NOAH PALINKAS & NAVAEH COFFEY

Q&A with CNA Alumni

For Noah Palinkas, a nursing degree was not a part of the original plan.

After graduating high school in 2022, Noah aimed to be a teacher—but when looking at different opportunities and exploring the field a bit more, Noah realized that his goals did not align with a teaching career. After spending time in the world of education, he felt a bit stumped, until someone reached out and noticed his emerging talents within the healthcare field. Noah reflected on the prosepct of a healthcare career for a while. He searched for a variety of Health Education programs and decided to enroll in the 4-month Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) course at the CVCC Alexander Complex.

Education and healthcare are two very different fields. What brought you to the CNA program?

“I live within Alexander County, but I wanted to try something outside of my current field. I had seen the impact of nursing firsthand during my last year of high school, when both my grandma and grandpa passed away. Many people in the hospital told me I would be a good CNA. I’d say the most challenging part of attending CVCC and taking the CNA program was not to feel down about myself, because I was uncertain whether other students would have an advantage over me in this program.”

What was your favorite part of the CNA program at the Alexander Complex?

“My favorite part was developing hands-on skills. I adopted new abilities I never thought I would be able to pick up, like the process of transferring patients from beds to the wheelchair. I’ve noticed many people have different ways of transferring patients to wheelchairs, so it was interesting to develop my own process.”

What makes an education at the Alexander Complex different from other places?

“I was originally going to attend a different 4-year university, but CVCC opened their doors wide and made me part of their family. The staff at Alexander Complex are very kind, and the instructors are amazing. Ms. Sharon Cox and Ms. Elen Gibbs spoke with us a lot and held meaningful conversations.“

What does the future hold for you?

“Currently, I have a job with HomeInstead, in Hickory, and I’ve also taken on an additional side-job. For the upcoming semester, I have already registered for the Phlebotomy course with CVCC’s Continuing Education on East Campus. I am also working on earning my pre-requisites for the CVCC Nursing Program, so that I can obtain my Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN).”

Nevaeh Coffey is a self-starter.

After graduating from high school at 16 years old, she wanted to continue her education and earn professional credentials that could set her up for success once it was time to enter college. Ever since a young child, Nevaeh was determined to enter the medical field—but she wasn’t quite sure where her talents and passions would take her, until she learned about the CNA program at CVCC. She decided that the CNA program was a perfect way to become acclimated to the world of healthcare.

Describe your first day at the Alexander Complex.

“When I walked into the first class at the Alexander Complex, I felt pretty intimidated, but I continued on and sat down at a seat anyways. My instructor, Ms. Brown, came in and welcomed everyone with open arms. I noticed from the beginning she was quite sweet, and she treated everyone equally no matter their experience level, which helped me ease up a bit. The lab was set up well, and I enjoyed doing the lab work during class. I would definitely recommend the CNA course, even if you don’t feel like it’s necessarily “for you—you will learn a lot.”

Why did you pursue the CNA program?

“From a young age, I grew into the idea of nursing; I’m a strong learner, and I graduated high school at sixteen years old. I wanted to get a boost in the nursing program at CVCC, and I began the CNA course at the Alexander Complex so that I could have those skills under my belt before I went into the Nursing (ADN) program at the college the following year. Practicing these medical skills hands on has helped me in more ways than one. Personally, I’ve always been the type to learn something new, obtain those skills after a few days, and then seek the next-best challenge. With nursing, I can develop a wide range of knowledge in many areas of my field. I’ve discovered that I have a deep interest in the labor and delivery side of nursing.”

What is the key to finishing strong in the program?

“You’re going to have to hop in with an open mind and remain eager to study, because you aren’t going to know all that they tell you, and it helps to be willing to learn it. You’ll see your efforts pay off when you work in the nursing home (or other clinical). When I worked in the nursing home, I used the skills I’d been practicing in class like brushing dentures, feeding, or helping people get into the wheelchair. At first, when I came to the nursing home, I got overwhelmed and kept wondering how I was going to help this many people in one place. It’s intimidating when you see all of the residents there—but I hopped in, I tried my best, and I finished. It is definitely worth every minute of work! Now that I’ve completed my CNA, I’m wanting to learn more and more, so my next big step is to enter the Phlebotomy class at the CVCC East Campus.”

If you are like Noah, Nevaeh, or the hundreds of students who enroll in CVCC’s Health Education programs and rise above in the medical profession, now is the time to act.

We are here to encourage you every step of the way—whether you want to become a nurse, a respiratory therapist, a surgical technologist, a dental hygienist, or any of the programs offered directly on our campus— because we believe that the future of healthcare begins with successful students.