Health Care Heroes of Tomorrrow

Delaware Tech’s Patient Care Assistant Pathway program is fueling the future of Delaware’s medical field

BY REGINA DONATO

IF THERE IS ANYTHING the last few years has taught us, it is the importance of good health care workers. Delaware hospitals, doctors’ offices, and long-term care facilities are constantly seeking people to fill jobs to meet increased demand. This problem existed long before the pandemic and will continue to affect the state in the years following. Local hospital systems approached Delaware Technical Community College about the problems they were facing, and the Patient Care Assistant High School Pathway Program was created in response.

“This pathway is a 600-hour, two-year, comprehensive program approved by the Delaware Department of Education and conducted in partnership with school districts across the state,” said Dr. Paul T. Morris Jr., associate vice president for workforce development and community education at Delaware Tech. “This certificate-to-associate-degree-level training program progresses from simple to complex and consists of classroom instruction, lab practicum, and supervised activities in clinics, long-term care facilities, and other health care agencies.”

In this program, students are provided transportation from their given high schools to one of three Delaware Technical Community College campuses several times a week. While on campus, the students can access relevant and modern lab equipment that is meant to replicate a real-life medical setting. According to Morris, clinical medical training is also included in the program. “Classroom theory and hands-on clinical components include nursing care, phlebotomy, cardiac function, nutrition, therapeutic communication, psychology, respiratory services, rehabilitation services, EKG readings, and empathetic care to the client, family, and community,” he said. Grants allow for the program to come at no cost to the student.

This program creates a unique opportunity for students to stack credentials. This helps by increasing opportunities for them to make a sustainable wage as they develop their health care careers, either through upskilling in a current position or stacking certifications to progress into a new career field after graduation.

Within the first six months, students become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), earn a phlebotomy (the ability to draw blood) credential mid-program, and a Patient Care Technician (PCT) credential by the end of year two. Upon program completion, students are also eligible to earn up to 11 college credits toward a degree program at Delaware Tech— almost a full semester’s worth of credits before they even graduate high school. Since the pathway’s inception in 2019, 165 students have earned at least three credits toward their college degree.

“This program creates a unique opportunity for students to stack credentials,” Morris said. “This helps by increasing opportunities for them to make a sustainable wage as they develop their health care careers, either through upskilling in a current position or stacking certifications to progress into a new career field after graduation.”

Additionally, the program provided help to the Delaware community when it was needed most. Participants helped by filling workforce gaps in the medical field during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-five students were prepared to enter long-term care facilities as nursing assistants because they had the first year of training already completed. They ensured long-term facilities could stay open and accommodate the staff vacancies, increased levels of sickness, and demand of their patients during this era of crisis.

Proof of the program’s success and impact can be seen in the numbers—participating school districts has increased from three to five, and the number of participating schools has increased from three to seven. Enrollments have also nearly tripled since its inception. “The comprehensive approach we use enables students to achieve academically, personally, and professionally,” said Morris. “We attribute the success of the program to the overall collaborative effort of the partners associated with the program, including, but not limited to, the schools, the school districts, the Delaware Department of Education, and industry partners.”

Delaware Tech’s Patient Care Assistant Pathway program’s dedication toward their students and the future of Delaware’s workforce makes being named a Superstar in Education & Training a deserving accomplishment.

“Delaware Tech is proud to be a leader in the state by providing distinct educational solutions, but also by being a model for partners across the country for high school pathway programs,” Morris said. “Earning this award is an honor and a testament to our outstanding faculty and staff, and the quality of students from our school district partners.”