Students in Sanford Regional Technical Center's Health Occupations program move from classroom learning labs to real hospital floors, developing both the technical skills and compassionate caregiving approach needed to become Certified Nursing Assistants.
The one-year course provides a rigorous foundation for students interested in healthcare careers. The curriculum satisfies requirements to become registered Certified Nursing Assistants in Maine upon successful completion and passing the Registry exam. Students learn to care for patients and residents in long-term care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation settings, covering anatomy system by system along with common medical conditions.
Beyond the technical training, instructors Shawnda Williams and Kelly Romagnoli emphasize what Williams calls the "Art" of caring – teaching students to provide respectful, dignified care to people during some of their most stressful moments.
"We take great pride in developing these students into the health care professionals we would like to have care for us and our own family members and loved ones," Romagnoli said. "It is a joy to watch. I also enjoy watching them blossom and become the professionals we would like to work with on our team."
Students begin by developing proficiency in the classroom learning lab, mastering basic safety and caregiving skills. Once they demonstrate readiness, they practice and perfect skills like hygiene, feeding, bathing, skin care, and assisting with patient mobility at Summer Commons and Pinnacle Health and Rehab in Sanford. Students complete a minimum of 40 hours of direct care under the instructors' supervision and the nursing teams at these facilities.
For Bella Garneau, a junior at Sanford High School, the program has been a long-anticipated opportunity. "I had been interested in taking this program since I took the Exploratory class in 9th grade," Garneau said. "One of my favorite parts is working with the facility residents, in particular demonstrating the skill of empathy. I can't wait to work as a CNA next year and into college where I will study Nursing."
Upon successful completion of course requirements and passing the Registry exam, students are certified on the Maine State CNA Registry. They also receive certification in American Heart Association BLS CPR for Healthcare Providers, First Aid, and Stop the Bleed Training.
Williams brings over twenty-five years of nursing experience to the program, having recently earned her Master's degree. Her diverse background includes roles in Med Surg, Pediatrics, ICU, home care, hospice, long-term care, Trauma, ER, cath lab, school nursing, urgent care, and primary care. She continues to practice as a nurse practitioner, maintaining a small practice to stay connected to patient care at the highest level of her training.
"Becoming a CTE instructor has brought all of these nursing experiences full circle," Williams said. Training 64 students annually has proven incredibly rewarding, especially when last year's students achieved a 100% pass rate on the CNA registry exam.
Even more meaningful was an unsolicited card the program received from a facility in Kittery thanking them for their excellent employees: four students who graduated from the Health Occupations program last year.
The majority of students enrolled plan to pursue nursing or medicine in the future, making CNA certification the first step in their journey as healthcare providers. Summer Commons and Pinnacle Health and Rehab have been essential partners, providing clinical hours, student CNA positions, unit helper roles, and mock interview skills training that support student success.