Spokane, WA— Students in Washington State’s first acute care, nursing assistant program can earn while they learn. Providence Health Care is offering free training and hourly pay to students looking to become certified nursing assistants. Students selected for this full-time opportunity participate in an 18-week program that offers a combination of paid work experience, classroom education and clinical training under the direction of registered nurses. Spots are open for the September class.
Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to obtain their nursing assistant certification and apply for open Providence Health Care certified nursing assistant (NA-C) positions. The training provides an excellent foundation for a variety of health care roles and specialties.
Inland Northwest Health Services, an affiliate of Providence Health Care, is serving as the academic home for the program. Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center is hosting the hands-on training where students practice in the nursing simulation center and gain patient care experience on the hospital inpatient care units.
Important members of the patient care team
Nursing assistants serve as important members of the patient care team within Providence Health Care’s acute care hospitals, which includes Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.
“We work in a complex environment,” said Cindy Fitzgerald, PhD, RN, director, Professional Development, Providence Health Care. “We wanted to create a training program that would prepare nursing assistants to participate as team members caring for acutely ill patients and using the technology that is part of the daily care of hospitalized patients.
We also want to recruit and retain a diverse workforce of qualified individuals who will remain with Providence Health Care throughout their careers. Our mission is to provide for the needs of our communities – especially for those who are poor and vulnerable,” said Fitzgerald. “Through this opportunity, Providence will be providing vulnerable populations with sustainable employment opportunities."
Education program details
Interested individuals must be 18-years old upon entry into the program. Students receive compensation for all hours attending class and on-the-job training. Once certified, students are eligible to apply for positions at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital, Providence Holy Family Hospital and St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute. NA-C positions start at approximately $13.50 an hour, which includes generous, low-cost health care benefits for all positions 20 hours per week and above, continuing education tuition reimbursement and outstanding potential for personal and career growth.
To apply
Visit providenceiscalling.jobs; search for “Student Nursing Assistant, Spokane”
Media contact
Beth Hegde, Interim Communications Director
509-474-7310 | Send email
About the Author
More Content by Providence News Team