Bridging Into Health Care

Because the health care industry is experiencing a critical shortage of skilled professionals, bridge programs and other health care training programs have become invaluable tools for preparing low-skilled job seekers for careers in this thriving field.

According to a recent report,(1) bridge programs are designed to prepare individuals without the requisite basic skills for post-secondary education and training in order to advance to career-path employment and further learning in a specific high-demand industry or occupational sector. They are designed for people who have the desire to advance, but who lack the basic skills and knowledge for a career-path job. Bridge programs are directed at such people as: low-skilled, unemployed individuals; students with a high school diploma or GED who are unable to meet college entrance exam requirements; adult education participants; and low-skilled incumbent workers in entry-level jobs.

... bridge programs and other health care training programs have become invaluable tools for preparing low-skilled job seekers for careers in this thriving field.

This article highlights three examples of health care programs that focus on high-demand occupations such as nursing, medical billing and diagnostic radiography. According to labor reports, individuals entering these fields can expect outstanding pay and benefits, along with opportunities for advancement. Carreras En Salud (Careers In Health)

The Carreras En Salud bridge program was created in order to supply local health care providers with bilingual health care professionals — primarily nurses — who can improve the cultural competency of these organizations when serving the large and increasing number of Latinos in the Chicago metropolitan area.

According to Ricardo Estrada, Ph.D., and director of Carreras En Salud, there is a great need for Spanish-speaking health care workers. "We have some hospitals [in Chicago] where 90 percent of patients are Spanish-speaking," says Estrada, who cites Saint Anthony Hospital, adjacent to the Little Village community, as an example.

Yet, ironically, there is a virtual absence of Latino nurses in Chicago. According to a report Estrada created, recent census data reveals that although Latinos make up 25 percent of Chicago's population, less than 1 percent are employed as licensed practical nurses (LPNs) or registered nurses (RNs). The report cites such factors as low literacy levels, low English proficiency and other employment barriers as possible reasons for this small number.

"The goal of the bridge programs is for [students] not to get frustrated."

The Carreras En Salud bridge program is comprised of various modules to prepare bilingual students for careers as certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and LPNs. The program offers college-credit courses, so students are required to pay tuition. (Financial assistance is available for qualified individuals.)

One of the partners in the bridge program is the Humboldt Park Vocational Education Center (HPVEC) of Wilbur Wright College, where some of the LPN classes are held. Historically, Latino students have found it very difficult to make it through Wright College's demanding LPN program — largely due to language and advanced math skill demands. Carreras En Salud is seeking to change that. "The goal of the bridge programs is for [students] not to get frustrated," says Madeline Roman-Vargas, dean of HPVEC.

It's important to note that while students in the bridge program are required to be fluent in both Spanish and English, the classes are taught only in English. Students are admitted into the program at different entry points depending on their backgrounds, and they are tested in different areas, including math, language and computer skills. As an example, students entering the pre-CNA section must perform at the sixth grade level.

In addition, since CNAs tend to be among the lowest-paid workers in the health care industry (typically earning less than $10 per hour), students have the option of taking additional courses in such areas as phlebotomy and EKG, in order to elevate themselves to the status of patient care technician, thereby increasing their earning potential. "Hospitals recognize that once an individual has the CNA certification plus EKG and phlebotomy classes, he/she is considered a patient care technician," says Estrada.

Roman-Vargas points out that the majority of students enrolled in the LPN modules already have a background in health care. Some may be working as CNAs or in doctors' offices, but are interested in advancing their skills. "The goal is following that career pathway and [becoming] more marketable," says Roman-Vargas.

As with many health care training programs, Roman-Vargas says there is always an overload of applicants for LPN training. "The LPN program usually had about 300 applicants for 50 spots," she says. The program has since expanded in size to admit 150 students.

Carreras En Salud is a partnership of four organizations: Instituto del Progreso Latino; Humboldt Park Vocational Education Center (HPVEC); Association House; and National Council of La Raza.

The first group of pilot students graduated in March 2006, with two of them passing the LPN state exam. In addition, twenty-nine students will graduate this June. According to Estrada, the Carreras En Salud program has been so successful that it has received funding through the year 2007.

For more information on the program, please call Instituto del Progreso Latino at (773) 890-0055. Truman College

Truman offers a free health care bridge course that is geared toward students taking part in the school's ESL and GED programs. The 16-week bridge course (8 weeks in the summer) is designed to bridge students into the CNA program and other health care programs offered at Truman, like medical billing, EKG and phlebotomy. "The [bridge course] gives students an intensive overview of the health care industry," says Armando Mata, dean of Truman's adult education program.

The bridge course covers different careers, including RNs, CNAs, phlebotomists and surgical technicians, along with other aspects of the health care industry, such as medical terminology, work ethics and legal obligations.

"The [bridge course] gives students an intensive overview of the health care industry."

Mata explains that the bridge course is not advertised on Truman's website, but is promoted internally. Keep in mind, though, that all of Truman's adult education classes are free, including ESL and GED; therefore, individuals who are interested in registering for those courses will also have access to the health care bridge course.

For more information on Truman College's adult education program, visit: www.trumancollege.cc/adulted. Truman's main campus is located at 1145 W. Wilson Ave. The college offers open access to every adult seeking post-secondary education, regardless of his/her background.

Schools of Radiologic Technology at Advocate Trinity Hospital and Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center

The School of Radiologic Technology at Advocate Trinity Hospital, 2320 E. 93rd St., was founded in 1968 and is committed to the education of students seeking careers in diagnostic radiography. (The School of Radiologic Technology at Advocate Illinois Masonic, 836 W. Wellington Ave., offers a similar program.) Both schools offer a full-time, 24-month diploma program.

"This is a technical field. Math and science are the cornerstones."

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, radiologic technologists/technicians, also referred to as radiographers, produce x-ray films of parts of the human body for use in diagnosing medical problems.

Joann Kern, director of the School of Radiologic Technology at Advocate Trinity Hospital, says the field has really grown recently. "In the last five years, we've been overwhelmed with applications," says Kern. "[Masonic and Trinity] are the only two hospitals in the city that offer hospital-sponsored programs," she adds.

Still, the program can be challenging for some students. "You need discipline to do the forty hours a week [of school], plus homework," says Kern. "This is a technical field. Math and science are the cornerstones. ...[As a radiographer], you have to make certain calculations and know where the body parts are and how to position the patient," she adds. The school also introduces students to advanced career opportunities, such as nuclear medicine, ultrasonography and radiation therapy, all of which require additional schooling.

Kern says it's recommended that students who have only a GED or who have been out of high school for more than three years obtain at least one semester of college before applying to the program, although she admits that some students excel without college experience. "I've had students who had GEDs and then graduated with a 4.0 average," says Kern. (For an in-depth story on a radiographer who graduated from Advocate's program, see the article "Up Close and Personal" featured in this issue.)

Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for certification through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, which is administered by computer. Graduates may pursue employment as entry-level radiographers in various health care institutions such as hospitals, clinics and doctors' offices, although the ultimate goal of the program is to place graduates in jobs within the Advocate system, according to Kern.

For more information on both schools, including admission procedures and financial aid, visit: www.advocatehealth.com/system/jobsedu/edu/allied.