAs are trained caregivers who work in an assisting role, helping registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and physicians in the delivery of patient care.
“We decided if we train the students ourselves, we could train them not only on the educational piece but as our employees,” Administrator Lori Marsh said. “They learn the United Church Homes vision, mission and values. That’s something they wouldn’t get at another STNA training center.”
The vision of United Church Homes is “Where the Spirit creates Abundant Life in Community.” Its mission is to transform aging by building a culture of community, wholeness and peace. United Church Homes’ core values are compassion, hospitality, respect, integrity, stewardship and transparency.
All training is completed on the Fairhaven campus. Fairhaven offers small class sizes of five to six students to ensure a positive experience.
“This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in pursuing a career as an STNA at Fairhaven or for those considering entering the field of nursing,” Marsh said. “This gives those who have worked in home health care or hospice an opportunity to take their career to the next level.”
For more information, contact Lindsey Lewis, human resources manager, at 419.294.4973.
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